I don't know why I had my children go out to weed the planters this morning. They have plenty of school work to do. But it just seemed the right thing to do. While outside getting them started we heard a faint knock at our front gate. So, I said "Who is there?" A faint voice then answered back "It is me, your neighbor." As I opened the door I saw the young man we had met earlier this week as we were walking in our neighborhood for the first time. We had thought that he was the son or grandson of the man who has rented the house to us but as it turns out, his story is different than that.
Here in Africa everyone has a story and many are sad beyond words. Brian's story is not unusual for this place. He is a total orphan, which means both his parents have died. He is living with his aunt, but that is a hard situation. At 16, Brian has been going to school but there is no free education for children here in Uganda. The common cry of the young is "I need school fees."
The family who rented us this house has taken him under their wing and he is very grateful for that, but they don't have the money to pay the required school fees either. His goal this morning was to come and ask for work. School is out now for three months and he feels hard pressed to earn the money he will need to continue with his education. Right now he is working with my children to weed the front planters. I'm sure he is surprised to see Muzungu (white) children digging (a term used for working the soil). But then we are here to show people something different.
I don't know yet what we will be led to do for Brian, but I am thankful we are here and can reach out to hurting, lost, hungry children. I am glad we are a part of the Show Mercy team of partners who together are reaching out in love one child at a time. At Hope Children's Home we are caring for 94 orphans who have even worse stories than young Brian. Many of them had no one to help them or care for them and we are so glad to be helping them and others like them. We have now also begun work on the "Field of Dreams", where we will care for many more children who are in need.
The plight of the poor in Africa use to be a big unknown mass of need in my mind; too big to address or even wonder how I could help. It seemed to me to be so huge I didn't know where to begin. I wanted to help but didn't know where to start. Thanks to Show Mercy, that is not the case anymore. We are here, we are making a difference and with your help we can do even more. How can you be a part of this amazing team? Just do what we did, get involved. Give to Hope Children's Home or to the Field of Dreams project. Come and see how together we can make a difference. Join a short-term mission team and love these precious children up close. There is so much to do here. Brian and many more like him are waiting, waiting for someone to care, someone to give them a helping hand up so that they may in turn help others.
There is a verse in the Bible our family is finding very true here in Uganda, "It is more blessed to give than to receive." If you are already a part of our family of partners, thank you. It is a privilege to serve with you. If you have not yet taken the plunge to help, I want to encourage you today to do that very thing. You won't be sorry. You are needed, wanted and invited to join us as we help make things different for the poor in Uganda. You can join us today.
Sponsor a child, donate to the
"Field of Dreams", give to the
"Food for a Child" program or sign up to join us here and see for yourself.
