The Karamajong Children

Our time with the visiting Orphans team was amazing. This team had SO much unity and that is a miracle being such a large team. It was obvious that everyone had come on the trip with the same heart and purpose in mind...to be used by God as much as possible to minister to these children.

I will have to say that by far, visiting with the children from the Karamajong people that Amazima feeds was the most rewarding yet devastating for the team. Katie Davis, the beautiful young woman who started Amazima, started this feeding program with this people group about 6 months ago. This people group is seen as the lowest of the low in Jinja. They are truly the poorest of the poor and it's the survival of the fittest among them. The hardest part was watching the children line up for the one meal that most of them would eat per day Monday through Friday. This is the meal that Amazima provides for them at school. These was pushing and shoving and fighting and crying and wailing. Little boys and girls carry their infant siblings on their backs so that they can eat too. Britt was standing by one little girl who was being shoved so badly that the baby fell off and landed on the cement floor, smacking it's head on the cement. The little girl that was holding the infant just seemed like she had given up...like she was defeated, so she just stood there crying, refusing to get out of line. Eventually through much more pushing and with my help, she got her bowl filled up with the rice and beans. And then she just stood there in line...for what seemed like 5 minutes. I think she was just so defeated...

This was a similar scene where another little girl was kept putting her toddler brother to the side of the line and he would just get up and toddle back to her and she would push him away again. It was b/c she was trying to stay in line but kept getting pushed. I eventually picked him up and carried him. He was so weak he immediately fell asleep. She eventually got out of line and came and got him. I guess her love outweighed her hunger in that moment and she was willing to give up her place in line to carry him again. These children were gorgeous, yet filthy...clothes barely hanging on, if at all. No shoes anywhere. I spoke with Patrick, the administrator for this feeding program through Amazima....He is hopeful that we can bring shoes and clothes on our next trip in April. I want to help these children so much. I loved them so much. I still do and wish I did not have to leave. I wish I could stay there. Katie is doing amazing things for these people. God has taken one tiny servant who loves Him dearly..enough to surrender her all to Him and He is just pouring out blessings to these people through her. Please continue to give your donations to Amazima...especiallly for this people group.

We'd love for you to visit and help these people on our next trip in April. We will need your help. Pray that God would open up the storehouses of Heaven to bring His financial and spiritual resources to these people. You can find out more at www.visitingorphans.org. (photos by Bethany Haley)