I cannot believe it has been two weeks since I left good ole' Mississippi...Then again it seems like a lifetime ago. The days here in Jinja go by really fast in that there is always something to do, yet I reflect back on the days at night and it seems like the longest day of my life. In a good way that is. It most certainly has been a challenge to be away from family and friends. The Lord has been so gracious in being my sustainer and comforter. I see all the Lord is doing here and it makes me all the more excited to think about returning home and hearing how the Lord has been at work within each of you within this time of being away!
As I go to sit down each week and write...I find it difficult to know exactly where to start. I arrived at Ekisa two weeks ago not knowing exactly what I would be doing. I knew that I would be going to care for these precious children, but I figured that there would be more to do than that. After a week of being here I found that organization was a huge need! Having an abundance of clothes, shoes, etc. in a hundred different sizes that people have so graciously donated all over the place is not very manageable. So I began pilfering through all of the clothes and separating them for each child. For those of you who know me...this is something I love doing. We then made a bin for each child that was filled with clothes his size with his name in them. I find it important for these children to be able to call something their own. Also, this week with the help of Erica and Janis we were able to go through all of the shoes and determine if they were play or smart(special occasion) shoes. The kids were so excited to get some "new" shoes and loved seeing their name put on them. This week was a very exciting one as we were able to begin school with some of the more high-functioning kids. We began with the letter "S" and included some fun videos and coloring sheets. After four days of school we are making a lot of progress. One other highlight of this week was having the opportunity to take the children on "outings". This includes a fun afternoon of going to one of the local restaurants that serves sweeties. This is such an important thing for these children. They are needing to be out and about and see their own culture.
One more thing that the Lord has burdened my heart with is the Mammas here at Ekisa that care for these children on a daily basis. Yes, I have been called to share the love of Jesus with these children, but I have also been burdened with sharing the gospel with these Mammas. They are the ones that will continue to love these children, care for them, and also live out the gospel around them. I know a few of them are muslim. Please join me in praying that the Lord would soften their hearts to the gospel.
We are still battling a lot of sickness here at Ekisa. Chicken pox and measles is being spread to just about every child. On top of that a few of our children have been diagnosed with malaria. Please be praying for healing for these children.
Now let the picture overload begin :)
The beautiful Ekisa home.
By 10am the dirty laundry from the previous day is covering the yard. Surprisingly, bushes make fantastic clothes lines.
Man Oh man do we take for granted that we do not have to sleep under mosquito nets every night. Its the little things...
Nothing like doing a little dance around the potty while showering. Haha.
EKISA is the place to be.
Whenever you buy fruits and veggies here it is wise for you to soak them in this natural acid in order to clean them in hopes of getting all the bugs, germs, and such off.
Sweet Jojo. When you need a good hug, JoJo is the kiddo to go to!
My favorite time of day is spending some one-on-one time with the children. Loving on them and seeing their sweet smiles is a daily reminder of why I am here.
On this day I was able to spend some special time with Arafat. He was thrilled to watch Monsters, Inc. This sweet boy is nothing but smiles ALL the time.
Last week was our first time to start school with the high-functioning kids. We started with the letter "S".They have the snake movement with their hands down for the symbol of letter "S". They really enjoyed it and I would say it has been a success! They are so hungry to learn!
Sam, Jason, and Dette just started going to "real" school a few weeks ago! They are excited to get there in the morning and ecstatic to return home in the afternoon!!
Surjio's is a well known restaurant in Jinja. I was excited to try it.
Another highlight of each week is taking the kids on outings. This is such a BIG treat for the kids. They are not able to get out within the community often so we like to take them out as often as possible. My outing buddy for the day was Paul.
When going out on outings it is best to pair each child with an adult. These four guys were such fun to take out to "The Keep" to get some soda and sweeties! Their FAVORITES!
Let's not forget the boda rides! Zeke was enjoying himself.
Paul enjoyed his cake and soda so much that he wore most of it! :-)
Zeke and his big piece of cake.
Jason and I.
We have the best boda driver, Wiliam. Paul smiled and giggled the entire ride. It was precious.
Janis and Rachel on our girls outing. Janis arrived on Friday and has been a huge blessing!
I had the privilege of taking Zuena on our outing today. She enjoyed a cookie and a yummy milkshake! This sweet girl is a diva!
Erica and Debra on our girls outing! Erica has also been a blessing to the Ekisa kids!
One day we spent TWO hours blowing bubbles. Yes, TWO hours. They loved every second of it.
Mama Sara is a jewel. She is Mweru's caretaker.
Zeke making some beats.
Debra loves to giggle.
Every morning the physical therapist comes to work with each of the children. The children are making milestones day by day.
Zuena loves spending time with our guard, Simon.
Rachel loves to swing.
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| Mama Nom and her baby boy, Grace. |
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| Zuena and I trying to find her some shoes. Though this child is bit of a diva...she has stolen my heart!! |
Hanging out going through shoes for the kiddos.
