disclaimer: this is a bit long...

All I feel I can really say is WOW. I have not blogged in such a long time and I literally have countless stories to tell. I have no idea where to start so most of the stories will have to wait to be told in person another time.

Since the last update, we have been hanging out with many different street boys doing our own little ministry project with them, we’re trying to help organize an association with some local women from the church for women in prostitution, and we had a 3 day adventure in Uganda where we got to visit Hudson, the little boy my dad and I sponsor. I don’t think I have ever been so busy in my life and I apologize for the lack of updates…

First, the street boys, since they are my favorite J

We have made some very dear friends with the street boys in our area of Kigali. There are 9 of them total (although we find more each day) who we met randomly one afternoon a few weeks ago. We rounded the corner in our neighborhood to approach a crowd of very dirty young boys who were playing on large mounds of red African dirt. They immediately began holding out their hands to beg. I didn’t want to give them anything at first but Hilliary began pulling out a bag of bread from our purse, breaking off a small piece for each of the boys. They gulfed down the hot dog buns so quickly that I began to pay more attention to them, noticing they had no shoes, many holes in their filthy clothes, and scabs and cuts all over them and I immediately felt compassion growing in my heart. Ever since, we have hung out with them almost daily, getting to know each one of them individually, caring for their needs, playing and praying together and beginning to form a very strong relationship with them. One of my very favorite things here is to go to the top of our hill and when they spot us, their faces light up and they sprint towards us as quickly as their little legs can carry them and bombard us with hugs. Everywhere we go together, they rush to place their little hands, which are layered with hardened dirt caked onto their dry skin, into ours. Sharing life with them over the past few weeks has been one of the most rewarding and joyful things of my life and I am perhaps going to be the most sad to leave them behind in 2 short weeks.

When we first met them, they were all sleeping under bushes in our neighborhood and in sewer gutters, begging during the days and never finding time to be the children that they actually are beneath their hardened street faces. We have been praying over the course of our friendship for local community members to begin caring for them and it is actually coming to be! Last week, we found 7 of them and rented a bus (to their absolute delight!) and took them to a local street ministry organization in town. That day, we found out that one of our favorite boys, who loves to pray, was in a very bad mood. I thought at first that he was just tired or crabby, but as the long day wore on, it became obvious that he was suffering from some kind of pain. Hilliary was at home feeling sick with malaria so I took the young 12 year old to the hospital. He looked the most sad I have ever seen him, the usual smile and joy gone from his face due to pain. It turns out he has an infection on his head from getting in a street fight with other boys. After this, we waited with him for nearly 3 hours for his friends who then took us to a lady named Grace’s house. It turns out, she started feeding them last week 2 meals a day from the leftovers of her small restaurant! Praise God for this answered prayer.

I have been wanting to spend all my time with the street children, who are so hardened from life’s difficult circumstances. Most of them say that they have at least a mother or a father, which means the situation at home must be pretty bad for them to prefer living on the street. Homelessness here is not like it is in America, as it’s much more difficult and seemingly dangerous. There are virtually no girls on the street because of this. It is truly beautiful though to get glimpses of the child that hides beneath the façade of the street. I think that this ministry to these children might be my forte. I have absolutely fallen in love with them and I could VERY easily see myself returning after graduating to work among them. Society has seemed to give up on them and no longer deems them of any value. It breaks my heart that no one loves them…

We have also continued forming relationships with our friends from town, Janet, Daniel and beloved Veterine. Much to our surprise and immense delight, we were invited to their house last week. After a bus ride full of smiling glances and many rounds of giggling with excitement, we all reached their village, which looked over downtown Kigali. It was stunningly beautiful. Despite the beauty of the hillside, trash, naked babies and poverty that seemed to touch all who lived there, surrounded their neighborhood. After a long walk down many steep hills and through much trash (especially with a crippled boy on your back) we finally reached their house, which consisted of a very small and dark 2 room house. Four brothers and sisters live there, the oldest of which is only a mere 14 years old. We took many pictures together and played many rounds of bingo, which they really enjoyed. Usually we only see these children in the context of the taxi park when they are working to earn a few coins. It was really great getting to see them smile so much when we were together, as they finally got the chance to play and act their age.

We also found out that there are 4 other children who live with their mom a pretty far ways away. She, however, has no money and no way of making money either. Thus, it leaves 12 year old crippled Veterine as the sole financial provider for 9 people. I don’t understand how this could be.. Hilliary and I have been talking about wanting to sponsor Veterine, but he said it wouldn’t be possible unless all of the other children were also sponsored. While this is unfair as it seems his family is using him slightly, I also wonder what other choice they have because if Veterine were to go to school, their only way of earning money would be gone.

I have an appointment with World Vision today to try and find out how much sponsorship is for a family. If you are interested in helping this very vulnerable family, please let me know and I will give you more details.

We also had the opportunity to go to Kampala, Uganda while my dad was here. After a ten hour bus ride and many unexpected events, we finally arrived to be a bit overwhelmed by the immensity of the people, pollution and activity. Although we were only in the city for about a day, it seemed to be a city reeking with the consequences of poverty, sin and corruption. Little children literally lined the streets begging for money relentlessly. On our first night, we were walking to dinner when we passed a baby less than a year old completely alone on the dark, night sidewalk with it’s tiny and helpless hands molded into the begging position. It made us all want to be sick as obviously the parent was somewhere close by and had trained her innocent child to beg. Talk about child exploitation. I wanted on instinct to run very quickly from that city, yet I can’t help but think that if there is so much evil and hopelessness there, isn’t that exactly where Christians need to be?

While in Kampala, we also took a day to visit the child my dad and I sponsor in his small fishing village. Hudson is now ten years old and is adorable. We enjoyed about four hours together, talking, playing, eating and visiting his home. He was immensely shy at first, but after getting his new soccer ball, he opened up a lot more. While visiting his grandma who he lives with, we shared donuts and fantas before exchanging gifts. His grandma, hand made me a beautiful woven basket and Hudson drew me a big poster, which still makes me smile every time I look at it. Overall, it was a very special experience and I shall cherish it for a very long time.

Also, Hilliary has left as of yesterday morning. I teared up in the airport and then silently cried all the way home. It was wonderful to have her here and I’m so grateful for all the memories we now have together. Since then, it has been a bit eery being alone but I’ve also enjoyed the time to ponder and I am hoping that being more independent will force me to grow a lot more in the next few weeks.

Prayer requests:

-praise because Patmos has found a church to rent out for the next few months!

-street boys: a few of them don't know God and I have no idea what their hope in life is without Him. Please pray for all of them that they will begin to think that they are worthy of love, for protection and for God to help them.

-Sponsorship for Veterine, Janet and Daniel as they desperately need help. The handicapped here, much like the street children, are deemed unworthy and are therefore among the most vulnerable of society.

-safe journeys for Hilliary and for her debriefing process

Love,

Megan