Sunday, August 17, 2008

Visiting the Mercy Kid’s House




We had our first experience with public transportation today (very few people in the area we are staying have personal vehicles). On later trips we will realize that you can fit more than 20 people in a four-row mini-van. The trips typically cost between 500-800 shillings ($1 = 1,600 shillings) so it is quite cheap. We then took a boda boda (motorcycle) from the Wakeso Taxi Park to the Children’s Home, which cost 1,000 shillings. This ride was a little intimidating at first with no helmets, but we feel safe and it was a great way to see the countryside and locals!

When we arrived one of the older children was cutting a jaka fruit for the younger children. A large group of kids gathered around in anticipation of the treat. Later we ate a lunch of beans, rice and chapatti (tastes like a cross between a crepe and a tortilla – so delicious!) – the older children prepared the meal. We sat on the cement floor with 6 of the young toddlers. It was amazing how self-sufficient they were. They ate with their fingers and left their bowls completely clean! They then wandered off to explore. The only other adult around to take care of these children was ‘Mother Margaret’….most of the kids were home on holiday from school so in total there appeared to be 40-60 children.

Mercy Children’s Home was founded by a local minister and his church to take care of children who were abandoned or whose parents are not able to support their family. The organization we are staying with “Come, Let’s Dance” has come along side this local church to help support their ministries. Some of the kids have parents who are in the process of trying to become self-sufficient so that eventually they can take the children back in to their family. There are situations where the parents are unknown – two little boys Jackson (3 years old) and Jordan (1 year old) were abandoned along the side of the road in Nansana (the town we are staying) and the local pastors brought them to Mercy Children’s Home. There appears to be a strong family and community bond with a care-taking mentality – so I think it is fabulous that the ultimate goal is for the families to eventually bring the children back into their original home. So many times in typical orphanage situations the parents would quickly turn their children over so that the kids would have a better life – guaranteed food and a good education. I believe that all kids have to pay school fees to attend school here in Uganda. We just spent the afternoon talking with some of the high-school children, playing with the younger kids and holding babies. Jeremy, our guide, started up a game of soccer with the boys. These kids just need a lot of loving!

No comments: