Sunday, March 28, 2010

Kids Are So Literal: Part 1

On America’s Funniest Video last night, a man was filming his kids. He turned the camera on and his son about age 3 or 4 was sitting on the couch next to his other son about age 2 or 3. The first thing I noticed is this look of concern and confusion on their face and I thought what are they afraid of?

The older boy asked his dad “Are you going to tape us together now dad?” His dad in the mean time had panned the camera over to the floor where his toddler daughter was walking and blowing a toy flute. He absent mindedly mumbled something to the boy and kept adjusting the camera while filming the baby girl.

The boy asked again “Dad, dad, are you going to tape us together now?” The father said “Just a minute son” as he finished filming the baby. I thought why is the boy asking him, is he impatient, is he jealous of his baby sister getting all dads attention, or maybe he just wants to get off the couch and go play.

Finally the father turned the camera on the two boys sitting on the couch still wearing that confused fearful look on their little faces. The boy asked again “Are you going to tape us together now?” and the dad said “Yes, son I’m doing it right now”. The boy reached up and felt his head and replied “Well I don’t feel no tape.”

Between bursts of laughter I finally understood that the little boys had taken their father literally and expected him to get out a roll of tape and wrap them up together in it. That’s why the boys were confused and a little bit afraid. How cute was that! Kids are so LITERAL!

That’s the way it is with the children of TOUCH ministries. Your sponsorship LITERALLY provides them with life. First, it provides life through daily meals that otherwise they LITERALLY would go without food. Then it provides the opportunity for the children to LITERALLY come to know the giver of all life Jesus Christ. Finally, It LITERALLY provides an education that God can use to get them out of a life of poverty.

On behalf of the children I want to LITERALLY thank you from the bottom of my heart. Never forget that you make a difference.

D-
(Part II – next week)

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

World Water Day

One in eight people in the world does not have access to safe water, and 2.5 billion people worldwide live without a toilet. In the neighborhood where we work in Kampala, 83% of the families lack sanitation, and 28% lack access to safe water.

The system below is one of the improved water access points in Kitintale:

Tuesday, March 16, 2010

Redirecting...

There are no potted plants in my grandson’s house so he was thrilled to find dirt and green leaves to play with when he came to Nana’s house. After moving him away from the plants several times I finally did the smart thing and redirected his attention by setting him in the kitchen with a large pot and several utensils so he could bang his little heart out. The distraction worked and he totally forgot about the plants (at least until the next time he came to visit).

I stooped to sweep up the torn leaves and dirt from the living room floor and it occurred to me that kids are kids all over the world and moms will be moms doing the same thing all over the world. Kids will get into things they are not suppose to and moms can redirect their curiosity with safer activities.

But how do you redirect hunger? Where can a mom turn to substitute education? Where does a mom find safety for her child when she lives on the street or in a hut with no door?

These are questions that the moms of poverty face every day. Sometimes the child faces these questions on their own because they have no mom or dad. Through sponsorship of a child you provide an answer to some of these questions. It is through your sponsorship that a child can have education, meals, and a safe place to learn.

Thank you! Don’t stop!
D-