Praying with my feet and drinking with my eyes

Yesterday we went back to Acholi Quarters. I am a bit more comfortable with the area now and decided to wander out a bit without James, George or one of the beadmakers. I was blessed.

We spent a few hours there. I did not get to talk to the women as much as I would have liked, because they were meeting and I spent time with a few children in the quarters and a family that lives next door to George's (Acholi Beads Manager) home in the quarters. When you see the pictures you will understand why I connected with the children, especially two little girls and two young boys these two little girls my first full day in Kampala. Their names are Seila, Fiona, Stephen, and Jac-George. I have taken pictures of them everytime we have been at the Quarters. Yesterday, Seila and Fiona's mother gave me two paper necklaces she had made me for "being friend" to her little girls.

My heart was so FULL!!! What an honor. I spent time last night trying to figure out what I could offer them as a token of friendship that keeps our relationship pure, beautiful, and sacred. They love when I take pictures of them, so I decided to take the polaroid camera tomorrow and give them pictures of the three of us. How fun is that!?!

The boys took me around the quarters yesterday, back to the rocks. They ran dogs away and everything! :) I prayed with my feet as we walked, and drank the sweet bitter cup of life in the quarters with my eyes. At times it was a very hard cup to swallow.

I saw children laughing, singing, washing, playing in the water, searching the trash collection for food, praying, studying, working the rocks, playing football, sitting with nothing to do and waving with a smile when I came their way. I saw it all within an hour of time. The boys took me to the rocks and immediately started working. I did not want them to work, but it was so natural and they almost seemed to like it.

So since I could not stop them I decided to join them. OH MY...it is so hard and dangerous, but also a bit satisfying especially if you can receive what is $1.25 for a days work. That is nothing for us, but so much for them. Breaks me... something does not seem right about that.

Education is SOOOOOO important. The rocks is the only option for a number of children, women and men in Acholi Quarters. If a child is not in school, but is of age there is a great chance that they will spend many days & years working the rocks. I am still trying to understand how it all works, so I will share more later when I have a better grasp of it.

Anyway... I better get going. Time is limited.

Peace of Christ,
lar
Thanks for your prayers.