What an emotional day! After finishing hanging mosquito nets, putting the roof and last boards on the outdoor kitchen, taking some fun dress-up photos, and heading to the clinic to get the results of yesterday's blood tests (which all came back negative for HIV...praise GOD), Janet had a "Welcome to Chayah" party planned.
Janet headed back into the village of Kakira to pick up some of the children's guardians/parents to invite them to come see the house and meet us. While she was gone we got all the kids dressed in their new clothing and hurried to pick up around the house. What happened next I will not accurately be able to retell, but I will try. Not many of the parents came, maybe 8 of them and they stepped out of the car one by one. Some not ever having left the village before. As they, one by one, walked into the home, they shook our hands, hugged us and bowed with gratitude and we began to realize our American brains had been wrong all along. These parents that came, deeply cared for their children. Janet gave them a tour of the home and each one got to see where their beloved would be staying.
They were then welcomed into the living room and we served them a big plate of food and we began our meeting. Janet said a quick welcome and then asked my mom to share the story of how Chayah began; the meeting of Olivia, relationship with Janet, Nicole and I asking Janet to pray about opening a home etc. We then reassured them that Janet is a God-fearing, faithful, loving, competent, wise woman and explaining that God blesses us with finances, wisdom, knowledge, love and everything to bless others, so we are only doing what God has already done. He is the rescuer and it is our complete privilege to be a part of his redemptive plan and that it gives us great joy. I then looked at each parent and thanked them. I tried to tell them in my inadequate way that they were the ones who were the heros for giving up their children and that we see their sacrifice and admire it so much. You see, yesterday we saw that some may not care about their kids, but some do. Just as much as we Americans do. That it is because of love that they could let them go. They understand that living in a place of abuse, extreme poverty, or at great risk is not where a child they love belongs.
The few parents that were there, got on their knees and tearfully thanked us and raised their hands and repeatedly praised Yesu...Jesus. Because of Christ and what He has done, the children have a future, a hope, redemption. There was not a dry eye in the house. This was a longing of our heart... That the parents would see Jesus as the Rescuer, Redeemer and the One who gives Hope.
Then Janet's oldest girls, Sharon, Olivia and Melisa, got up to share their testimonies of their time since living with Janet and through tears thanked us for following after God's leading. Again not a dry eye. Then Edrine, Janet’s son and Jesca joined them to perform a song that they written. It was beautiful and all about redemption and God's grace and faithfulness towards them. We then cut a cake (which means we have to return in Uganda culture, and we wouldn't have it any other way!) and slowly said our goodbyes to the parents. While most of the kids were outside playing for the meeting, one of our little girls was sitting at her mom's feet almost the whole time, just holding her hand. As a mom, this mother was such an example to me of the great love she had for her tiny daughter. It was clear how much this mom adored her little girl. But 4 weeks ago, this mother met Janet at church and relinquished her daughter to her. This family is living in extreme poverty and has many kids and the mother has a man she can not get rid of. In the middle of the night, the mother woke up to lots of commotion, realizing the man was trying to do the unthinkable to this little one who is barely waist high. The mother quickly fought off the man and took the little girl to a neighbor's for the night. The next morning, she met Janet and signed off her guardianship. See, this mother loves her daughter so much, so much that she could selflessly set her free. How does a momma's heart do that? I don't know. But I know God see's her and I pray He will bless her abundantly with His presence and keep her close to Himself. As this mom was about to drive away I scooped up the little girl and held her up to say goodbye. Her mom reached through the window to grab her hand and this tiny child pulled her's away. As they drove off my heart was full of every emotion you could think of and I sat on a wall by myself with her. I rocked her back and forth as my tears dripped onto her little frame. I kept telling her "your mommy loves you so much, Jesus loves you so much, your mommy is so brave, she loves you," this little one doesn't know English, but I know the Spirit of God spoke to her heart. As I rocked her she quietly fell asleep in my arms.
What a privilege to get to serve God in this way. What a joy to get to bless these wee ones, to giggle with them, to bathe them, to clothe them, to splash around in the Nile with them. My prayer is that these few parents that willingly gave their children over would find complete peace and joy and rest in the One they belong to; God himself.
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