A lesson in listening…
Our lovely Manka has spent the last few days suffering with a severe case of food poisoning. I’ve been nursing her back to health with Sprite, electrolyte replacements, and bottled water. She has been such a wonderful patient. All details regarding how she spent the last 48 hours are left to her discretion, though tempting they may be to blog.
After fully assessing Manka’s status this morning and believing her confessions of feeling twice the woman than she was the day before, I left to see the kids.
The orphanage seemed unusually quiet. As I walked in, I was greeted with a warm hug from Mama Lucy’s daughter. After the five hours of hello, typical in Tanzania, I asked what was wrong with the children.
She: (looking down) We have run out of food. We have maiz but no fire wood to cook it with. The children have not eaten since yesterday (which means, she had not eaten either).
Me: (Realizing it was nearly 1pm) WHAT??!! *thinking to myself, why didnt they tell us sooner??
You see, I live in a city where the homeless shamelessly beg on the streets, openly admitting the money will go for beer. We expect those in need, to ask. Things are different here, maybe as they should be. I must learn to listen with more than my ears so that I can love with more than my words. I never want to see this happen again!
We picked up two weeks worth of rice, beans, sugar, cooking oil, some vegies, soap, toothpaste, and oil for the children’s bodies (and then some). For a special treat, we grabbed bread, peanut butter, honey and some bananas. For those curious types, two weeks of staple food and firewood, costs about USD $60-100.
Here’s where I almost lost it! Each child waited patiently for their meal. They recieved a banana and a sandwich with peanut butter and honey lathered more lightly than most apply butter on toast. Sitting quietly in their seats, they ate slowly, similar to the way most of us used to eat oreo cookies, as children. As I walked by, one of the boys looked up at me and with a big grin, he said, ”Teacher, our food today is good.”
December 11th, 2006 at 7:12 pm
oh amanda! as soon as i ready this- i picked up the phone and called the solar oven poeple! bless you bless you bless you.
any word from the food box folks??
December 11th, 2006 at 11:25 pm
Amanda
Thank you for the eye openers and reminders. Things do seem so overwhelming at times, and backwards. It’s difficult to part with money for scams, but how gladly I would part with money if I could see it go straight to a jar of peanut butter and a young one’s tummy! More on that later. I hope and pray Manka is well by the time you read this, and that you are also well.
December 12th, 2006 at 6:17 am
Amanda:
Behold, the LORD’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear: Is59:1
You are correct when you say: “This must not ever happen again to these little ones.”
Dad and Mom
December 12th, 2006 at 6:34 am
Amanda sweety girl, my heart is broken and torn just reading about the children and Im not even there to see it, oh how much more you have tasted this bitter sweet place. Please hug each child and mama lucy for me, tell our beautiful Manka to hang in there, this is another stratedgy of the enemy to still her joy, he’s such a whimp!! dad and i will continue to lift you and manka up, Im so humbled by these children and Mama lucy.We LOVE you and miss you, Momxxoo