A Day of Play - A Night of Pampering

Today we played with the same children who had jiggers removed from their feet and hands just two days ago.  Have I told you how tough these kids are?  Our team re-enacted a Bible story, played games and just spent time talking with them.  We even attended a class; a "Jigger Prevention 101" taught by one of the SH staff.

Each child has a story; every single one of them.  Sadly, nobody really asks them what it is until they show up at Sole Hope with painful jiggers blistering the bottoms of their feet.  But the beauty in their arrival, despite the pain about to be therapeutically inflected on them, is that they get to see and feel the love of Jesus all around them.

Tonight we were given the gift of hosting a party for the staff and volunteers who show up day in and day out to care for little hands and feet while telling the faces looking back at them about Jesus.  40 ish people in all attended.  Considering how big of a need jigger removal is here, the fact that only 40 people are doing it should give you a little bit of an idea as to how how hard these people work.  EVERY SINGLE DAY.  Some men and woman told us that this was the first party they had ever been invited to - another harsh reality that makes me sad. 

And so we pampered our party guests.   We provided Ugandan food, had amazing dance parties and "dance off's", gave manicures and pedicures and washed the feet of anyone who wanted to indulge.  They loved it.  They more than DESERVED someone pampering THEM for a change - even if only for one night.

Our team had just as much fun, I can assure you!  Every single person here has a heart to serve and love and come along side those who are "in the trenches" day in and day out. They get it.  They understand the importance of it.  That's what Jesus called them to do.

This is what Jesus calls ALL of us to do.

I have no clue what the Ugandan version of YouTube is, but I know our "western ways" of dancing were entertaining - so much so that a Ugandan man had his laptop and recorded almost every dance-off that took place between friends who are separated by an ocean, but forever connected by small brown children with beautiful smiles and mangled feet.

I wonder what the Ugandan version of YouTube is?

PS)  HAPPY GOTCHA DAY, Jacob.  I didn't forget - and I never will.  Meeting you pretty much changed not only my life, but all of our lives.  Love, mom