We had the unique opportunity to stay with the orphans at Jaco’s orphanage. About a year ago, a devastating cyclone came through and destroyed their lifestyles and their livelihood until they were left with nothing. It took their homes, their belongings and for some children, it also took their parents. Thankfully for Jaco Rudolph, 25 orphans who were eating insects to survive and hiding in the reeds, now have a place to call home.
They shared their humble home with us. We slept where they sleep, eat what they eat and feel what they feel. Their home consists of three simple tents. The girls sleep in one tent and the boys in another. They sleep on reed mats. (All are tattered and torn and reek of urine) All of the girls get their clothes out of their “drawer”, which is a rice bag that they all share, full of filthy second hand clothes. They have no kitchen, instead, a tent with a blazing hot bonfire. There are two women who do all of the cooking. For our first night there, it was my turn to cook for all 26 of us. (Never cooked for that many before) When cooking, the smoke billows within the small tent and burned my eyes and fills my lungs until I was forced to close the lid and run out of the tent gasping for breath and my eyes tearing from the burning pain. (Praise the Lord it all turned out! It was a miracle! God is good!) They have no chairs, only logs to sit on or the red dirt. I don’t know how the women do it! They have no running water either.
Their process of getting water is unbelievable! Mark made a video of the process so you can see first had how it works.
Basically, the 10 year old kids walk down to the well and fill jugs of water, put them in a wheelbarrow and haul it back to camp. For one day of water they make a total of 9 trips which works out to be 7.2 miles! The full wheelbarrow weighs 132 lbs for a total of 1,188 lbs every single day! Think of the kids you know, could or would they do this??? (Can’t say I know any)
At the end of the night we all sat around the fire and they delighted us with their tribal-sounding songs of praise. We were sitting there with a nearly full moon and stars like we don’t see in America. Their singing was loud and extraordinary, when they started to dance, it absolutely delighted my heart! I can’t really describe it, but it was one of the most wonderful moments of my life. I sat on that log in the dark with the glow of the fire, with a huge smile and just cried. Just wrecked from the inside to see that these kids and adults that have had everything ripped from them and now have literally only a handful of items they can call their own and yet they choose to lift their beautiful voices to praise the Lord. Wow!
After spending the night in that tent, cooking in the killer smoke and seeing nothing but more work around, all I wanted to do was to break down and cry. The interesting part was that we eventually left them there and we continued on with our travels. For them, this is their hard life.
Clearly, they need financial help. If you feel lead to help them, go to www.Mozambique-orphans.co.za(The exchange rate is at 23% so $50 would be like a million to them.)
Overall, Mozambique was full of delightful experiences and seized opportunities for reaching out to the hurting. My heart was broken and put back together again by God’s continuous Grace and Love.
This month also left me with some questions.
How often do we feel pain and still praise the Lord with all of our hearts. Do we lose sight of what we do have? Homes, running water, a kitchen, a warm bed, a bathroom, and most of all, eternal life and promised hope of eternity with the creator of the universe.
We have it all! I hope this makes you smile today and makes you feel blessed. J
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