October 15 - Heaven on Earth

We made it!  The journey was long but already worth it...

Approximately one year ago UG-556 Caring Hearts Child Development Center provided us refuge from the violent political riots that were occurring in Kampala, the capital of Uganda.  We had been working all day doing missions work building mud housing for a family and helping stack bricks for a church.  On our way "home" to the hotel for the night we learned of the fierce rioting that was occurring.  We learned that it wasn't safe for us to get back to the hotel.  We also just "happened" to pass UG-556.  UG-556 just "happened" to be one of the few child development centers that has housing for some of the children that are sponsored through the project.  They also had just received donations of bunk beds, mosquito nets, and bedding that they hadn't even had time to fill with children.  So they offered them to us for the night.  They also offered us their hearts.  The children hadn't been expecting visitors so their faces just filled with joy at the surprise.  We didn't sleep very well that night but we knew that we were in a place of refuge.  A place filled with the Holy Spirit. 

Today, upon our return, we were given a welcome that none of us could have imagined.  The hill that we drove up last year to seek safety was filled now with singing dancing children!  Lifting praises to Jesus they greeted us with smiles and hand shakes as we walked up the hill.  So many faces. So much love!  It was hard to keep the flood of tears down to just a trickle.  The absolute JOY of being "welcomed home" by these people that had already blessed us so much!  A choir of orphans sang several songs for us, the Pastor gave us his testimony, and one of the children said a prayer of thanksgiving for us.

And then we played.  It's hard to imagine the number of children but the number was in the hundreds.  All of them, with us, on the hill playing soccer, Frisbee, blowing bubbles, jumping rope, and holding hands.  That's all I did.  I just held hands with one boy and one girl.  At first it was a very young boy and very young girl.  They just latched on to me before we could even get out of the church.  They loved when I would swing their arms to the beat of the worship music coming from the church.  I was rubbing their hands and after a while the little boy started to rub mine in return.  So sweet!  After a while the hands changed to an older boy and an older girl.  They were with me for at least a half hour.  They love, love, love it when you take their picture and then show them how it turned out on the screen!  But every time, as soon as you're done taking the photo, they want your hand back! 

And then, the dreaded time of every day... time to say goodbye and to return to the guesthouse to await another adventure tomorrow...