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!

Thursday, September 13, 2018

Happy Second Birthday Martha!!!!!!

This is a true miracle story about this little sweet Martha. Martha’s mother was still a teenager when she became pregnant. The father was a married man, with a family… The mother was only 15 years old and Martha was born premature, and very small and malnourished. The mother and Martha were more than 5 months in the feedings centre in Soroti Hospital. As Amecet, we visit the feeding centre every week with some feeding supplements and some encouragement. We brought some clothes and blankets to Martha, but every time we came, we saw the baby laying on the bed (without the clothes) and the mother was elsewhere. 
When Martha was 6,5 months old, the social worker of the hospital called us to come and rescue the baby. He felt the mother was giving up and he feared that Martha may be in danger. Talks started between Amecet and the family of Martha and her mother and the result was that Martha came in Amecet on 13/2/2017, when she was 6,5 month old and her weight was only 2.9 kg….
Our Social workers had visited the family in the village, talking with the mother and the grandparents and Amecet  offered the mother to go back to the primary school to finish P7. She did and Amecet paid her school fees. This was also done for the future of Martha, so that the family would be able to take her back in the future and care for her.
It went very different…  We noticed that Martha couldn’t swallow, so  she didn’t get much milk in her stomach, we started to feed her by NG tube. We also saw that her muscle tone was not there, she was so floppy and with one year, she couldn’t lift her head or turn around. We were worried about her. We tried to seek answers, went to different doctors,  and were referred to a specialist in Kampala. After investigations and tests the diagnosis came: Trisomy 9, a rare chromosomal disorder. We looked everywhere for information and it all confirmed what we saw in Martha. It is only not so severe in Martha. This had a effect on her family, the grandparents are  not  able to care for Martha, the grandmother gave birth to a new baby not long ago. The mother comes to see Martha sometimes, but she went to secondary school and is also not able to care for Martha, because of the condition she is in. Martha is 2 years old and her weight is 6.4 kg. She looks healthy, but very small. We still feed her by NG tube, so we can’t  give her a lot of food. It is still liquid food and you can not get all those special liquid foods here. 
But everybody loves her!!! 

 And we see so many small developments: Martha recognizes people and when you talk to her, she stretches her hand to you until you take her hand and greet her. She can smile and giggle, she can pick toys up to play with. We do see  change, she can hold her head more up and she makes noises, like if she wants to talk.
She has a way to communicate and she can roll all over the place. We think she could start crawling if she had the right help and maybe more…… But that right help is not here in Amecet and not in Soroti.. We had hope that she could go to a special home in Kampala, but that also seems not to be possible. She can’t go back home, the way to feed her is too complicated for the family and there would be nothing to stimulate her, she can’t stay in Amecet, we are limited in what we can do for her……


We feel Martha has a right for the best help she can get, so we want to do a call for help to everyone who reads this. We haven’t done this before, but  feel there must be someone out there who would be able to help Martha. To give her the love, the feeding and the special care she needs!!!! We feel there is much more inside this little girl then we see now, that she is capable to do more than she does now.

Please share this blog, if you feel touched, maybe you can be the one to help Martha………

We pray for many more happy birthdays for Martha!!!!!


MORE STORIES AND UPDATES: VISIT OUR WEBSITE:
 WWW.AMECET-CHILDRENSHOME.COM

Monday, August 13, 2018

Pls. pray for this pre-mature mini girl...


Anna Grace was born 10 weeks too early..... she was born at the side of the road, on the way to the health centre........

Read this story on our website (Blog) 

www.amecet-childrenshome.com


Sunday, August 12, 2018

Our Baby room is almost full again

Read the stories of our new arrived baby's on our Website:

WWW.amecet-childrenshome.com

Tuesday, August 7, 2018

A tribute to the foster families!!!!


Read the story of the foster families who are willing to adopt a child without a family or home....

amecet-childrenshome.com 

on our brandnew WEBSITE

Sunday, July 29, 2018

Two Baby's expected


From now on the blogs are posted on our website:

www.amecet-childrenshome.com

 Please visit our website and see  all about our ministry! We love your comments and input!

Thank you

Els van Teylingen
Amecet Children's Home
YWAM
Soroti
Uganda

Friday, July 20, 2018

Exercise in Amecet.....

 We have 8 cute toddlers at the moment... And before last week, only 1 could walk, but now there are 4  toddlers that can walk!! Exercises are being done. On this picture you see Sam in the middle, he is not happy, because he doesn't want to walk!!!! He is almost 2 years old and very behind in his development. He does not talk and has some problems with his locomotion. He can't crawl, but he moves now on his buttocks around the room. When he came to Amecet, he couldn't do anything, so he improved  a lot!!

This is Paul, I wrote about him in the last blog. He came into Amecet, very malnourished, he had swollen legs, feet and hands, all from the oedema. He was given blood transfusion, because he was very anemic too. And he was very weak, if you see the pictures of him on the last blog, you can't believe this is the same guy!! He is eating well, but he still has the NG tube, because he doesn't want to drink milk of porridge. But he is walking around and playing and smiling!!! He is such a lovely little boy! 




He is even making a move towards Rebecca. Rebecca is also walking around now and we have another little girl, Olivia, who also starts to walk. It is so cute to see them trying, they walk like little ducks.... and they are so proud of themselves. It is really encouraging. The room is full and if you take them for their afternoon nap, it is not easy, several of them are standing in their bed, shouting to each other and laughing..... But they do all well and we are enjoying the happy group, even on the potty!!

Thursday, July 5, 2018

AMECET WEBSITE IS BORN!!!!!!!!

Sjaak, a Dutch volunteer has been working many hours behind the computer, creating our first (after almost 17 years!!) Amecet website. It gives a good over view from all the work we do in and around Amecet, it is in Dutch and English. The blogs will be also on it and many other things, pictures, updates etc. Please visit our site and if you have feedback, please, let us know!!!

amecet-childrenshome.com


 Yesterday Paul was brought, a little boy of 2 years, he was brought by his mother (who is mentally retarded) and a community worker. Paul is severe malnourished, swollen feet and hands, looks very pale. After taken him to the doctor and several tests, he had to go on I.V injections and needed blood transfusion.
Today, we tried to feed him, he likes to eat, but doesn't want eggs, milk etc, which he really needs. We decided to give him a NG tube, we will use that tube to give him milk and porridge and for the rest he can eat what he wants to eat. But he is not a very happy boy yet!

Tuesday, July 3, 2018

Our last respect to Margaret....

Margaret has been in Amecet and went back to her home in February 2018. She didn't had an easy start in life, her mother died at her birth. That was the reason why she came to Amecet. In February, her father took her back home in Serere to care for her. She was doing good. On Friday (June 29th) Simon got a phonecall that Margaret was sick and she was admitted in the hospital in Serere. He followed it up and heard that she was referred to Soroti Hospital. The father came on Saturday to Amecet for some help, to buy medicines for Margaret, who suffering from a pneumonia. On Monday morning at 7.45 am, the father came to Amecet, he told us that Margaret had died that morning. The staff asked him what was now going on and found out that the doctor had said to the father to take everything out the hospital, so he did. He had taken the body of his daughter, put it in a basin and in a sack and walked to Amecet. He had left the basin (with the body) outside the gate, not knowing if we would allow him to bring in a dead body. The staff took immediately the body into our medical room. Cared for it and washed her and lay her out on a bed. With dignity and respect, Margaret was laid down in peace.
The father was sitting on our veranda, he was upset and crying. We served him tea and bread and he calmed down a bit. Simon went to get a small coffin and later Margaret was laid in the coffin and Simon brought the father and the coffin to their village in Serere, where she was to be buried, next to her mother.
Why do I write this story??  Maybe, because I am also upset how things went yesterday morning, how a mourning father is treated in the hospital and how the system works, that there is no respect for the death or for the mourning parent. This is how things go here and I am sad about it.....
Dear Margaret, your struggle is over, rest in Peace...... 

Sunday, July 1, 2018

Amecet Farmland...

We would like to share with you an update on our Farmland... On May 17th I wrote that we had bought it and all the money was given to the former owners in the office of the lawyer. In the blog of May 17th,  I also posted a small (simple) map and there was a funny corner in our land. We were able to buy that little part as well, it was owned by an other person. And now the work has begun.....
First the land had to be cleared and ploughed. That was done by a neighbour, with his bulls and plough!



  Then the cement poles were put in holes, with cement and after that wire and chain link was put around the whole place.  We are so thankful that we got the gifts to do this, because it was impossible to start planting in the ground. We would be feeding all the cows and goats from the neighbour hood
We made a small wall to hang the gate and the gate is the same as the gate of Amecet and Amun. Then there is maize planted and also sweet potatoes. 

Thursday, June 28, 2018

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!!

Tuesday, June 19, 2018

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??

Sunday, June 10, 2018

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.......

Saturday, June 9, 2018

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.......

Thursday, June 7, 2018

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....

Wednesday, June 6, 2018

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.



Monday, May 28, 2018

A sunburned baby found..

Sunday evening the Police came to Amecet with a small baby. The baby was found by an old woman, in a maize garden. They brought the baby to the Police andthe Police first went to the hospital with the baby for check up, and after that they came to Amecet. Nobody knows the mother, the Police is doing investigations to find the mother. The baby is a cute little girl, who got the name Angela, her weight is 2.2 kg. We took her this morning to the doctor, the baby is burned by the sun, she is red and also her tummy is red. We don't know how long she has been laying in the sun, in that maize garden... It is sad to leave a baby in such a position, even dogs could have found her..... She will get IV medication and also the ARV medication for baby's, until we can prove with the HIV test that she is negative.

Wednesday, May 23, 2018

Rest in Peace, sweet Jesica......

 Jesica passed away last night, just before 11 pm. We have been going to the doctors with her several times, she was diagnosed with Neonatal Sepsis. She probably got it at birth, because when she was born, her mother started to bleed and the family organized an ambulance to take the mother to Soroti Hospital, for blood transfusion, but the mother died on the way. The baby was also in the ambulance. They went back home and the baby was brought to Amecet. The symptoms started some days later and resulted in her death last night. Every time it is so painful. to see this beautiful little girl, laying in the coffin, inside feelings and emotions of sorrow, of anger, of doubt (did we do all we could have done??).
We had a small coffin made and together with the grandparents, Simon and some of the staff members, we drove to the village, where the family lived and where the mothers was buried, not even 2 weeks ago...  My heart went out to the family, as they sat, under the tree, around the small coffin with the body of Jesica. They had sat like this, only 12 days ago, around the body of the mother of Jesica...... We shared what had happen with Jesica, the time she was in Amecet, they thanked us for our care and that we brought the body home.... Then we left them to mourn and bury the little girl next to her mother....
God have mercy on them!!!!!!

Monday, May 21, 2018

Gideon and Job went home with their new parents.....

Today was a special day for baby Gideon and for Job!!! They were going home with their new parents!!!On December 14, 2017 Job was brought to Amecet by the Police. He was found in the bus station and was a very traumatized little boy of around 5 or 6 years old. He didn't talk and was wild, he was scared of people. You can read in the blog of January 26 about his story and how we tried to find his relatives... But today he went with his new parents to his new home. 
This are his new parents, a lovely, older couple who have been in Amecet before. On the blog of 23rd of January, you can read that they adopted Patrick from Amecet. Job was happy, he doesn't show much, but he was sitting with them and felt very comfortable with them. I believe this couple can make a different in his life. We have seen already a lot of changes in Job, but still a lot has to happen .In our blog of April 14, Patrick and his parents came to visit us, it was good to see Patrick and to see that they are a family. Today,Job got also his new family and his new brother!!
Then baby Gideon, you can read his story in our blog of January 16th. He was born on the streets. The mother disappeared and the father... was not the father. We took him for a DNA test and that showed that he was not the father of the baby. Gideon is a beautiful little boy, everybody fell in love with him!!! But he also needs his family and this family also adopted before a child via Amecet. On the blog of April 14, the parents came together with Jesica to visit us, it was the same day as the parents of Patrick and Job came. It was beautiful to see them today with their new son!!








And after the Probation officer handed them "officially" over to their new parents and they got their care orders from the court, they walked out with their new children! (before the probation officer and our social worker had visited and inspected their homes) Gideon was carried by his mother and Job was carried on the back of his mother. The fathers went outside the gate to get a motorbike taxi, for going "HOME"!!
It was a very busy and a bit chaotic day, I want to end this blog with a prayer request for baby Jesica. We went this morning with her to the clinic and now she is on IV fluids. Jesica is a baby of 12 days old and her mother passed away after the delivery. She came in Amecet only hours after her birth. We have been struggling with her for days, but today, we took her to another clinic and had several blood tests done. She has a neonatal sepsis. We started right away IV antibiotics. Please pray for this little girl, that she will come through this....
Also pls. keep praying for Betty, I wrote about her before. There is no improvement.