“For my father and my mother have forsaken me, but the Lord will take me in.” Psalm 27:10

 

Introducing Baby James

            

On April 1^st, we received a phone call from our local Police Officer in charge of Family and Child Welfare. She told us that there was a little boy that had been abandoned and asked if we were willing to take on another child. We have had a bed open for a little boy for awhile now and have been praying that God would reveal in His perfect timing the little boy that needed that bed and a home. After arriving at the police station and hearing James’ story, we knew that this was the little boy God intended for us to help.

James was abandoned at the end of December. A woman who was believed to be his mother asked someone to watch him for a few minutes while she went to the nearby store to buy a diaper (many people can only afford 1 diaper at a time so the sell them individually). The woman never returned so the police were contacted. The policewoman handling James’ case decided to care for him herself, along with her husband and children in hope of tracing the family members and resettling James back with his family. They did not have a name so the policewoman gave him the name James. After lots of searching and three months had passed, the policewoman had found no new information regarding James’ mother or other family members. We were then contacted to take care of James.

James is shy at first but once he gets to know you he opens up. He is a sweet little boy and has an infectious giggle. The doctor estimated that he is around 1½ years old. The police told us that when he was first abandoned he had scars from what looked to be severe beatings. Thankfully the physical wounds have healed but please pray for his emotional healing.

Sponsor James today!

Prayerfully consider sponsoring little James and allow God to use you to redeem James’ story. If interested, you can sponsor James on our website or by emailing sara@rafikiministries.org.

Kids on Holiday!

I LOVE holidays because that means more time with the kids and LOTS and LOTS of playtime!

Check out all the pictures of the kids having fun on their school holiday.

Happy Easter! Jesus is Alive!

I have to share this funny story with everyone. During the week before Easter, we were reading the Bible story about when Jesus washed the disciple’s feet on the days leading up to the Resurrection (John 13:3-5). I asked some of the kids, “Why do you think Jesus washed the disciple’s feet?” Immediately, I got a response from Annet who said, “Because the disciples stepped in animal poop!” and then Joel countered with, “No, because Jesus loved them.” I couldn’t help but laugh! I thought they were both good answers!

After going to church on Easter Sunday, we enjoyed a delicious Easter meal cooked by Mama Monica, our amazing cook. We ate local food including chicken stew, metoke (mashed, cooked plantains), and groundnut sauce (peanut sauce). We all took an afternoon nap and then the kids had an Easter egg hunt. The kids are still talking about searching for the eggs in the Children’s Home compound and finding “sweeties” (candy). It was such a relaxing day and I am thankful that Jesus died on the cross for us to be able to live life to the full (John 10:10)! 

“For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas and then to the Twelve.” 1^st Corinthians 15: 3-5

Staff Training –

Orphan Prevention and Resettlement

It is amazing how God connects the body of Christ. Joseph and I recently met with a social worker at another Children’s Home that works with street boys. As we talked with the social worker, we learned that Samaritan’s Purse would be doing a training seminar on orphan prevention and resettlement that very next week. We were so excited and immediately called the women in charge of the training at Samaritan’s Purse. She gladly offered for us to join the training even though they had already reached their maximum number of trainees. This training was free and even included breakfast and lunch. Joseph and I attended the training together and were excited to learn more about best practices in social work and resettlement.

Joseph and I have been praying and know that God is intending for us to move forward with resettling the children that we care for – this will include tracing biological families more extensively and looking for other alternative care options such as fostering or adoption. We know that children belong in families. The Ugandan government is in the process of approving a new Children’s Act called the Alternative Care Framework that will require all Children’s Home to take part in resettlement of their children.

This does not mean that our children will no longer be at the Rafiki Children’s Home. This means that as a ministry we will work more closely with any family members of the children that we can trace. The children will have more opportunities to visit their extended relatives and even spend time on holiday with them. 

It has been overwhelming to Joseph and I who are not social workers to think about all the work that will need to be done. In Uganda, there are no records of births, records of deaths, or list of family members so we face a challenge to trace the existing family members. In Uganda, family members are even given all different last times. For example, Joseph’s last name is Kiwanuka, but his brother’s last name is Kiyaga, and another brother’s last name is Gabunga. This makes tracing families even more difficult.

As we move forward, Joseph and I are excited as this process will eventually enable us to help more children and families. I am amazed that God already had this training through Samaritan’s Purse in place for us to be able to attend to receive the knowledge and equipping that we desperately need. As I am typing this, two of our employees – our social worker and manager – are attending a weeklong training for best practice in social work at a Babies’ Home in Kampala.

Please be praying with us as we continue to learn more about the resettlement process and how best we can serve Ugandan children and existing families. Pray with us as we begin to implement these new principles that we have learned. 

Resettlement of Judith and Baby Hope

          

In March, we took in a young 16-year-old mother with her 6-week-old baby. Our local Police Officer in charge of Family and Child Welfare contacted us regarding Judith and her newborn baby girl, Hope. Judith had run away from Northern Uganda with a young man that she was in love with the previous year. This man promised Judith that he would care for her and take her to the city. This is how she ended up being in Kampala. Judith got pregnant and had the baby. The man was caught stealing shortly after the baby’s birth and sentenced to prison. With the man being in prison, Judith could not pay rent in the apartment that they were living in. The landlord kicked her and the baby out. This is how she ended up at the Police station.

When we went to the Police station, Joseph and I saw that Judith and baby Hope needed immediate medical attention. The baby had not received a medical check-up since being born. The mother as well had not received a check-up since having a C-section. The C-section was done at one of the poorest hospitals in Uganda. I personally have seen babies delivered there and would not wish any women to have her baby there. The hospital is a teaching hospital…but not like one that you would think of in the western world. The doctors and nurses receive little training before starting hands-on training. The doctor that performed the C-section on Judith was still in school and had no knowledge of how to do it properly. She was cut horizontally (up and down incision). This type of incision is not recommended and is dangerous. It is also much harder to heal from this type of incision. Due to this, Judith’s scar was extremely infected and she was having a hard time walking (6 weeks after).

Thankfully, we were able to get Judith the medical care that she needed and she stayed with us at the Children's Home during the week. We were then able to work with the Police to connect her back to her family in Northern Uganda.

Although this was an extra expense and not in our normal operating budget, Joseph and I really felt that the Lord was telling us to help this young girl and even though we were worried about the financial aspect of it we knew that God always provides. This was our first official resettlement and we have been happy to hear from Judith. Her father, brothers, sisters, aunts and uncles were all so excited to see her. They had not known what had happened to Judith and did not know she was even alive. Pray for Judith as she adjusts to being back home with her family. Pray that her family will provide the support that she needs to raise her daughter.