Malaria, My new little man, and Memories

o in my last blog post I spoke too soon about the great health…I came down with some little bug last Saturday and Sunday, but was full of energy by Monday. Tuesday, however, two of my team member came down with malaria and could not keep anything down (not even water) so Wednesday we started them on IV drips to hydrate them and administer their medications. I did not go to Smile at all on Wednesday and only half a day on Thursday as I watched the IVs around the clock. Wednesday I ran (literally sometimes) doing tasks for the sick girls to make them feel better including running across the street to pick up containers for stool samples. This was a fun task as the girls had to somehow get stool into a container that is smaller than a Tylenol bottle. We used different objects that were no longer needed to accomplish it J The whole time though I was thinking of how we would do it in America and how we could potentially create a false positive result using the materials we used for the girls because the objects were not sterile/clean materials.  Both were negative for worms and bacteria which was good to hear. The girls are now feeling better...not 100% yet but are slowly gaining their strength.  God really gave me self-control during this time and allowed me to put others needs above my own wants.  I also got a lot of time with God during when I felt ill and when I took care of the girls which was very much needed! I read through the genealogy of Abram and just saw how God planned everything out for Abram’s life and just makes me excited for what God has in store for my life. Pastor Ruth shared her testimony and how God used her past life experiences and turned them into good. She shared that if God had shared with her in 1988 (a great year!) when she got saved what she would be doing today (many ministries, on school board, ect.) and his vision for Smile she would not have believe him and maybe would not have taken the leaps of faith that she did.  Even thought I am excited to know what God is going to do in my life, I think it will be more rewarding to not know it all right now, but look back on time and see how He has been faithful.

Diana and Bri

Back: Laura, Dani, me, Michelle, Stacy

Front: Amanda and Bri

Diana and I

There was a cat in the hotel one day and it reminded me of my cat at homee dont see many cats here

I really miss a washer! We have to do all our washing by hand and then hang them to dry and hope it doesn't rain

OUR WALKS TO SMILE...it is about a 20-30 minute walk and it is always a beautiful one with some random things happening along the way....

Animals just roaming around freely

Many people

Flowers that resemble the ones across the road from my house

different crops being grown

More animals..these are tied to bushes

The vast amount of green

One of the villages

Daphenie and baby Sam

Baby Sam! Isn't he adorable?

Dani...this where some of the kids wait to get into the clinic

These are some beds that sick kids may sleep on

The clinic

Ester is one of the nurses....she loves photos :)

Salema is the lab technician/nurse

Simon! He is so loveable

Monday, Diana left to go back to Kampala so we said good bye to her. Friday, a new boy by the name of Eric came to Smile for the first time and he will be staying there until he is old enough to live on his own. Eric is 3 years old and has been beaten so severally by his father that he does not talk anymore.  I saw him off and on for the first couple hours that he was there but then Doris, who works in the office at Smile, came to the clinic with Eric on her saying that he was burning up. I sat him down on my lap even though he smelled of urine and took his temperature. We tested his blood and he had malaria. While we were for the results though, I sat there looking at this little boy’s face. It showed brokenness and hurt. I sat there holding back tears thinking about what this boy may have been through and how he could be scarred for life. The only thing that could erase that is God’s love. But how do you show and tell about God’s love to a 3 year old? I just held him and read him a story to try to show him love.  I then took a picture of the little guy.

He looks so sad but then I showed him the picture of himself and he smiled!!

The first smile we had seen on h is face since he came. I loved on the little guy the rest of the day and found out he is very ticklish and actually got a small giggle out of him. When it was time for me to leave for the night I did not want to leave him but knew I had to leave. I put him down, hugged him and told him God and I love him, and walked away. Eric began crying as I walked away. I motioned for him to come back to me. He ran to me and I picked him up and hugged him again and told him I loved him again and then gave him to a high school aged boy and told him it was Eric’s first day and he needed extra loving tonight.  The boy took him and tried to soothe him by walking around with him but I could still faintly hear him crying as we left the grounds. It was hard leaving but I knew God would take care of him.  Later that night we had some praise and worship time with the older kids who stay at Smile and then watched Kung Fu Panda.  

I know you cant see anything but you can hear the kids praising God!

Two of the older kids after supper

Some of the kids put chalk on their face one day to make them look white

Have a happy and safe 4th of July!

Prayer requests: 

That God would work everything out that needs to be worked out so that Feed My Starving Children would partner with Smile again to provide food for the children.

Sponsorship of the children…getting it advertised and for people to sponsor the kids so they can go to school.

Eric, and other kids who have been abused,  can know of God’s love despite their awful past

Health of the team…No more malaria!