Ekisa means "Grace"

 Goodbye New Hope....Hello Ekisa

I’ve been waiting to be here for two full years. I first heard about Ekisa on my plane ride back home from Uganda in 2012. Ekisa means “Grace” in Lugandan, the local language of Uganda. In this busy, beautiful, NGO-filled city called Jinja that sits on the Nile and attracts more foreigners than I’ve ever seen in Uganda before, Ekisa is the only orphanage that specifically serves and cares for special needs children. It’s been quite the adjustment for me – moving from the rural town of Busia and leaving the Uganda that I’ve known for the past two years. The world in Busia is small and simple. I can walk or bike to town and I’ll hear school children shouting out, “Auntie Jane! Hi!” All our meals are traditional Ugandan meals that we eat at the house as a big family – potatoes, rice, beans, pasta, greens, avocados, and chapati (chewy delicious tortillas). We wash our clothes by hand and the children pump their water from a well. Seeing muzungus (foreigners) is quite rare in Busia, and when I do see one, I have to fight the urge to chase after them and find out how they ended up in our small, quiet town.   

            Moving to Jinja (the biggest city in Uganda, besides the capital) two weeks ago has been a big change and I think I’m still in the process of getting adjusted. First of all, there are restaurants here that serve hamburgers, pizza, Chinese food, Indian food, and the most delicious cinnamon rolls. Non-profits are a dime a dozen and on some days, I feel like I can spot out just as many foreigners as I can Ugandans in town. I’ve found a café that serves the most delicious chai latté and also has free Wi-Fi – something I never thought I’d find in Uganda! On Sundays we go to a church called Acacia, which is led by an American pastor who is passionate about ministering to Ugandans as well as missionary families. Every Sunday, about 200 people gather for worship – half Ugandan, half muzungu – and it is an incredible collision of my two worlds. It’s breathtaking to see and meet all the families and young men/women (mostly women) that have allowed God to interrupt their lives and have come to build a new life here.

Morning cuddles with Debra

Practicing walking with Jackson

            One thing I’ve loved about my so-far short time at Ekisa has been the opportunity to help our kids feel that they aren’t growing up in an orphanage, despite the reality that they are. One of the many dangers of children growing up in an orphanage is the lack of one-on-one attention and love that they receive. So we take each child at Ekisa for a one-on-one date each week, to get them away from the orphanage even if it’s only for a little while. And this week has been full of super fun dates! I’ve been quickly getting to know the 22 kids that live at Ekisa. We took Grace (an adorable little BOY) to the hotel pool and he practiced swimming. I went on a date with Gideon to a café in town and he ordered soda and chocolate cake. I rode a motorcycle into town with Paul. We took baby Treasure to a restaurant on the Nile and watched the sunset. I played guitar for Arafat, Jackson, Tasha, and Shifra as they danced, sang, or rocked back and forth in their own unique ways. We watched Frozen with Rachel and Debra and had a slumber party.

Playing dress up with Rachel and Paul...my favorite little mermaid and superman

Swimming with Grace and my new friend Abby from London!

It's snowing on Mweru at Ekisa! 

Water play with sweet Misach!

            The more I get to know the children that live at Ekisa, the more I yearn for each of them to grow up in families that love them instead of in an institution that loves them. Because the truth is, no matter how beautifully painted the walls of Ekisa orphanage are, and no matter how well loved and hugged they are by their aunties and uncles and staff mamas, no amount of love from an orphanage can replace the unconditional love and goodness of a forever family. And yet again, God reminds me…there are no orphanages in heaven. God created children for families. I love Ekisa’s vision of placing all of their children into families and I love standing in the gap with them until that day comes.

Singing in worship with Arafat...this boy loves music!

Beautiful Debra first thing in the morning 

            It’s no secret that I’ve been pursuing a Masters in behavioral therapy so that I could better teach and love disabled children here in Uganda. It’s been 2 weeks here and I already know that using ABA (Applied Behavior Analysis) in Uganda is going to extremely different from what I had originally planned. In America, I can work on changing the behaviors of my students with Autism because I know that their tough behaviors stem from having Autism. But things are more complicated on this side of the world. A child may have a disability like Autism, but they could also be dealing with the trauma of being orphaned or neglected or abused in the past. Or they could be (and rightfully so!) acting out from the frustration of being institutionalized for the majority of their lives. Disabled children in Uganda face mountains upon mountains of obstacles and I can only continue to call upon the Mountain Mover who is Jesus to make a way when there doesn’t seem to be one.

Whispering the secrets of potty training with adorable Grace ;)

Kisses for Auntie

            But our God is one of miracles and He delivers them through anyone that is willing to say “Yes” to Him. And the amazing women that have founded Ekisa as well as the men and women that work at Ekisa full-time as social workers, nurses, administrators, and baby mommas have been saying, “yes” to Jesus and God has been moving mountains through them here. Ekisa’s social workers have been working tirelessly to resettle children into families, and so far a handful of kids have left the orphanage to go and live with their biological and local adoptive families! Ekisa has a community care program of over 50 families that empowers parents that are bravely choosing to raise their disabled children in a society that stands against them. The families come to Ekisa once a week to receive physiotherapy for their children and meet with other parents that are in the same boat. It’s only been 2 weeks, and already I’m seeing just how far-from-glamorous of a life it is ministering to families and children with disabilities here in Uganda. The kids’ cuteness is to die for, but every day I come home covered in slobber and food and other unmentionable things! The nurses spend entire days taking kids to the hospitals hours away and the teachers here teach using sign language and creative lesson plans day in and day out. Quickly I’m seeing that long-term missions is hardly always exciting or easy. It’s about waking up each morning to the everyday tedium, the every day monotonous tasks of feeding, washing, teaching, training, playing – and choosing to walk with Jesus one day at a time. It’s about trusting our Creator more than I trust in my own understanding. It’s about choosing joy over fear, and believing that God doesn’t make mistakes. It’s about fighting the desire to give up, and remembering that my Father doesn’t ever get intimidated my mess. He’s stronger when I’m weak. He doesn’t break His promises. It’s about keeping our eyes fixed on the Savior that loved us enough to take all our pain upon Himself, so that we could walk into victory hand in hand with Him.

Feeding sweet Tasha

Precious Arafat