Canaan Children's Home

Yesterday was a day that is hard to put into words because the emotions and feelings were so real, so enlightening and so hard to express. The pictures tell the story much better than I can express. There is a need. There are many children that are in orphanages that are not true "orphans". Many of them have at least one parent. Many have family. Poverty, drugs and sickness are some main reasons that children are in orphanages here. They are abandoned. Some have a bed with a mattress and sheets. Some have blankets. Some only have a mattress. All of them deserve more.

Canaan Children's Home is an orphanage right outside Jinja. They have some awesome "mommas" and "auntees" that help with children, but they do not have the financial support needed to get everything that they need. HEAL Ministries supports them in several ways: delivering shoes and children's vitamins, and money for food. However, this trip shows a bigger need. Yes, they need physical needs such as food and bedding and clothing. But this trip reveals the emotional needs that they are missing. They are in desperate need of one-on-one relationships. They need love.

Our group will be building shelves for the older girls and boys dorms this week. We will be providing bed sheets for the younger girls that do not have sheets. We will provide some mattresses for a few that are without. The team worked hard prior to the trip to be able to provide some needed things. While this is a current need, we realize the biggest need is to develop relationships and continue to partner with the least of these.

The day started out by talking to the Canaan Middle School. We talked to each classroom about the importance of staying in school. When we asked them what they want to be when they grow up they answered: a doctor, a lawyer, a teacher, a pilot, etc. We told them that they could do all things through Christ and they memorized Philippians 4:13. When they sang songs for us, it was emotional. They sang "this is the day that the Lord has made" and listening to it in that setting was a reminder of how blessed we all are........both the team and the children attending school yesterday.

We then went back to the Children's Home and had crafts with the preschool children. They loved working with the crayons and they knew exactly what the rainbow represents.............another example of how Canaan is providing HOPE to the children. They also loved making beaded bracelets. While these "things" are not needed......they sure bring a smile to a child's face. Hopefully, we showed love by showing up. We showed up and they showed us unconditional love and we are thankful for today.