It really was. It has easily been my favorite day so far. Here’s a rundown of what we did:
We left early to go visit the Havilah Family Orphanage. As we arrived, all the children ran out cheering to greet our car. As we all fell out of squishing into the tight space, children began jumping into our arms, hugging and kissing us.
Every day should begin like that.
We walk into the home, sit down, and cover ourselves with a blanket of children. And this is how we sit for awhile. Just covered in loving children who just want to touch us.
After awhile chores begin. We all peel potatoes, we boil water, we wash the little ones in buckets in the front yard- hair and faces and knees and toes, everything is scrubbed, and the little ones don’t complain while the sit shivering in the cold water.
Time to dry off! The older girls scramble to wash all the baby clothes and find replacements while dozens of naked babies run around in the sunshine to dry since there are no towels.
After bath time is cuddle time. Sit on the couch and wait for 4 or 5 babies to come love on you, petting your skin or hair, or just cozying up as close as possible to the warmth of your arms. We decide to show The Lion King on my laptop, just as two teammies and our contact show up with a surprise: 2 brand-new mattresses! The kids all run out screaming and jumping, and almost trip the girls bringing them in. Instead of taking them into the bedroom, they plop them down on the floor right in front of the movie, and all 34 kids scramble for a seat, either back on our laps, or on the comfy new beds.
The movie was a huge success; they loved it! And afterwards lunch was served finally, first to the itty bitties, then to the next oldest, and so on and so forth until all have been served, and my own team gets to participate in the rice/potato/cabbage dish. It’s delicious, probably because we are surrounded by the sounds of chomping and slurping and chewing. It was the most beautiful sound that day.
But the day didn’t end there! Oh, no. After lunch was cleaned up, the dishes washed, the floor mopped with a rag, and an imminent rainstorm threatening, Milly and the girls decide to put on a show for us. The daylight dims as the clouds roll in, and the girls start to sing a welcome song. It’s so cozy in that room with no electricity, listening to the sounds of the storm roll in. Each girl, this time beginning with the oldest, stands up one at a time, introduces herself with “Bwana Asifiwe” (Praise God), her name, and her age, and then presents either her own song, a narrative, or a dance. Sometimes all three at once! The afternoon wears slowly on as the pounding of monsoon-level rain demands more volume from the participants, all of whom are smiling and laughing and praising God for His abundance.
But then it’s our turn! One by one the girls cheer each of my team members on, ushering them to the center of the living room to participate in the show; we do pushups, we dance, we sing, we share a little bit about the grace and greatness of Go, we share pieces of our own love for the girls… and by the time it comes to say goodbye, we’re all crying through our smiles, hugging, and kissing, and embracing like we don’t know when we’ll see each other again, hoping it will still be this side of heaven.
And we part, a little piece of each of us staying with the rest. And while it is emotional and difficult to leave these beautiful girls and boys behind, it is with confidence knowing that the Lord is their God and Father and Guardian and Protector and Provider, and how much more so than us does He give good things to His babies.
Bwana Asifiwe.
