My Heart for Uganda

 

Never in my life have I had such an enriching experience than while serving the Lord in Uganda last spring. My dad and I joined Sixty Feet for a short term mission trip to help them, "Bring Hope and Restoration to the Imprisoned Children of Africa in Jesus' Name." The ministry reaches countless orphaned and abandoned children as they provide both immediate relief: Food, Water, Bedding, Clothing, Medical Care & long term restoration: The Gospel, Counseling, Education, Justice, Resettlement

This lush country overflowing with warmth and sunshine is in stark constrast to the dark circumstances where children are imprisoned. Visiting those places broke my heart under the weight of the dreadful realities. In my lifetime I have always known love. Most of them have not. Their lives are shattered. They need Jesus.

I had the bittersweet joy of spending time with a little boy about two years old. I noticed him standing there taking in the scene around him wide-eyed, dazed. I tried to imagine how terrifying it must be to live in such a harsh place. Large concrete buildings. Crowded. Not much food. Lack of love. He was from an outcast tribe which made him the outcast of the outcast in the prison. Truly, he was the "least of these." {see Matthew 25:34-40} I sensed the Holy Spirit wanting me to reach out to him. I picked the little boy up and carried him around until my arm was too tired to hold him anymore.

Later on, I saw him again, nose running and traces of posho on his cheeks. I felt God urging me, Wipe his nose. Pulling a bottle of water out of my backpack, I began pouring some on a tissue. Gently, I wiped his face clean and carried him some more.

At the end of our time there, I noticed he was sitting beside me as I passed out crayons and coloring pages to the other children. His little feet were caked with red Ugandan soil. Then came the tug on my heart from the Lord again, Wash his feet. Taking the water, I rinsed his feet, rubbing the dirt away with my fingers.

Throughout the time spent with him, I knew he seemed very tired and acted like he felt bad. When we were about to leave, I discovered from the Sixty Feet interns that he had been sick with pneumonia the month before and was currently on malaria treatment. That made the time spent and love shown all the more precious to my heart. He needed that. I hope this little boy never forgets that day. I know I never will.
>>The beauty of being able to give assurance that someone loves them is what keeps me passionate about advocating on these orphans' behalf. That is why I am willing to go and serve.
 Uganda has never been far from my thoughts. There are times when I miss the children so much that I cry. While waiting to go back on a return trip, I found ways to bless the orphans from right here in the United States. In May 2014, I had another Cupcake Kids Sale in the front yard.  At Christmas time, I hosted a giveaway on my blog to raise awareness about Sixty Feet as well as benefit the orphans. This January, I launched a Valentine card challenge where people made cards to spread God's love to the kids in prison with the message of the Gospel. Before I knew what was happening, it became an international effort! People sent cards from South Africa, Spain, and Hong Kong, not to mention all over the U.S. By the end of the challenge, there were 3,500 cards! I had a deep heartfelt desire to deliver some of the cards to the kids in prison myself, but was never sure how or when.

Now, the door of opportunity has been thrown wide open!! Our hope is to join a Sixty Feet team scheduled for the middle of June. My dad will be able to come with me this time as well. The plan is to spend time visiting the facilites/prisons as well as the Hope International School. This school is in connection with the church that Sixty Feet partners with in the Bwerenga village. We will bring much needed supplies for the school as well as the cards from the Valentine card challenge to give to the orphans.