Adventures WorldRace SethBarnes Sponsorship Giving

| by

              In the midst of living in a house with 18 girls, sleeping on the floor under a fan, bathing with a bucket and choosing to eat oatmeal every meal (instead of local specialties such as fish-head curry and chicken feet), I’ve learnt an important lesson about orphanages and children’s shelters. With a Western mindset, I thought that money could help these kids. That it would solve their problems, make things easier and provide a life that they would not otherwise have. Those things may be true, but money is not what they need most. 


            The girls here have a bed to sleep in, a closet full of clothes, 3 meals a day, books to read and an emphasis on education. What they do not have…is love. There’s a house mother who the children call “auntie”, and I’ve never met such a negative and hostile woman in all my life. She doesn’t show compassion, or understanding, or love. She speaks horrible things over the girls and yells all the time. They are forced to do homework for about 6 hours a day and only get about 6 hours of sleep a night. It’s an utterly heartbreaking situation. 

 

            We made it our mission to bring truth and light into this place. We’ve encouraged and spoke positive words, we’ve played games, had dance parties, watched movies, lead bible studies and gone to the park. We’ve tried our very best to love the way that God does and bring hope to these precious children.

            Agnes is the little girl who has touched my heart the most. She’s 6 years old and abandoned by her mother. She’s an adorable child who is inquisitive and full of energy. She would give me a hug and a kiss on the cheek every day. Half way through the month, she opened her heart to me and shared her biggest fear. She was afraid of us leaving, and looked at me with tears in her eyes. Agnes and the other girls have never felt such love. I don’t think they’ve ever been told how beautiful they are, how cherished they are or that they’re loved. They’ve never been encouraged or had affection like this and they don’t want to lose it. 

 

            As I sat beside her on the bed, she looked up at me with her big brown eyes, like I was her only hope in the world. My heart broke as she asked, “Sista, why you have to leave”? I’ve never felt so helpless in my whole life. 

            A lot of tears were shed this month as I came face to face with the reality of orphans around the world. I just cannot comprehend how a mother could not want their own child, their precious little miracle, and that they could not care enough to make sure that she would be loved. My heart has never been so broken or loved a child unrelated to me so much. The only hope I have and can offer is the hope I have in Christ.

            I told Agnes how much God loves her, that he will always be there for her no matter where she goes and that she can talk to him whenever she is sad or afraid. I told her that I will never forget her. I’m praying for her and all the beautiful girls I lived with this month – that God will do a miracle in their lives, and that they will never have to live another day in the absence of love.