Do It for the Orphans

Saturday, May 5, 2012

Day 3: First Day of VBS

There are two sessions each day, with some kids coming in the morning and then going off to school, and the rest of them coming in the afternoon after they are done with school. Today, Rob Tennant started each session with a Bible lesson. Easter is just finishing here, so he is teaching the kids about the events leading up to the crucifix of Jesus and will be leading them through the salvation.

Tom: "Let me just say that Rob is a master with these kids. They are engaged, hanging on his every word. He does a really nice job involving them with role play. It did strike me as funny when Rob asked for a volunteer to play one of the disciples, and one of the moslem girls volunteered."

After the story, each of the kids received a back pack and water bottle. We passed our markers for them to write their names on their new belongings to ensure they kept them. Their faces lit up when they got the bags...this was a bag they could carry their belonging in and with them at all times.

Next, the kids were divided into three groups; crafts, games, and care packages, with a roughly 20 minute rotation. This is where the folks that came on this trip shined most. Some adjustments had to be made but everyone took them in stride and made sure the kids had a great time. The look on the kids' faces were pure joy. I've never seen bigger smiles in my life. There is no doubt that laughter is a universal language, as all of us had no problem understanding that we were all having a good time.

The craft for the day was cross necklaces and beaded Salvation bracelets.

Getting prepared for craft time with cross necklaces and stickers.

Deanna, Sandy, Sara P., and Abby worked with the kids during crafts...

these kids have such creativity and had so much fun with every craft. Thank you for all the donations!!

Seada after making her cross

Salvation Bracelets

Scarf fun after crafts

For recreation the kids got to play all sorts of games with the parechute...all you could hear was laughter from all the kids when they got to rec. that day!!

Derek, Greg and Becka were awesome with recreation.

Laughter and fun had by all no matter what the age.

Finally, the kids received bananas and were sent on their way to school. The second session started at 3:00 and good times were had by all.

Josh (with One Child Campaign) and Fiekre (with Hope Chest)

buying bananas for the kids snack

Between the two sessions, two of our team members had a chance to visit the homes of their sponsored children. Derek and I went on Wednesday to Seada's house that is an 8x8 square mud hut with 2 other families on either side of them in the same type of house. All 3 families shared porch space for cooking. In Seada' s house there was a small raised bed and 2 mats on the ground. They had a little hutch to keep all their belongings (not much). She lives about 5 minutes driving distance from the care point but 30 mins walking distance with short cuts. It saddens me that she walks twice a day by herself to this care point and is open to all the city for anyone's disposal. I worry about her!! (Deanna) We also met Seada's mother who is a widow and her older sister who is 15. Her younger sisier (9) was at school when we visited. Derek and I expressed our loving feeling for Seada that we have been praying for her and her family. Seada's mother was very grateful for all we have done for her and told us that we have given them hope. Derek and I were very overwhelmed at the situation Seada is in and cried the rest of the day. Needless to say, Seada hung to us from the day on.

Us and Seada before we leave for her home

Seada leading us into her "yard"

Deanna, Seada, Seada's Mother, Seada's Big Sisiter (15) and Derek

I'm glad we got to visit Seada's home. It is very humbling and eye opening. It reinforces to all of us the importance of drop in centers such as Grace Baptist. Seada was happy for us to be there with her but you could also see that she knew this isn't how other people live in the USA. She almost seemed sad at the end of the visit as she held my hand and walked us to the van. Tears filled our eyes as we drove away from her home.

Day 2: On the Road to Kombolcha

It took about 9 hours to drive from Addis Abba to Kombolcha through the country road that was absolutely beautiful! Imagine taking a drive from a major city with the hustle and bustle of traffic and people and high rise buildings, driving across the plains to the mountains, across the dessert, over the fertile land, and into the hills all in one day . Along the way there are small villages, decent size towns, people everywhere and more livestock (goats, cattle, sheep, chickens, mules, and camels) than you can ever imagine seeing in one day. We were all a bit tired yet from the flight, but didn’t want to close our eyes to rest or focus on anything else for fear that we would miss something.

Tom:

"I most enjoyed looking at the people. I saw little kids playing along the road, tending livestock, or watching (and waving) curiously as these vans full of people from another place loaded with cargo barreled (yes, barreled) by them. Young men sat idly talking with friends, playing foosball, or working the fields. Women walked with babies or loaded with wood, water, or crops. Old people also watched thinking who knows what about these strangers in their country. We saw a funeral (in a distance), men praying towards Mecca, kids playing soccer and volleyball, women hanging laundry, men bathing themselves in the river, and countless other people doing every day activities as part of their everyday lives."

Deanna:

At 5:30pm we finally made it to the care point where the kids had been waiting for us. We walked into a see of brown faces that were clapping and singing for us. Each of us introduced ourselves and then we were able to mingle with the kids. They loved to have there pictures made and see the picture afterwards. They do not have mirrors, so they are very interested in seeing what they look like. They were all so beautiful. This was very overwhelming but humbling and made us all very happy. It's amazing how excited the kids were to see us and touch us. They all wanted to hug and kiss right away. From the beginning we were showing God's love to theses kids. This was part of our goal...to show them that people know they exist and care for them.

The road that Grace Baptist Care Point is located

This is what you see as you enter the care point building

The kids decorated for us...using toilet paper and balloons with a big banner

And this is what greeted as we walked in!!!

Then we got to mingle, play, take pictures, hug and kiss.

Tom:

"Our surprise for the evening, and a reminder of our need to stay flexible; there is some sort of dispute between the church and the school that is supposed to be resolved this week. In the meantime, we are not spending our time at either of the two locations we knew about. Instead, one of the members of the congregation is letting the school use his land. The land is much smaller than the other parcels, and there is even less space to play than we had counted on. We’re taking it all in stride though, although the soccer goalie is going to have to be really good or else the ball is going to end up in the river."

Deanna:

Later that night, back at Sunny Side Hotel, we ate dinner, prepared by sorting all the donations and getting crafts together for the next day then head to bed for a good nights sleep. As I fall asleep, I can see all those kids faces and wonder who our sponsor child was. She didn't look familiar at all. Was she even there anymore? Was she sick or something happen to her? To our surprise we met her on Day 3.