Journal- Day 2 in Soroti

Our second day in Soroti began with a visit to Amecet. A dutch woman named Els runs the home. Their goal is to take in sick children, nurse them back to health, and then place them back with their families. This is not always possible when 1 in 14 women die during childbirth. At the time we visited, there were 4-5 children available for adoption. Anyone who has visited a place like this knows how your heart breaks for these children. How you wish you could take them all home and give them the love they so need and desire. Little babies lying in their cribs craving someone to speak words of love to them.

After Amecet, we went to Arapai Market. People everywhere..selling what they can so they can buy what they need to survive. So different than where I live, where we work to have excess things, vacations, bigger and better. These people are working to survive, to feed their children, pay rent for their mud floor homes, and to pay school fees so their child can go to school and maybe have a chance of a better life. We were a sight in the market...alot of stares, curious people, and white skin means money. We wanted to run, like Jonah. We wanted to pretend we never heard His clear call to go. Can we just go back to the 'easy' life we have back home? Where is God in this place? This was how BOTH of us felt our second day in Uganda.

After lunch the team met at the Sleidrects home for a team meeting. The team shared praises, hopes, and struggles. It was evident, that they need each other, they lean on each other, and are vulnerable with each other as they strive together to be lights in this place. Meeting with them was a great encouragement to us.

In the evening we walked through Nakatunya, the neighborhood where Tim and Angie live. We visited some of the homes of their neighbors. There were so many needs right outside thier gate, that prayer and discernment was needed for each one because you can't help everyone. You could tell this was a struggle for them. Children are neglected, even by the Christians in this area, because their lack of a Biblical World View. Many churches are led by pastors without a Bible!

A 13 year old girl. We'll call her K. She was living with her aunt, I believe it was because both of her parents were deceased. However, in Uganda, if an extended family member takes you in, you are not treated as their child, but rather like a slave. K did much of the cooking, but could not eat with them. She could eat if there was anything left. Another neighbor girl slept outside their gate one night because she was chased from the home she lived at. I prayed many times that God would give me a love for the people of Uganda. That He would break my heart with what breaks His, and that He would show me HE is present in this place that all I could see was Hurt, Poverty, and Darkness.