Please Meet...Joyce and Edward

I have been completely blown away by what I have learned, who I have met and what I have seen (in pictures only at this point) along the path of adoption. I decided that these blessings have been so numerous that I want to share them with you too.

Not everyone that I am going to feature in "Please Meet" series will need financial support, but ALL will need your prayers. These are all REAL PEOPLE and they either are living on the front lines of battle against the evil one or they are being consumed by the evil one. Both groups need you to fight on your knees for them. Some will come with an opportunity to give financially. You are not to give unless God prompts you. This is not a blog of manipulation...rather a place to record our journey as we follow Jesus and a place to educate others on the things I am learning as we go.

Today I would like to introduce you to two children who live in a remote village in Uganda.

This is 2 year old Edward

This is his older sister, Joyce.

Edward and Joyce both have been medically neglected. Their mother is penniless and sick herself, their father gone. Grandparents have tried to care for them, but have been unable. As is often in Africa, children contract the HIV virus at no fault of their own. Sometimes just by breastfeeding from their HIV+ mother they contract the virus. Left untreated, it develops into AIDS. Both Edward and Joyce were tested for HIV. Edward's test came back positive but Joyce's did not. You might think this is reason for rejoicing...as the two of them have been moved into an African foster family...but due to their malnutrition, the medicines for HIV are not easily taken into the body. And the saddest news of all is that Joyce's test results were negative because she already (at age 7) has full blown AIDS.

My friend Lara went to their village and found them in this state. She immediately cleaned and bandaged their wounds...

You can see the small frames they have at age 7 and 2.

...and gave them clothing:

Now the two children have been taken to a hospital, shown love and received the medical care they so desperately needed. Family situation/relations are challenging and they all need prayer. Although Joyce has AIDS and Edward only has HIV, because of some other health issues he is at a higher risk. When Lara found them he had the flu, telltale swelling in his jaw and other sores related to the untreated virus, a bloated belly from severe malnutrition and was too weak to even walk.

Here is Edward just a few days ago after yet another doctor appointment:

His cheek is deformed from the lack of treatment from his HIV virus. 

But because of sponsorship and care he is on the road to recovery.

I wanted to introduce them to you because the people who have been involved in his care are special to me. Perhaps I will blog on them and their work someday. (Incredible!) My purpose in today's post is to have you meet and see the real need and give you an opportunity to MAKE A DIFFERENCE in their lives. My friends have involved themselves already so that Edward and Joyce are not another African statistic that you may or may not hear...but the story is not over. 

Edward and Joyce still need $195 per month to continue staying at their foster family, receiving the medical treatment necessary to help save their little lives. What I think is so wonderful is that we over here in our everyday American lives can reach out and help save REAL PEOPLE like Joyce and Edward. Obviously we do not know how long Joyce will have, but Edward could live a long, healthy life once he is receiving constant good nutrition, love, and the ARV drugs necessary to keep his viral load low. Who knows? Edward might become a great physician who helps find a cure for cancer or he might become a great runner and compete in the Olympics. Their lives have great value!

If you would want to be part of Edward and Joyce's story you can click here to go to Awaka.org where you can join their sponsorship team. They are both under Edward's name: Edward Segawa in group A of children. 

Thank you for "meeting" these children and for your prayers and any financial involvement you might choose to have. Blessings!

More about the Children's Prisons and Sixty Feet

I just read an excellent post written by a staff member of Sixty Feet named Joy on her family blog. She gives a great explanation of WHY these children are locked up in these prisons in Uganda. Please click here to read this and gain a better understanding of what is happening 8,000 miles away.

Again I encourage you to see what you might do to help the situation. There are many different ways. I know that PRAYER is the #1 need. Will you commit to pray for the children who are stuck in these conditions? Will you pray for the staff of Sixty Feet? They have both Ugandan and American team members. Would you consider saving up your loose change to help out in one of their repair projects? Would you be willing to sponsor a child so they are sure to have their daily needs met? Or maybe you love to bake and you would be willing to bake some cupcakes for our Cupcake Kids sale next month? Or, if you live far from me, might you be willing to host your own Cupcake Kids sale?

So many ways to be involved.

“I know all the things you do. I have seen your love, your faith, your service and your patient endurance. And I can see your constant improvement in all these things.”

                                                                       

                             Jesus in Revelation 2:19

I have Mwangaza ("Shining Light") News!!

(Image from the Mwangaza website)

In my last post I spoke about the Ggaba Church in Kampala, Uganda. Their ministry, Africa Renewal Ministries, have some really awesome things going on--one of which is our babies home from where we will be adopting! :) One thing I mentioned was that they have a traveling Children's Choir and how I hoped to get to see them while on tour here in America. Well...

I am THRILLED to announce that this choir, the Mwangaza Children's Choir is coming HERE to our own Pettisville Missionary Church in Pettisville, Ohio!! Yay!!! On March 13, 2011 our congregation will have the honor of having the children sing and share their testimonies of God's faithfulness to them during our regular morning service!! The children's choir is made up of about 20 children who are 8-11 years old. Many of these children are orphans themselves, who will need to be sponsored so they can attend school. What an enormous blessing having them in our midst will be!

Have you been feeling God pull at your heart to get involved? The children will need host families from Saturday through Tuesday morning of that week in March. The director told me that host family availability goes quickly, so if you want to jump in on this you want to jump quick! Also, since they will be in the area, if you attend another nearby church and would like to schedule a mid week concert, let's talk! We want these children to spread their "light" (Mwangaza means shining light in Swahili) to all in Northwest Ohio!!

Hip hip hooray!!!!

A way to get involved--for you!

I'm home from church with another sick kiddo. I'm pretty tired of the flu, that's for sure! Next year I move that EVERYONE in this family gets a flu shot! As the snow falls out my window, I am moved to tears by a video I've just watched by Africa Renewal Ministries. They operate the orphanage in Uganda from which we will be adopting our children. They are run by a large church that is ministering to their community in ways that we Americans could learn a lot from: schools, medical clinic, orphanage, babies' home, and child sponsoring. They even have a traveling children's choir! And they are coming to the States in 2011!! I want to go see them! :)

I have received many wonderful comments regarding my thoughts that I've blogged. Thank you for making the effort to connect with me either here or on Facebook. I am so grateful to know that people are reading, listening and pondering along with me. I trust that you are wrestling with how to better obey Jesus too. Often I hear people say that they could not take the large steps that we are taking, adopting orphans into our family. And granted, it is indeed a mighty decision that will impact us forever! (We are convinced it will be a great thing for us!) But I wonder if this following video might help you come a step closer to a practical way you can make an important difference in these precious people's lives:



I was even thinking that if this is something you do decide to take part in...we will be going to Uganda for up to 6 weeks when we go to bring our children home...are you thinking what I am?? :) We might be able to meet your little person! What fun!! Or you could come with us! Even MORE fun!!