On Wednesday we traveled to a very remote region of Kampala. A group of us walked about an eighth of a mile down the road from the Compassion project and walked through a village with one of the local Compassion workers.
I could not believe my eyes. In fact, I told some friends in an email that I would swear the village had been built as a movie set if I hadn’t seen it myself. Totally, completely surreal.
Just sit back and soak that in for a little while.
It’ll flat-out rock your world.
wow, is all I can say! Those little faces are amazing!
When we went to China to adopt our 2nd daughter from there we were able to visit a local village. China is always represented as so progressive, but 80% of China’s population lives in rural areas. It was like these villages in Africa…unbelievable. Public restrooms/bathhouses for the whole village. Pigs on porches connected to the houses. Like you are being, I was forever changed. God is so good to rock our worlds. I’m so thankful that He loves us too much to leave us the way we are. I’m so excited for you.
There’s so much to take in with every photo – joy in spite of so little material goods, lack of purpose, looks like someone hauling water? Dirt, animals, yeah that rocks the little worlds we live in! Praying for you all.
Just too much. Praying for you Sophie.
We are so blessed. Thanks for changing this moms heart.
I can’t believe some of the things I complain and worry over when I see images like that. This has been a beautiful reminder of how blessed we really are. And of how we who have much are called to share with those who have so little. Thank you, Soph.
I can’t believe you thought it was surreal; like a movie set. When we were out in the remote villages of Nicaragua, the same thought went through my mind. Only it was REAL life to the people there. My eyes were opened.
speechless. can’t wait to sponsor my compassion child! you’ve definitely inspired me to do so!
thanks sophie literally from the bottom of my heart for opening my eyes and ears to this. thank you!
Oh my!!! Those faces are irresistable!!! A picture can speak a thousand words!!
What is the big carousel looking thing? Does a family own the cow or does it belong to the village?
What blows my mind are their smiles. They are smiling!
Humbling….
Oh how the Holy Spirit has tenderized my heart through your trip.
I have not been able to read your blog for several days, and was just able to read the last several days in one sitting. Oh my lands. I am a blubbering mess.
I will be sponsoring a child. How could I not look at those faces and not see Jesus.
I’ll bet you just can’t get over God choosing to use you–all your talents, all your heart. Thanks for being a vessel. There is no greater honor, blessing, or joy, huh? All of this just warms and thrills and breaks my heart.
Your post yesterday made me teary, and that combined with Shannon’s moved us so much that hubby and I were up until 3am last night picking out a child. We now have our own Compassion boy, thank you so much for sharing about all this with us.
OH! I am so jealous! In a good way, of course! Proud of you for going. I have a little boy I sponsor in India and I’ve been praying and hoping to go meet him for years. I even contacted Compassion previously and asked if they would let me do what you are doing!!! ;) Kudos for getting to go and do this. I heart Compassion.
Thought you’d like to know that our family sponsored a child today because of this blog (and RocksInMyDryer’s). I would not have known about Compassion if ya’ll weren’t writing about it and I thank you. My daughter picked a little girl from Ecuador and we are so excited to be a part of her life. Thank you for being obedient!
Thanks to you and Shannon, one less child in Uganda is without a sponsor. I looked for a boy who is between the ages of my boys (21 and 17). Joel Wambuzi, 19, of Uganda is now my third son. :)
Thank you all for going to Africa and showing us the faces of the children and their families. God is working through your group!
Thank you so much for bringing the beauty of these children to me and the blog world. I know your heart is full, and I know you are blessed. You are bringing hope to those people. Thank you.
Oh, those beautiful, smiling faces.
We ‘adopted’ (as in support her monthly) a young girl in Kenya several years ago. The letters and pictures she occasionally is able to send to our family looks a lot like where you are.
We Americans have so very much, and should fall asleep every single night giving thanks to God for abundance.
And then we should share what we have with others.
I have just been soaking in all of the pictures and details from your trip. I so much want to reach out and hug every single one of those children. I visited Compassion’s site and – oh my goodness – how can a person choose? I feel so bad that in choosing one, I’m overlooking so many others. I wish I was a billionare.
I went to Mexico on a missions trip as a teenager and I know what you mean about rocking your world. It was a life-changing experience for me. Now as a twenty-something mother, I have let some of those images slip to the back of my mind. Thank you for bringing them to the forefront.
The surreal quality of such scenes are overwhelming. Can you imagine how an American city appears to someone who has lived like this??? There’s a wonderful documentary movie (that’s SOOOOO easy to watch) called “God Grew Tired of Us” which chronicles the transplanted lives of three Sudanese “Lost Boys”. Seeing the U.S. through their eyes is amazing.
Hi Sophie-
Just wanted to let you guys in Uganda know- I just signed up to sponsor my second child with Compassion. My first I’ve been sponsoring for about 10 years and his name is Simon and he lives in Kenya. I’m so very excited to now be sponsoring a second from Uganda- you guys have opened my eyes to how selfish I’ve been with my checkbook. Thanks so much for taking the adventure for the rest of us!
Beth
I have bawl cried with EVERY post. I was a bigger mess watching Shannon’s You Tube spot. OH MY!!! I even started crying, just thinking about what you are doing, while pressing a table runner that I was making for the Junior Auxillary Ball. Thank you for this. Thank you for what you are doing for the world. BooMama for PRESIDENT!!!
That is so hard to comprehend for me. I know it’s real, I know it’s RIGHT NOW, and yet still, so hard to comprehned. Thank you for sharing.
It’s incredible, isn’t it? Our pastor was in Uganda and Malawi over the summer, and looking at the pictures is surreal. I can only imagine what it’s like to actually see it. Just think of the good you’re doing over there with the mission. My hat’s off to you.
Hello, BooMama. I just “met” you though a link on Shannon’s blog.
Thank you so much for bringing us these pictures.
In response to the last three posts–you are there for a great reason. You have developed a voice here with the internets, and your experience is changing lives.
You can give another clap, because I just did it. 6 year old Darfin has been sponsored. Why have I waited so long? I’ve been to concerts, I’ve seen commercials, I’ve picked up packets, but I’ve never done it until now.
I think my parents must do this… I saw a picture and letter on the fridge at their house one day and never really even asked much about it! But, I know they said the picture was of a child they sponsor.
Because of all you have posted, I have now been to the Compassion website and I’m telling my family about it so we too can sponsor a child! I’m so excited!
My husband and I just sponsored our first child today! Just wanted to thank you for reminding us what a great work Compassion is doing. God has used you all plus some other people and events in our lives recently to encourage us to care for the widows and orphans. This is one of several steps for us to fill in that gap. Thank you–I’ve been praying for you all.
The sweetest faces on Earth! Sophie, thank you!! I look at these pictures and all I can think of is how much we complain about not having this or that. I saw a picture of you on Shaun’s blog and it can bring you to tears. What a touching photo of that little girl. I bet you could have rocked her all day! I have decided that I am going to get my whole family to sponser a child.
Love,
Patty
Thank you so much for writing about this….I just recently found your blog and have loved all you’ve written, but *this* is amazing. I logged on the other day and saw Brian Seay’s name and got even more excited about what you’re doing (Brian married my husband and I about six years ago.) I’m not much of a commenter, much more of a blog lurker, but because you said you’re reading comments, I thought I’d share that my husband and I have sponsored a child named Ephraim in Uganda and we’ve been so excited all day just thinking about and praying for him! I think what Brian organized and all of you are doing for God is amazing…we’re so blessed to be a part of it.
Amazing! I think I’ve gone through an entire box of tissues. My husband and I have loved reading the blogs and looking at all the pictures. Thank you so much for sharing with us! God is good all the time! We have been praying for all of you.
Blessings,
Lori
Sophie, Her name is Gift. You can read about her here: http://grammy55.blogspot.com/2008/02/gift-of-caring-for-his-lambs.html Thank you for moving me to get involved again. xoox
Are these pictures that you took? Because, seriously, they are in-rockin’-credible. I could go into all the artsy, photo school reasons why, but suffice to say that they are perfectly composed, brilliant photos. Thank you so much for sharing them, and this trip, and these kids, and your big, big heart with the world-wide interpeeps.
I just want to bring one of beautiful faces home with me to love. Your trip has been amazing and I have enjoyed the journey that you have shared. You have done a fabulous job capturing it all. My hope is that you’ll continue with your good work and have a safe journey home.
Many Blessings,
Jen
Isn’t it amazing that those who have nothing, seem to have more joy written on their faces than we can possibly comprehend?!
amazing photos!
I hope you were able to kiss some of those beautiful bald heads while you were there.
yes it did.
Wow…what an awakening! I bet being there really worked on the heart strings! Very sad! I hope to go on a mission trip someday. Not only to help, but to make me humbled.
Makes what we have to complain about seem like nothing in comparison to what they have.
Thanks for sharing.