Amecet n'ainapakin (Shelter of Peace) is a ministry of Youth With A Mission (YWAM)in Soroti, Uganda. We are reaching out to HIV infected and affected children. We also are caring for new born babies, who lost their mother after the delivery. The third group of children we help, are children who need a safe place, they mostly come via the police. In this blog we want to share with you our stories, our pictures, our needs and blessings!

Monday, May 21, 2012

Sad news...

I just got a phone call from the village with the news that Patrick had passed away this afternoon. I was so shocked, Patrick went home on May 2, he was not even 3 weeks home!!! The man, who called said that it was malaria, I asked if they went for treatment, he answered, they tried... so that might mean: no they didn't! I feel so sad about it, of course I asked myself now, did we let him go too early? Patrick has been with us for almost 4 months, he was small, but he had gained and was healthy. Did the family not want him? I feel for this little man, not loved by his family, I remember that the going home did not went so smoothly. At least he was loved in his time with us, he was cuddled, fed and cared for. I know he is in safe Hands now, but I feel angry, sad and I have so many questions. I guess I have to give it a place somehow.
Than the next sad news today: baby Steven, (on the picture above) he is 5 weeks old and his mother died after giving birth, the story is that also his father died in Nov. in a car accident. We were a bit worried about him, because he cries so much and is so tense. Today, Meri took him to the doctor, she didn't trust his eye sight. And she came back with the sad news that Steven might be blind and deaf. He doesn't react on the normal way. He is only 5 weeks old, so the doctor told us to come back in one month. Steven is a beautiful baby, I can't believe that this is true, but yes, he does react different than the others. Maybe that is the cause of his crying, blind and deaf, you live all alone in your own world, only touch can give somehow contact. We had to wipe away some tears, who would care for this little baby without any parents?? But we still have hope, maybe we are wrong, we pray and observe, we care and we cuddle. Steven must feel that he is loved!

Sometimes you feel so helpless, you can do so little and the children are suffering, I tell you a story about what happened on Saturday, it is also a sad one.. The probation officer and the police came by in Amecet to ask if we could help. There were 3 children staying at the police office, there were a lot of problems and they wanted to bring them home in their village. Simon went with them, to help them drive there. The father of the children died in December and after that their mother went crazy. She didn't want to see her children and was mostly away from home. Then the uncles took all the belongings of the family, the cows, goats, the money on the bank, the mattresses and even the household things. The children were sent to Soroti to stay with an aunt. The aunt was not happy with that and the children were not cared for. The oldest girl of 14, went into prostitution and even the second girl from 11 years went with guys, because they were so hungry! There are two more children ( 8 and 4 years old). When they reached the village, the police and the probation officer talked with the family and the local authorities. It was clear that they could not stay there and after all the talks, they brought them back to the aunt. Talked with her and there is a police case now for the family. Who will talk for the children?? Who will fight for righteousness for those innocent children? It makes me sometimes so helpless, so inadequate. There is so much suffering.

Sorry, this blog is a bit sad, but I can't help it, that is how I feel at the moment. We do have many happy moments, but there are also days like today. And we don't give up, we have a good cry and then we go on!!

5 comments:

  1. O lieve Els, wat verdrietig, die lieve Patrick... en Steven... zo'n mooi babytje en dan blind en doof, het zou zijn huilen inderdaad verklaren, en ik bid dat hij jullie liefde diep zal voelen.
    Dat laatste verhaal is ook zo verdrietig, wat erg dat die moeder het niet aankan, en dat dit dan gebeurd met de kinderen... hun leven staat op z'n kop...
    Weetje, eigenlijk weet ik gewoon niet wat ik moet zeggen, maar ik wil je laten weten dat je berichtje/verhaal me aangrijpt, ik bid met je mee.
    Zomaar een gedichtje 'ter bemoediging'....

    I don't know about tomorrow, I just live from day to day;
    I don't borrow from it sunshine, for its skies may turn to gray;
    I don't worry o'er the future, for I know what Jesus said,
    And today I'll walk beside Him, for He knows what is ahead.

    Many things about tomorrow I don't seem to understand;
    But I know Who holds tomorrow, and I know Who holds my hand.
    I don't know about tomorrow, it may bring me poverty;
    But the One Who feeds the sparrow, is the One Who stands by me;
    And the path that be my portion, may be thru the flame or flood,
    But His presence goes before me, and I'm covered with His blood.

    Many things about tomorrow I don't seem to understand;
    But I know Who holds tomorrow, and I know Who holds my hand."

    --Ira Stanphill

    ReplyDelete
  2. Wat een verdrietige verhalen...het liefste zou ik die kinderen hier naar toe halen om ze te knuffelen en te vertellen hoe waardevol ze zijn..

    En wat moet het pijnlijk zijn als ze zo kort na hun vertrek toch sterven.

    Sterkte met al deze moeilijke dingen, het is onbetaalbaar wat jullie voor al deze lieve kinderen doen!

    Hartelijke groeten,

    M.ariëlle O.rth

    ReplyDelete
  3. Beste Els,

    wij wensen jou heel veel sterkte met deze verdrietige tijd. Wij hebben Patrick ja ook nog mogen knuffelen en wij zijn ook verdrietig over zijn overlijden. Maar Els zonder jouw fantastische inzet zul er helemaal geen licht voor de kinderen schijnen. Zij zullen geen enkel kans krijgen om te overleven als jij en Amecet er niet zou zijn. Wij zijn heel erg dankbaar en blij voor wat jij en jouw team doet. Wij hebben het mogen zien, toen wij bij jullie in Amecet waren en bidden voor jullie allen dat God jullie troost en kracht geeft. Wij voelen met je.
    Hartelijke groeten
    Jaap en Martell

    ReplyDelete
  4. God bless you in this ministry! - I'm writing from Alberta, Canada - my daughter is there in Soroti right now, staying at the YWAM base - her name is Alannah - she wrote to me just yesterday about beautiful baby Steven and I decided to do a search for this orphanage and came across your blog! So amazing and touching and thank you for what you're doing!
    I wish I could come and love and hold those babies and children. Love in Christ, Lexi

    ReplyDelete
  5. hallo Els,

    Ik lees je blog altijd, op dit moment zelfs met nog meer interesse, we hebben op dit moment twee jongens van kinderhulp afrika in huis, ze gaan over een week weer terug naar kambala, als ik je verhalen lees begrijp ik meer van hun achtergronden, ook zij hebben al zo veel mee gemaakt.

    Gods zegen en blijf doorgaan al zie je soms geen bloei komen uit het zaad wat je gegeven is.

    ReplyDelete