Bomyasika

Hey everyone, Josh here

So for the past two thursdays we have gone to visit an orphanage in the same area as Bon Berger. The orphanage is called Bomyasika. This orphanage takes care of orphans, giving them a place to live, while also helping kids who are not orphans, but are in situations where the family cannot afford to take care of them. Many of these kids do not stay overnight at the orphanage, but are there during the day and eat meals there. Also, the orphanage pays for the kids to attend a local school (funds permitting... sometimes they run low and have to miss school for a period of time).

These visits to the orphanage have been a really great experience for us. We have had the ability to perform dramas for the kids which they love. We are all very ammature actors, so I must admit it is pretty funny watching us try and act out these skits. This gives the kids a good laugh, while also teaching them some message from the Bible, or teaching them about how loved each one of them is.

We have also had a lot of time to just play games with the kids. On the first visit we brought a soccer ball out and many of the boys were very, very excited. Yesterday when we went, Jacob and I played soccer for likely close to 3 hours with the kids. It was quite fun. While this was going on, the others were doing skipping, bubbles, and other activities. I wish I could tell you more about them but I was a bit focused on the soccer... One thing I will say is kids here are fascinated with bubbles. At first they are very scepticle of them, but they quickly warm up to them and have a blast popping them and trying to catch them, somtimes with their mouths...

During our times at the orphanage we have also been able to connect and have conversations with the workers who make everything possible, and with the older kids. Many of their stories are quite inspiring. One women cooks all the meals for the orphanage while also taking care of her own family (I think she had something 5 kids herself). I am sure each one of us has many stories to say about the conversations we had. Yesterday I had one really good talk with one of the older boys, who was also a part of the older soccer crew (they sort of followed me around the whole day). He was really happy that we came to visit, and spoke about how it would be sad when we left, but also about how he didn't know what he would do with his life. Similar to Canada, not all kids do well in school, and this was the case for him. Unfortunately there is no real option to be trained in a skill (carpentry, cement work, etc). I talked with Jean Baptiste about this (who was also working as a translator for this conversation) and he was saying that this is an issue for many places. He was saying that the orphanage does geat work taking care of the kids and giving them a home, but the kids don't learn skills, so they find life difficult once they leave. Its these types of situations that I find very hard. In Canada we have so many options for obtaining a skillset to find work, and here they often have no chances. Jean Baptiste mentioned trying to get some tools at the orphanage so the kids could at least learn how to use them, so I am hopeful for that.

Lastly I just want to mention that I am pretty sick. I have had digestion issues for almost two weeks now, and while yesterday I was fine, today was my worst day yet. I have started taking some strong antibiotics, so I am hoping they will work quickly, but prayer for a fast healing would be very much appreciated.

As I write this the rest of the team is out shopping for souveniours and visiting a former student and current friend of Jean Baptiste to encourage him with the social work he is doing.

Thanks for all your prayers for our team! Only one week left now! crazy...