Yesterday we had the opportunity to
visit and work with a ministry called Smile Africa. They feed many many hungry children each day
who live locally in Tororo, usually between 420 and 450 kids a day. When we were there many of the children were
on holiday but there was still an overwhelming amount of hungry children with
pot bellies and smiling faces. Being
there was very hard, it brought the weight of this issue to light as we helped
hand out cups of funky porridge to eager children. A lot of the kids have parents and a lot of
them don’t… either way it sucks. They are hungry. I think about moms I know at home and how
they care for their kids and dress them in cute outfits and their main concern
about their kids diet is if they are eating their veggies and picking healthy
snacks. Which is in my opinion by no
means at all bad… its just hard knowing that the mothers here would love to
care for their children in the same way but they can’t. Instead they send their children to centers
and programs in the hopes of them finding food and clothe them in the left over
clothes that didn’t seem to sell at our garage sales in America. The hunger in the children’s eyes and hearts
seems to go way beyond them. I love
twirling with the girls, I love how their tattered dresses spin, its like
catching a glimpse of Cinderella before the ball.
I tried to write about the experience in my journal but I
couldn’t even form sentences. This is
what I wrote:
“Tattered
dresses, twirling lessons, playing ‘Snake in the Grass’ and pretending to be
helicopters- taking off and crashing to the ground, hiding in collapsing forts,
pot bellies, tiny children with no one to hold them, tiny children lying on the
ground in their own urine, laughter, tears, a fight for attention, a fight to
be seen, little boys wearing pants with the seams torn leaving their little
bums exposed, old Easter dresses and American garage sale left overs, naked.
Hope, respect pouring from the children towards Pastor Ruth, Pastor Ruth
pouring out love toward the children, singing, climbing in laps, high fives and
tickles. Feeling like I have nothing to offer, heartbroken, overwhelmed with
being there first hand, seeing their faces, knowing their names, looking in
their eyes, its not just a commercial anymore, the children are hungry.
Hope. Smile Africa.”
You are truly remarkable in how you can reflect and say just the right thing for us back here to truly understand what your are going through each day. I pray someday you will return to this beautiful country and see how your efforts have truly changed this area. Surprisingly enough what you witnessed at Smile Africa is a huge improvement over what it was like only a couple of years ago. You are making a difference everyday you are with these precious souls.
that was perfect….
Perfectly expressed. The epitome of courage is to me, facing what you are facing daily, continuing to give of yourself, and clinging with all your heart to a faithful God for “what you cannot[yet]see”. (Heb.11) In His love, Brittany’s Grams
We are about to have our morning prayer time and will take your heart before the Lord on behalf of Smile Africa and God’s beautiful little children.
Cherise – you are so perfectly named, dear one. I am there with you experiencing God’s beloved in Africa through you because of your willingness and diligence to blog. I am so stoked you are in Busia (of all places!), ministering to His people and bonding with our friends. What else does God have in store? I can hardly wait to see. I pray for your renewed and refreshed spiritual, mental, amd physical strength daily. muah!
Hey there…I’m not sure if you remember me or not but I am friends with your Aunt JoAnne 🙂 She forwarded this blog to me. I also have a heart for Africa and have experienced the things that you write about in your blog. It is amazing how a culture can make our view of the world change!Africa is a special place…I believe that God showed me a side of Him I have never seen before while I was there! I long to go back to see that side of Him again :)Keep up the good work! Love on the Children you are surrounded by every chance you get, write their names down so you dont forget them, pray for them always. May the Lord continue to Bless your journey!