playing with babies while others painted

Wilfred and his wife, Vena, left for the States this past Tuesday, leaving us in the very capable hands of Angel and Rachel. Before he left, he and Dave talked about the painting he wanted us to complete at the babies and toddlers’ home: two accent walls, a mural (of our design) on one of the accent walls, and the entire living area (a BIG room). He wanted us to paint it in a gloss coat rather than the current flat paint so the walls could be cleaned.

Dave looked over the entire job and said, “We’ll try, Wilfred, but I am almost certain we will not be able to complete all of this. That’s a lot, but we’ll do what we can.”

Britta with a couple of the little ones

We had good reason to be proud of our team of girls (we’ve had good reason this entire trip) because they completed the entire job. Some girls played with and cared for babies and toddlers (keeping them away from the painting areas); some painted; some planned and painted the mural; some cleaned paint drips (Deb Smith was on her knees for probably three hours!); some cleaned rollers and brushes so they could be used for different colors. In the end, it was completed! They worked HARD!

naptime!

We wanted to get the job finished, but we also wanted to give the two ladies who work round-the-clock there to have a bit of a break and a fun day, so when lunch time rolled around, Angel, Lauren, and I went down to the nearest chapatti stand (a pancake/crepe made from flour, oil, salt, and water and fried on a griddle [don’t hold me to that recipe; I’ve only watched them do it]) and made the cooks’ day. Their eyes grew a little round when we said we need FORTY rolexes (that’s egg fried with salt and chopped vegetables rolled [hence the name] in a chapatti), but you could tell they were a little excited to make such a big sale. One guy began making more dough by hand, up to his elbows in it as he kneaded, and another began chopping veggies and then frying eggs with them. The main guy had on a pristine Starbucks apron J and thanked us for our patience.

Deb’s knees were red by the end of the day b/c she spent so much time on them! What a trooper!

While they worked on the rolex, the three of us walked down the road to find a fruit stand. We bought two big bunches of mini bananas for about $2 and then bought several sodas for Aunt Josephine and Susanne as a special treat. When we got back we picked up our hot, steaming rolex and took everything back to the home. The babies and toddlers ate nearly as much as the adults, and the mamas shared the extra sodas with the kids and by the end they were sticky, almost comatose but happy messes. The girls on baby duty pulled their mattresses into the main room and lay down with them so they could take naps. One girl said she lay there looking into her baby’s eyes and began praying for him—for his future, for his health, for his relationship with Christ and even his future wife.

the mural the girls painted on one of the walls

Dave was still trying to get enough cash to pay for the guesthouse so I went downtown with Angel to visit ATMs there. We rode a mutatu (like a mini-bus), and I had fun watching all the different passengers. Then I had a new experience: I’ve always ridden bodas (motorcycle taxis) while wearing pants (so I could straddle them). This day, though, I’d put on a skirt because I’d thought I was going to the hospital with the new baby, so I had to ride sidesaddle. I’ve always admired how the women balance so gracefully, but I have an even deeper appreciation now. I was a little hunched over from gripping the underside of the seat–probably not graceful at all!

Christy with Susanne and Aunt Josephine, the two ladies who selflessly care for these little ones day in and day out.

Angel and I caught up with the team at a game they played that afternoon. Though a “football” match played by an official girls’ team had certainly drawn crowds in Kenya, the Kenyans weren’t really surprised. It was very different in Uganda. We often had to convince people that they really played. We didn’t play any “official” matches in Uganda simply because there aren’t any girls’ teams to play, and when we told people the girls played “football,” the Ugandans assumed it was a genteel version of the game. So when the girls played a friendly-but-competitive match against some of the older boys at Mercy Childcare home and their friends from the neighborhood, the guys were really surprised. “They really play!” they said, and we would laugh, nod, and say, “We told you.”

the whole painting/baby care team–after the project was finished!

So the boys had told more of their friends, and some of the guys from church wanted a final match on Wednesday afternoon. They played on a field near Light the World church and had a great time. Fortunately I was finally able to catch up with another friend, Ronnie, who helped care for Patrick before we adopted him. So fun to connect with him and hear what he’s been up to. When Jody lived in Uganda, she cared not only for Patrick but also for another baby named Grace. When Jody left, Ronnie continued to check up on her and, eventually, when her home situation grew worse, he moved her into the home he shares with his mother. Then he moved in another child.

Ronnie, Em, and I (while Angel and I were downtown earlier this day a woman selling crafts on the street dropped these beautiful blue beads around my neck. When I protested, she said, “but I like you!” Angel then bought some from her.)

Ronnie’s story—told simply and without any fanfare, full of his joy over getting to be a dad to these two kids—reminded me of something Wilfred said to Dave a few days ago. They were talking about the book Kisses for Katie and all the work Wilfred and the other pastors at Light the World had done, beginning when they were only 19 years old. Dave said, “Wilfred, you could easily write a book!” Wilfred laughed and said, “But what we do is just normal. It’s simply what we’re supposed to do.”

Shelby and little Scovia–joyful together!

Wilfred, Ronnie, Deo, Vena, Angel, Rachel—this week our girls have gotten to see young Christians who are “simply doing what’s ‘normal’ for those who say they follow Christ, who do ‘what they’re supposed to do.”

Wow!

We finished the game and went back to the guesthouse, where we ate another of

Em with Rita, one of her friends from the orphanage

Mama Cici’s wonderful meals. Then it was packing time. The girls had several items of clothing, etc, that they wanted to give to the wonderful women who cared for us, so we made a pile in the courtyard and then enjoyed watching them try on different dresses and skirts. Christmas in July, and their joy was infectious. What added to the fun was that little Scovia from the orphanage (she’s six but has CP and is the size of a three year old) spent the night, and she is a bundle of laughter, so she had us in stitches.

Angel, Dave, and I–last morning together

The next morning we drove one last little time down the deeply rutted red roads to visit several of the older orphanage kids at their school. Then we made a quick craft shopping run, grabbed some lunch, and then headed toward Entebbe (the airport town).

In Entebbe we made one detour at my request. A dear friend of mine, Florence, had just lost a baby at 7 months of pregnancy and was still at the hospital in Entebbe. I was able to visit with her for a while and meet her husband (they’ve been married about two years), and I was able to introduce her to Dave and Emily. We chatted and prayed, and then we had to leave.

Rachel

At the airport we said our final goodbyes. I will miss my Angel. I will miss Rachel. (I’m grateful for Facebook!)

Thank you, Lord, for this amazing trip, and the opportunity to re-connect with so many beloved friends from my earlier time in Uganda. May the entire trip be used for Your glory in the lives of everyone it touched.