Wednesday, July 11, 2012

Today we finished distributing all orphans except one. We will take this student’s gift and recorder and music book to him on another day. We covered four schools.

Karen and Dave distributed the recorders they donated and the music books on how to play the instrument. At the third school, Karen and Dave and Josiah, our new Operations Manager, stayed behind the team to teach the first music lesson on the recorders to three students (John Bosco, Isabel Akanduhura, and Apophia Birungi) They were smiling and their eyes were happy! Karen taught, Dave demonstrated on his recorder and Josiah interpreted for Karen because they sometimes struggle with English. It was a great success!

Curt did his program at 3 of the schools for the following approximate numbers of kids: 400 kids at Kigezi; 200 at Hornby; 150 at Central High School.  After the rest of the school went back to their classes, a 3-year old girl walked up to Curt with no one around and looked up at him and turned around obviously for him to pick her up. He did, they danced. She was satisfied and walked away.

Katie saw Alex, her family’s orphan. Alex had not been verbal before and Katie was really worried about this. He spoke to Katie quite a bit. What a joy! Sue and Katie also went to the dormitory to see Rogers, Katie’s uncle’s (Dave) orphan. He was sick but greeted us and we took pictures and gave him his package.

Karen sat in the grass to show a couple of children some photos from home. She was so completely surrounded by little kids we couldn’t see Karen anymore.

Hornby Girls’ school, also has governmental money to support and educate blind kids. The kids are mixed into the classrooms with sighted kids. These kids were so attracted to the music – like moths to a flame.

Karen and Dave got to meet Grace Kihembo, their orphan for the first time. Lazara, Karen and Dave spent time with all the Holt Presbyterian orphans taking many pictures.

Sue got to see, hug and love on her and John’s orphans – brother and sister, Miracle and Dishan.

At the schools once again, the children performed their welcome songs and we danced with them.

At the last school, the team met Francis Girukwayo. His sponsor is Janice Smith in Columbus, OH. Janice asked Sue which orphan, out of the remaining, would be the hardest to get a sponsor for. Sue responded that Francis would be because of his age: 20. In his photo he has a small mustache. She said, “Then, that is the one I will sponsor.” When I met Francis today, I learned his story. He was 7 years old at the time of the genocide in Rwanda. His family fled into Uganda and in the journey his parents were killed. Francis survived and made his way to Kabale, Uganda – about 10 miles North of the Rwandan border. He started school for the first time at the age of 10. He is a very good student and is very, very smart and speaks English really well. He was so appreciative of Janice, as his sponsor, that he got emotional as he spoke of her dedication to his success. He asked me to tell him about her. “He said, words cannot express the gratitude I feel for her love of me.” I share this one story with you so that you each understand the incredible impact you sponsors are making in the lives of these children.