Hey everyone! I’m really sorry it’s been so long since I last blogged!
I am doing so great and I’ve loved hearing everyone’s comments!
I am seriously loving life in Uganda and I can’t believe we only have a few more weeks left in Lira.
My new favorite outfit is African hospital scrubs! I have been going to a hospital and working with Dr. Opio. It started out as a great opportunity to watch surgeries, but then it turned into scrubbing in and assisting in surgeries. So far I’ve assisted in 2 appendectomies and a hysterectomy. I never could have imagined I would even be able to handle what I’ve been doing, never mind being so excited for going into surgery.
The highlight so far has been being able to meet my sponsor child Anna Mary. I had given up on the possibility in meeting her because of how much money World Vision was asking to take me to her. But just when I gave up on my own ability in making this happen, God took control of it. I was just talking to my teammates about meeting my sponsor child, and a man Apollo overheard our conversation. Apollo had connections to the world vision office and he set up the entire visit for me, and convinced the world vision office to completely cover the costs! Amazing! So I was driven to Soroti with Aly Taylor, which was a really exciting drive. We drove through the bush and on tiny little paths to get to where Anna Mary’s hut was. So we arrived at a cluster of 3 small huts and we were welcomed by a bunch of kids and all the neighbors. I asked who was Anna Mary and I was told to find her in the group of kids, and even though she looked different from her picture, when I saw here eyes I immediately knew it was her. I found out that she really does not go by the name Anna Mary, instead everyone calls her Mercy. I met her parents, who were very young and poor. Her mother is 21 and her father is 25. They were very honored to have me there, and the mother never really looked me in the eyes. Mercy was very shy, but I was assured by our translator that she was really excited to see me and she will never forget that her sponsor came to see her. I was told by the office that no sponsor has ever come to visit Soroti before, so the family was so honored to host me. I gave her a doll which she fell in love with, and also a few gifts for her brother and sister. Then we got to walk Mercy’s walk she takes to school everyday, which was really long. We had a tour of the school rooms and then I sat down with many of the schools teachers and the headmaster, which was really awesome. It is a very Christ centered school, which I am really happy about, and I got to look at her report cards and exams. Mercy is a genius! She is the top of her class and her grades are in the high 90’s! I am so happy and so excited for what God has in store for Mercy’s life, because that girl has so much potential! I also learned that Mercy does not have grandparents, her parents said they have “perished”. The translator said that they were most likely killed by the LRA and Mercy’s parents fled to Soroti, because a lot of people living in Soroti are refugees from the LRA. The weather in Soroti is very difficult to live in, everything is very dry, it is hard to grow crops and there are a lot of fires. But when it rains, it floods everywhere and even huts will start to float away.
So I just ask for prayer for Soroti and for Mercy and her humble family.
I am so thankful to God for what He has shown me over the past month, and for all your prayers for me.
God bless!
Love,
Julia
