Only because it is the end of the trip, have I dared push through today as if I had a full night’s sleep. Because after sitting up listening to the heart of our House Mom, Janet, until 3am, I was hoping to sleep in just a little bit later than usual. Well right, except that I was in a home with 19 children who as it turns out get up every day at 5am for prayer, devotion, and singing. Just hearing those voices this morning made me venture into their place of worship and get on my knees to join them.
When they finished, they went straight to their chores, no asking, no reminding, no standing over them to keep them going. All beds were made, everybody was bathed and dressed, some more creatively than others, and belongings were put into their cases. The youngest ones don’t have much responsibility beyond that for now, but the older ones, 10 and up, were sweeping the exterior stone areas, washing last night’s dinner and party dishes, bathrooms were cleaned, floors swept and mopped. Yep, this is the daily routine and no one complains, no one is slow.
Breakfast was served about 8:30 or 9am during this “holiday time” from school and was warm milk with a chai tea sort of flavor with some sugar and 2 pieces of bread. Then its play time. Today though, the two in Secondary School or high school needed to go for registration.
Janet and I walked Olivia and John, in the hot sun, to the school to see how long it would take. About 2 miles, and uphill, told me that the $25.00 for all 3 months transportation fee to have the bus pick them up about ½ mile from the house was a good investment. After about 10 minutes of walking, I asked Janet when the hottest months in Uganda are…um hmmm January. So sleep deprivation and dehydration were the way we were operating today. On the way back, you know the downhill part, we were picked up and headed home.
Today there were games of tag, tent building, card games and Janet, Kristen and I attempted to stitch names on the red sweaters with yarn. We were instructed to write the names with marker first, then stitch them with the yarn. Ok...not fun. But we couldn’t leave it all for our mom to do, there are 16 of them just for the primary level. Tomorrow, we teach the older girls. Somewhere in here, we ate lunch.
We met today planning for our need to officially register the home with the local government and how to get that started. Meanwhile, Kristen walked the oldest 14 back to the Nile to play in the water. Before they left, she taught them a game in the yard, tucking a handkerchief into their pockets and chasing each other trying to pull flags and be the last one in the game. They played and played and played. Squealed, shouted, cheered for each other and may have actually “fixed” the last round, so that Micah could win. Then, carried him into the house like he was some kind of hero, cheering so loudly for their own personal missionary he could hardly contain his joy.
The 5 littlest ones were supposed to be napping, but behaving like real children, they were spying and sneaking out of their rooms to see what all the fun was about. When the group finally left for the hike to the river, the “babies” settled in and fell fast asleep, interestingly, on the floor. Perhaps comfort is more about what you are used to than what it feels like to the body. The house was quiet and Janet worked on lists for our final 2 days, while I continued to stitch names on sweaters.
The gang arrived back from the river refreshed, but tired. Our van is in the shop for breaks etc… so we were riding the boda bodas back to the hotel today. Picture the 3 hotel pillows we borrowed for the night, tied together with twine, a suitcase, a Muzungu grandma straddling a motorcycle in a skirt, holding onto a driver that wants to talk American politics during rush hour on a bridge crossing the Nile. If we leave here having missed a possible adventure, I don’t know what it was.
Tomorrow, we begin tying up whatever loose ends we can before closing the book on this ground breaking trip. I have seen that our President was sworn in again, but when it comes to an inaugural event, I don’t care what the glitz and expense was in the most powerful capitol in the world… this was better, hands down. You’ll never convince me otherwise. I don’t care who designed clothing, what song was played for a dance, or who was in attendance…this morning, in the family room of Chayah, where the music came from the hearts of children and genuine, innocent prayer eclipsed any speech writer’s best attempt…before the sun was even up, a new day began full of hope, anticipation and new life.
As our heads hit the pillow tonight, please know, we have appreciated every prayer on our behalf, every encouraging word along our journey last fall and every sacrifice you have made. It matters… if they could speak it to you or you could see it in their eyes you would better understand the depth and breadth of it.
These are treasures for heaven, 19 jewels to be worn by King Jesus…our King of Glory.
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