The wait is over!!! We arrive at the orphanage for the first time. The properties are some what similar to ours but instead of fences surrounding the property, they have 8' high concrete block walls. At the front of the orphanage there is a 12' high by 12' long solid steel rolling gate. The first thing I notice is little hand prints all over, and I picture the kids getting home from school joyfully waiting for someone to open the door. The door is opened and every sense is on over load. Bad smells of animals, garbage and mold. Beautiful sights of trees and the close to getting finished new house. Weird sounds like turkeys, chickens and goats fill the air, sounds that you wouldn't necessarily think of when describing an orphanage. But they use the milk from the goats, eggs from the chickens and later on they will use the meat from the turkeys.The mold is coming from the main tent that the kids sleep in. It's about 25' by 20' and about 12 feet high in the center. It's covered by canvas and with the rain they get everyday almost the entire thing is moldy. It is awful and none of us can stay in the tent long enough to see what's in it. We have to put on masks to be not just in it but around it. Tearing this tent down becomes priority number one for all us.
We meet Elizabeth. She is the director of the orphanage. She is the only adult there and wears many hats everyday. She is a wonderful woman and I can clearly see she is very devoted to these kids. She is also some what of a hoarder and we will have some tough tasks cleaning this week as she doesn't have much so she keeps a lot of stuff.
I start by helping the carpenter redo some of the bracing for the roof of the new house and finish the roof. We are redoing a lot of the house because the last contractor that came in basically did a crap job and took all her money. Everything is done by hand here and it has been a long time since I used a hand saw to cut 2x4's. It gets easier but I am clearly not used to this.
The kids start to come home about 1 pm and they look so full of joy but also so very mature looking, especially with their matching school uniforms. The kids go to three different private schools and are well educated. They are pretty shy so we start to hand out some things; silly bands, jump ropes, footballs and soccer balls and yo-yo's. They start to open up a little. They have their own little cliques to. But they are so happy running around or doing each others hair. It was so great to see them play and watch their eyes light up from simple things like these.The day wraps up with us cleaning and piling up garbage and really getting a lay of the property. The kids have no where to play. There is really no organization there is animals every where and tents every where. The ground is dirt, mud or rubble with no grass anywhere. One of the things we hope to accomplish this week is to give them a play area so they can have some sort of normal kid life other than school.
I feel so humbled because these kids literally have nothing and seem so full of joy. I feel blessed that the Lord has entrusted me to come down here and change some lives, including my own.
At the present time you surplus is available for their need, so their abundance may also become available for our need, so there may be equality. 2 CORINTHIANS 8:14
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