The Kirabo Seeds family update

Can you imagine being ten and seeing the dentist for the first time after never once brushing your teeth?

I can say I shopped for dresses in Uganda one day and heard all sorts of terrified screaming nearby. I couldn’t bear it so I looked outside to see what the matter was, and next door was a dentist. It might be that child’s mom couldn’t afford the numbing medicine and the child suffered. I shudder at the thought. I don’t think I was in the mood to buy dresses after that. Maybe that dress shop should move to a more peaceful location.

Phiona took the children to the dentist for the first time. The looks on their faces say it all. First of all it is nice for me to see them all dressed in the clothes I personally shopped and hauled to Uganda. It makes me smile that they like them and enjoy dressing so smart. The subsequent urge that comes is to draw them all onto my lap and assure them that love sometimes means going through the hard bits of life. Prevention wasn’t applied to their dental care, so now we have to problem solve and make a new plan to keep their teeth healthy. I know they are learning to trust us, but this one might push them far into the corner.

If I were in their position I know I’d think we had taken the idea of caring for them a little too far. There will need to be some long talks about health care prevention now that they know the pain of a neglected tooth.

Apart from the trip to the dentist, the children are midway through a three week holiday from school. Phiona exclaimed with great excitement: their performance in school was outstanding! Yay! She holds a very high standard for them. After the first term when a few who are smart didn’t make good marks, she got after them. Trust me, I wouldn’t want Phiona to get after me! So we are thankful they are taking this opportunity to learn as an important way to become who they are meant to be.

Chicken for dinner!

Naturally, Phiona is having them do a lot of schoolwork during break to practice and fill in gaps. She even admitted, maybe I should let them have a little more fun.

Denis has the pineapples, and he’s smiling because they are the most delicious treats on earth! Who needs candy with dripping sweet pineapple? (brush your teeth afterwards)

The big news is we have finally brought home our new van. It took a long time to get it officially registered to transport children. We also had to update some of its features to make it safe. When it arrived the whole group oooed and ahhed at  first, circling it touching it and smiling wide. Then Phiona asked them all to put their hands on it and pray thanksgiving and ask for their safety as they travel in it.

This new van solves a whole tangle of problems we were having taking care of the children. In the middle of the night if a fever spikes we need someone who can get the child to the clinic. When the first team was there Dickson had a 105 degree temp from Malaria and we woke all of Kampala to try and get help. The school they attend is far and the driver we had was unreliable and unsafe. The best church with children’s programs is a ten minute drive away each week. Taking them all to the dentist wasn’t an obstacle and going to church is an easy ride now as well. Gasoline is expensive in Uganda, double what it is here in the USA, that means Mama Tonya has to sell a lot of bracelets and beaded necklaces!

Glory to God. I know that’s an old church lady expression and often it is uttered without heartfelt emotion. But I really mean it when I say all the glory for the changes in these children’s lives goes to God. They are his children, and I believe he directs the hearts of people far and wide to move and make a difference in their lives. The family of sponsors, donors and supporters are sent to me because God loved these children first. We are serving him to help these kids, and it’s an honor to be able to witness the rapid pace and total care he allows. If you could see inside my heart at this moment and every time I think about these children and this ministry, I am bowed deeply, contrite, grateful, weeping in awe of the Amazing Grace of God. so GLORY TO GOD.

I personally want to thank all the sponsors who help us care for these children who were orphaned by AIDS and now live in the Kirabo Seeds family, because the money you provide is how they go to school, eat nutritious food, and have health care problems solved, and hopefully prevented in the future. To anyone who has ever donated to Kirabo Seeds by way of purchasing beads, leading a fundraiser, or giving to us generously: You have purchased that van for these children! Thank you.

We have open spots for sponsors if anyone is interested in participating in our Kirabo Seeds family. It is three hundred dollars a year to help a child in our program have the simple needs of life. Contact me at tonya@kiraboseeds.com if you are interested. You could change the life of a child!

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