Thursday, October 20, 2011

I'm Still Here

I'm still alive!  This has been an amazing trip.  Again, I don't have the words.  I have done no better writing my thoughts this trip than the last.  I'll just have to work through it and write about it as I can.

Our time in Kenya was just wonderful.  We spent LOTS of time with our kids at Fiwagoh, and we were also able to go in to Nakuru and visit two different homes that Visiting Orphans had not been in yet.  Two places with very little (if any) support.

The first of the two was the home of Mama Sweetie.  She has almost 30 children that she cares for in her home.  They have come to her over the last couple of years as their parents (mostly friends of hers) have died of AIDS.  All 30 of them sleep in 8 beds with no mattresses (just the wooden slats.)  She's doing the best she can with what she has.  She has very little.  Future VO teams will hopefully be able to help her.

*pictures are not uploading*  :-(

The second place was Mama Nelly's home.  She has a nice facility that she rents to house her 29 children.  She desperately needs to begin a sponsorship program to help care for her kids.  We've been thinking of ways to help her do that.

Of course we had a WONDERFUL time with our kiddos at Fiwagoh.  The craft that we did this time was to make a pillow.  It was made of fleece and shaped like a lion's head and they glued lion face pieces on them.  They didn't have pillows, so they LOVED making one of their own to sleep on.  I can't wait to show you all of their pictures.  Especially my team from this summer.

I wish I had video of us driving in to the compound.  The recognition on their faces when they saw that it was me was priceless.  For me to come back AGAIN was unbelievable to them.  They thought that was the best thing ever!  I did too!  I just love those kids.  I miss them already.

I was especially close to a little one named Emily this time.  Poor baby just cried and cried when we left.  I may have been a little upset too.  She's 8 years old just like my Brenna (but Emily is so tiny.)  They will have to write some letters to each other.  I had printed a bunch of pictures of me and Brenna and gave them to the kids.  Many of them wrote letters to Brenna for me to take home.  She will love that.

I am missing Brenna.  I called her yesterday before she went to school, and she cried.  Poor kid.  I won't be taking any trips like this again in the near future.  She made me promise before I left.  So I will be done for awhile.  When she gets a little older, I will be able to bring her with me.  But for now, this is hard.

God has shown up in some big ways since I have been here.  He is here.  I will have to write the stories later.  We ran into Linny from A Place Called Simplicity at the Namirembe in Kampala.  I have followed her blog for so long.  It was amazing talking to her.  I got to meet her newest little one.  I can't share much, but would you pray for her?  That family needs us to pray.  God knows what they need.

I'm at an Internet cafe in Jinja right now.  The WiFi was up when I started and has been down for awhile now.  I am hoping they get it back up so that I can post this before we have to leave.

Thank you for praying while I've been here.  Keep praying.  Several of the little one's at Canaan Children's Home where we are staying now (in Jinja) have malaria.  It's not fun.  Poor kids.  They are burning up with fever.  The clinic is full.  We have prayed over many children.  Pray for them.

The Internet just came back up!!  I'd better hit 'publish' before it goes back down.  This is Africa!  I do love it here.

Love you all!

3 comments:

  1. So So So good to hear from you, Allison! Just know that I will want every tiny detail so it will seem that I've been with you. Praise God for all the loving you have been able to do this trip. May He give you eyes to SEE - I know you already have the heart to BE and DO. Much love to you, Diana and the team!!!
    Doneva

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  2. Allison!!! It's so good to see this blog post! I can't wait to see all the pictures, especially of those pillows! Do any of your other teammates blog? Praying for you and your team and your little one back home! :)

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  3. My dear friend!!! So good to hear from you and to hear that your time at Fiwagoh was so sweet. I can't wait to hear more and see some pics! My heart aches to be there again...the Lord only knows what He has planned for the future! I will pray for you and your daughter...for the strength and peace the He alone can provide as you make it through these last few days. I know how hard it was to be away the first time...can't imagine how hard it was to go again so soon. Thank you for sharing...for going...for loving like Jesus. Love you, friend!

    Stephanie Osborne

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