You Give and Take Away

Hey folks, sorry this didn't post yesterday - we had a huge storm that knocked out the power along our whole block.  But now we're back! So here's part two - Courtney R.'s experience working with kids at a local orphanage.

Giggling girls; eager boys; joyful eyes; desperate hearts; only a few years left to live. These are the things we found on our recent orphanage trips. We have been to four different orphanages in our ministry teams, and everyone has come away with so much, but also left a little of themselves behind.

On Monday my team went to AHOPE Orphanage – a refuge for HIV positive kids. We played games, sang songs, and acted out a Bible story. The kids were so excited to play with us; I loved seeing their eyes lit up when we spoke to them! My favorite part of the day was when one of the girls braided my hair. I had just commented on how pretty their hair was and before I knew it I was on the ground and my hair was being twisted and turned. It hurt like crazy, but it was definitely worth it! Minus the fact that it is blonde, my hair fit in perfectly! Well, at least for a few hours…

Overall, it was a beautiful day and I loved getting to make a small impact on their lives. 

Here are some thoughts from other students:

“It was fun to play with the kids, but even more amazing was the fact that they had AIDS and yet still enjoyed life as much as they could.” –Andrew K.

“They were very cheerful.” –Ian E. 

 

“They were so happy with what they had!” –Alex M.

“It is amazing to see how much hope the kids have, even though their situation is virtually hopeless.” –Katie R.

“I feel like they impacted us more than we them. They were so joyful, even though they were in a hard situation. I enjoyed telling them Bible stories and seeing how they got into it.” –Susanna W.

“It expanded my perspective on extreme poverty.” –Micah L. 

“This is not how the world is supposed to be.” –Chris T.

“It was such a blessing to work with the kids and see how much holding their hand and picking them up means so much to them!” –Savannah J.

“Exhilarating experience.” –Conner O.

“Awesome!” -Kyle S.

“It’s been truly amazing to show them love, especially because they don’t always get individual attention because of all of the other kids in similar hard situations. It’s good to love on them and show them that we care each and every one of them regardless of the fact that they have HIV.” –Anna E.