An opportunity to partner

Hey all,

I just wanted to write to tell you the story of a few precious ones and see if you feel led to help.

The past week has been one where the Lord has been putting orphans before us. As I've been going about the days here with a plan to carry out the discipleship curriculum with a few friends, there have been moments where God has changed my plans and I've come face to face with an orphan who is desperate for love and concern.  The word orphan takes a whole new meaning when you are here and it definitely comes with more weight. This week there have been three in particular that have caught my attention and concern. 

On Wednesday i learned of twins named Joseph and Josephine:

The two are around three years old.  I met them when a man named Washington took me to their home and introduced me to an elderly man named Zachary and his wife Josephina.  Zachary greeted me with a very genuine smile and began to tell me about the two little ones that had come into his life few years ago. 

He told me that the mother of the twins had met them at the market where she would buy beans from the madam.  The twins mother was struggling as a single mom as the father had ran before the babies were born.  One day when the twins were around 8 months the mother came to Zachary and Josephina and begged them to keep the twins for one night so she could travel to the next town to help her sick mother who was in the hospital.  Zachary and Josephina complied as they knew the risk for young babies to be exposed to so much sickness at the hospital.  A few days passed and then months and there was no trace of the mother. Zachary asked everyone he could find in an effort to learn of any information on the mother and where she could have fled to but he found out nothing. Initially Zachary filed police reports and missing person notices but had no luck finding the mother.  Soon after the babies were accepted into a babies home that is about 5 miles out of town where they lived for close to a year before returning to Zachary and Josephina's home. However, recently they have been unable to find anywhere for them to go. There are honestly few orphanages here and the ones that exist have no spaces available.  This has left Zachary and Josephina with the responsibility of providing for the twins, carrying out an "obligation to God and humanity"  as they put it. Caring for the twins has become a great burden on the family. Zachary is currently jobless and the only income they have is the little money that Josephina makes selling beans each day.  The couple have three other children that are currently staying in the village with other family members as they could not afford to have them living in town.  Currently  Jospeh and Josephina are spending the daytime at a nursery school called Lira Christian Centre Nursery School because no one is around the home during the day.  Out of compassion the teachers at the school have agreed to temporarily let the twins attend the day school at no cost until Zachary is able to pay the fees.  

I went to the school last week to meet Joseph and Josephine. Holding them and seeing their big brown eyes and feeling the reality that they live in has compelled me be an advocate for them and to help them. I have talked with an orphanage in town and we are going to begin the application process but they will be unable to take them until May or June.  Zachary and Josephina will continue to care for the twins but they just need assistance with food and day school for the next few months.  I talked with the school and got the tuition list and also the list of required items.  The total fees come out to $115.00 which will provide a good foundation of learning, two nutrition meals each day, a uniform and all of the supplies that both of the children need.

Zachary and Josephine are servants of God who has been sacrificing a lot to provide a safe place for the kids and now they just need a little help.  If you feel compelled to give in any way please let me know and we can discuss more options of how to make this happen.  It brings me a lot of joy to get to share the stories and faces of people here and to see people back home partnering and being generous towards people who are truly in need.  I am reminded here of how In Christ we have received much and as a response to what Christ has done we should be the most joyful and generous of all people. So please pray and consider giving whatever you can!!  I would love to hear from you so please let me know if you want more information or if you have specific questions!!!  Thank you!!

Josephine and Joseph at school! 

On Thursday i met Mercy.  Arombo Mercy is a 16 year old girl who lost both of her parents and wants to go back to school.  I interviewed her yesterday and asked her to tell me what she would tell people back in America. Heres what she said:

      "I was born in Lira, Uganda.  When i was very young my father divorced my mum.  My father got another woman and she did not take care of me.  We were four children. 3 girls and 1 boy but unfortunately our last born and only boy was born with HIV/AIDS.  My mother used to pay my school fees but when she became infected with HIV/AIDS she could no longer pay my fees.  Dad had abandoned us, so i was forced to drop out of school in 2009.  We had been living in the IDP (Internally displaced people) camps and raising money for food for all four children was very difficult on my mother.  While living there i learned that my father had passed away from an unexpected illness.  Life was very difficult as my mother became more sick and later died.  After the death of both of my parents i was forced to live with with a family member who wanted me to work doing household chores rather than go to school.  The madam recently died and now i am staying with different people who will keep me.  I have a desire to go to school and become a doctor so that i can help those who have experienced trauma like me."

I asked Mercy how she is able to remain so courageous and full of hope despite all she has gone through.  She responded by telling me, "I trust in the Lord because his word says that God is the father of orphans and he has not abandoned me".  There is something unique about Mercy. I have met many girls her age in difficult situations but never someone who has been as persistent and unwilling to give up as she has been. 

I recently met a man who started an organization called The Odwara Fund.  The organization provides the opportunity for a quality education to orphans and vulnerable children who do not have a future.  I talked with Eddie who is the founder and although the finances are not there to support her in school this term he has shared that he feels moved to pay for half of her fees from his own pocket.  I was moved by his generosity as he is very limited in his resources and thought i would join his efforts and post her story and see if anyone felt led to give.  The needs would be the second half of her tuition and the uniform/requirements necessary for her to board at school.  The school that she would go to is called Fountain primary school which is a Christian school where she will be taught the Word and also have daily prayer and fellowship time.  The total fees come out to $204.00 which will cover all of her tuition, boarding, food, and requirements.  I am not here to meet the financial needs of everyone but i have been moved to try to find provision for these three who are total orphans.  

 Arombo Mercy, age 16.

Email me if you are interested!!  logan710h@gmail.com

Thank you and God bless.  I am going to post a blog very soon with the highlights from discipleship and other exciting things.  God is truly leading us and protecting us and we are very glad. 

Love,

Logan