The joy of meeting old friends again...

It is always such a blessing to meet children again, after they have gone home or have been adopted. To see how good they do now and knowing that we have been involved in the beginning of that process!

The family who adopted Nico in 2010, shifted back to the  States, but came with their whole family to visit Nico's home country! Nico was their first born son, later they got three more (biological) children. It was so nice to see Nico, he is a big boy, doing well in school and is good in sports. We feel so honored that we could be a part of this! Nico was a bit shy, didn't remembered us, but it blessed us so much to see and meet him again!

This are Patrick and his big brother Job. They both came in Amecet, after they were abandoned in town. They are no biological brothers. Patrick was found at night, sitting in the street, he was very malnourished and sick. We have tried to find relatives, but all in vain. He was adopted by a lovely couple on 22/1/2018. They love Patrick and they came back for another child and adopted Job on 21/5/2018. Job was found in the bus station, nobody knows where he is from and all our attempts to trace for the family didn't succeed. Job was very traumatized, he didn't talk. But now he and Patrick are best friends, they talk and go together to nursery school. To see those abandoned, traumatized children taken into a loving family gives us so much joy!!

Acia was brought in Amecet in 2016, she was 6 years old and very malnourished (6 kg.) She couldn't sit, stand or crawl in the beginning. Couldn't talk and she didn't see much. We focused most on the malnutrition and try to help her to sit. She improved and when she left after 2 months, her weight was 10 kg. She could crawl a bit. An American missionary family helped the family, but the parents really didn't want Acia. The parents of the American family, fell in love with her and they wanted to try to adopt her, to take her for specialized therapy. They are now living in Uganda and foster Acia. There are improvements and when I saw her today, I was amazed!!! Acia is healthy, but she still doesn't talk and she can't see much. See her here standing on our Veranda!!! I am so happy that she is loved and cared for!!

It is an encouragement to see those children back and it reminds us that we were a part of the beginning of this process!! We feel thankful!!

Education is a KEY!!!!

 As soon as possible, when the child is able to go, we enroll the children in school. We feel that it is very important for the children to get education. Today, Silivia (second of right) went to school for the first time in her life. She is 11 years old and had never the chance of going to class. The boy at the right is Daniel, he is 13 years old, he is  in P1, together with Silivia and also with Okello the boy third from the right. Okello is 9 years old and never went to school either. You should have seen their faces, they were so happy and so proud of their uniform and their school bag!! It is not easy when you are 11 or 12 years old and you are in class with children who are 6 or 7 years old. We are truly thankful for the teachers from Harmony Primary school, who always allow our children to join. The girl at the left, is Harriet, she is 12 years old and goes to P3. When the children are going back to their families, we will make sure that the child will stay in school.

The children are picked at 7 am in the morning by the Harmony school bus. And they come back around 2 pm. Their lunch is waiting for them and after that they go for a nap! And they sleep.... the children are still not as strong as the other children, so the rest in the afternoon is doing them well!

 Then Matthew went to the nursery school last week. We felt that he needed more to interact with children of his age and we thought to try it out. He is 3 years old and Teacher Susan allowed him to join baby class. This is his first day of school, he was so proud of his bag....

They had already started Bible class (the first day I always bring them) and he could sit in front, while they were singing, he didn't know what to think of it, so many children....... I left him and when I came to pick him at 12 noon, he was carried by a teacher and he had cried the whole morning... with his bag on his back!!! The teachers told me that we should not give up, he will get used to it, they said. I felt a bit worried, it is a lot of work in baby class, with 35 toddlers of 3 years and than a screaming Matthew, who wants to be carried........I am impressed with the nursery teachers!!

When Matthew came back home in Amecet, he was happy, smiling, he wanted the school bag to go in bed with him.... and he had a nice potty time with Mary, he was just okay!!!!

PS. He cried for 3 more days, but yesterday he was very fine in school, he "wrote" in his book en played with the other children. Unfortunately, he had fever this morning, so we kept him home and took him to the clinic for testing, we started treatment directly, hope that he is not crying tomorrow??

Bringing Betty to her last restingplace.......

It was a sunny Sunday morning today. Together we carried the coffin in to our car. The children all looked and it was a moment of saying goodbye... We prayed for the journey, for Betty's father and family and for the children, staying behind in Amecet...

We left with 4 staff members, accompanying Betty to her last resting place. On the way we picked two staff members from the organization that helped Betty when she was in the village and we drove to her village. It was around 1 hour drive. When we came close to the home, driving on one of those small, little roads, people came running to the car, and they started to run in front of the car, a moment later, some were running behind the car. Elias drove slowly now, the little road was bumpy and very small. More people joined, running behind the car. It was so special, like if they joined Betty on her last trip home... When we arrived at the home, chairs were borrowed from several neighbours and we sat down. There was already quite a group of people sitting under the mango tree, waiting for the arrival of Betty's body. The coffin was brought into one of the huts and we all joined the people under the mango tree. After some welcome words, I started to explain what has happened in the 9 weeks that Betty had been with us. She had been sick for 7 weeks and the last 5 weeks was most of the time on bed. I also urged anybody, who was on ARV medicines, or cared for children who were on ARV medicines, to take them on time, every day and to go to the health centre when someone was sick. The family was very thankful for all that we had done for Betty, they all gave it back to God, they said. We left, so the family could mourn without us, they will bury her today......

We drove back to Soroti, there was worship music playing in the car, 10.000 reasons to thank you Lord.. Sometimes you have to think about that, but yes, in spite of everything, we thank the Lord for the short life of Betty. We enjoyed her, she was a beautiful girl with a sweet spirit, another beautiful Morning Glory flower has withered.......

Betty's suffering is over.....R.I.P.

Today, Saturday, I got a phone call at around 5 pm., Betty was doing very bad. I was at home, because of my free day, just wanted to start cooking, Mary and I jumped in the car, leaving Sarah in charge at home, with Helen and Cathy.

When we came in Amecet, we saw a big change, she was really dying now. I have been writing in different blogs about Betty ( April 28, May 15 and 21 and June 6). It is so hard to see a child of 13 getting slowly worse and worse. You can't do much about it, just trying to make her comfortable.

This picture is from 2016, she was with us and left to go back home, very happy and healthy. Betty was HIV+ and her father and stepmother would care for her at home. But this year she came back, brought by another organization, which works in the village with HIV+ children. We tried, but I think that Betty was already too sick. And when she became more sick, Betty gave up, I think.

When we came in Amecet today, the staff had already prayed with her. Betty was restless, a bit scared as well. Mary and I were just sitting with her, holding her hand, touching her, and telling her that is was okay, that we loved her, she became more peaceful. There was a moment that her room mate Harriet came in the room. At first a bit scared, but then she also stroked her head. It was so special, Harriet told her that God knows it all...... We had both tears in our eyes.. The moment of her last breath came fast, she was very peaceful and just stopped breathing... It was a sad and also special moment, to be there together with Mary, with this precious girl, who had gone to her Father! After they cleaned her and removed the IV. cannula, the catheter and the NG tube, we went outside, where the other children were. I told them what has happened with Betty and Mary translated me. In the past years, I have done this so many times, than Mary had been among the children, today, she was there for the children, to explain what just had taken place inside the medical room. Together with the children we went to look at Betty, we prayed together.

Betty, thank you for your sweet spirit. We have cried for your suffering, now we dry our tears because your suffering is over, you are now with Jesus!!! We only feel the pain of missing of you.......

Study "Cow" tour to Kumi...

Last Saturday, we went on a study tour to a Cowsfarm in Kumi (around 45 minutes drive from Soroti). Now we have our 3 Frisian cows, we want to make sure that we do the right thing and that we get as much milk as we can. Via some friends in Holland, we got a contact in Kumi. It is a Dutch project and they have 85 Frisian cows. So they are much ahead of us!!😊

 We went with David and Bosco, David works in the compound of Amecet, cares for the dogs and also helps with the cows. Bosco is the person who cares for the cows. Simon was with us, he has been much involved with the whole cow project, and I went along to meet the people from Holland and also visit their bakery......

We learned about extra feeding, which they make from Maize and they showed us how they store that, so that there is enough food in the dry season. I had no idea how much a cow eats.... a lot!!!! And the more feeding, the better the milk!!

We were shown what the best grass is and David and Bosco recognized it, we have that grass also in Soroti.

We got a tour over the farm, this is the stable where the calfs sleep, the bigger cows sleep outside. It was an interesting time and I am sure we got some good ideas what to do with our three cows!!

We ended our visit in the bakery. They bake on wood and the bread is really nice. They are willing to bring twice a week the bread to Amecet in Soroti, so we will have fresh bread from now on....

The tears of the little people....

Even after so many years working with children, I am still asking myself, what world we live in, that people can do those things with children... Lately we have taken some older children in  Amecet and their stories make me so sad and angry at the same time....

A small boy was brought, we think he is around 6 or 7 years old. He was kidnapped 4 months ago, to be sacrificed, but because he was circumcised, he was not a good sacrifice and the police found him somewhere far from his home, on his own... His own father was involved in the whole thing!!! They told us that he was traumatized... At first he was wild and not listening, but now he is okay, loves to play around the house and he loves to eat!!! Then a 16 year old girl was brought by the Police, she is 6 months pregnant, from her stepfather.. The mother is angry, doesn't want her at home and will never accept the baby, she says. Another girl of 11 years old, was brought last week, she was raped by her stepfather, she is not pregnant, but the stepfather is HIV+, so the danger is that the girl will end up HIV+, she is now on ARVs. She can't go back home, because the mother blames her and forgives the stepfather, who is taken into police custody. My heart goes out to those children, who have now scars for their life. Simon and Elias will be busy finding the right place for them to go to, we heard that there are relatives, who want to take them, but first, we need to go and talk with them. So the children are with us, and it is so good to see them play and laugh. They feel safe and for now is that very important. They love to jump on the trampoline, kick the ball and color in their coloring books. We hope and pray for a safe place for them, after Amecet...

Betty is still with us, but very sick and very weak. We ask your prayers for her. She is sleeping a lot, but has pain all over the body, she doesn't want to sit, or to go outside, she can't stand or walk. She stopped eating, even the things she likes, like bananas etc. We can only feed her via the NG tube.  It is so hard to see her like this. We pray that the Peace of God will be with her and we try to make her as comfortable as possible.