Balts' Bountiful Blessings: Oasis of Life Orphanage

One of the best moments (besides getting a a daughter of course) was being able to take all this food to Oasis of Life Orphanage, a place that I knew needed it badly. A volunteer at Sanyu visited this orphanage and told us how bad it was and how much they needed help. I knew I wanted to go and check it out and see if I could help in any way. I went with another volunteer and I just wanted to cry! Walking around and talking to one of the pastors about the conditions was heartbreaking! I had to bit my lip to keep from crying as he showed us around. Many of the beds did not have matresses, just springs, and yet someone slept on it. One room had 9 beds and yet 16 people slept in that room. He showed us the room where the food was kept. There was 1/2 a bag of food left and that was it. They didn't know where the food would come from after that was gone. The pastor kept saying that God would provide, they needed a miracle, but God could do it. He told me how, in the past, he had to pawn his Bible to pay for food. He told me that most times the kids only get dinner and that is it. The rest of the time they either go hungry or run around the village, rummaging through the garbage piles, looking for food. This also caused sickness and lots of unpaid medical bills.

I knew, after seeing this, that I had to help in some way. Even if I could only buy a few bags of food, I knew I wanted to go back. Well, after telling Lindsay this, she had a GREAT idea. How about telling other people and seeing if people wanted to donate money for us to do much much more than just a few bags of food. People were SO generous!!! It was an AWESOME feeling to go shopping for ONE MILLION SHILLINGS in food and supplies!!!! This was HUGE! And then to hire a truck and drive it up to the orphanage....I can't even begin to describe the feeling! The kids opened the door and the screaming started. They were screaming and cheering and jumping up and down. The pastor had the biggest smile I have ever seen and kept saying over and over "God does miralces, God does miracles, this is a miracle, this is a miracle" and then one of the mamams came and greated me with a huge hug! What an awesome experience. My heart was overflowed with joy that Lindsay and I could be the people to bring this to them all on everyone's behalf. We were also able to pay for the power bill and get the electricity turned back on and pay it forward for several months, and we were also able to pay their outstanding medical bill at the clinic. As you may see in the video at the end, or the pictures, many did not have shoes and we were able to buy 34 pairs of shoes also. We bought matresses, which meant that everyone was able to sleep on a matress. And we also bought mosquito nets.

The kids were so grateful! Some of the older girls, girls who had nothing and wore rags, gave us bracelets that they made out of thread. They knelt down and tied them to our wrists and thanked us and hugged us. I can't even describe how I felt. So many overwhelming emotions. Thank you all for your generous contributions and thank you Lord for letting Lindsay and I be your hands and feet in this way!!!!!

I wish I would have brought the video camera to capture the moment, but I forgot. (well, didn't really expect that kind of welcome). But I did bring it on my first visit. They sang and danced for us and I added two video clips at the end of this. Enjoy.

Loading the truck with food and supplies

Pulling up to the orphanage

The children opened the door to see what was going on outside

Mama Harriet

dancing and cheering as the truck was being unloaded

I loved this little guy in the viking jersey. He has a heart condition that makes one of his hands swell and part of his face. The doctor said it was life threatening, but the pastor says God has kept him with them and they are trusting God for his future.