Comfortable Ignorance

Comfortable ignorance is how I describe my life style three years ago.  I was comfortable:  "contented and undisturbed".  I was also ignorant: "lacking knowledge, information, or awareness about something in particular".

As David Platt writes "orphans are easier to ignore before you know their names.  They are easier to ignore before you see their faces.  But once you do, everything changes".  That is the perfect statement to explain how I feel after seeing the plight of the orphans in DR Congo, Africa.

 

God has allowed me to me part of the awesome work of raising hope in the form of money to help the Global Orphan Foundation's "Pebble Project".  Now, I want you to understand, this process of choosing to do more makes me uncomfortable.  Trying to organize an event like a silent auction when I have no experience makes me uncomfortable.  Asking perfect strangers at businesses for donations is uncomfortable.  Asking people who have already given so much to give more is very uncomfortable.

I know, my family and friends are probably tired of hearing me on my soapbox, but the reality of these children's lives isn't going away.  They are breathing, suffering and dying right now...even as you read this...it doesn't end for them.

They are innocent, they have no choice in where they live.  And THAT makes me more uncomfortable than anything else.  It drives me to get past all my weaknesses and inabilities.

Last week we attempted our second silent auction, and with the help of over 200 people, over twenty thousand dollars was raised!  What a reminder that God doesn't call us to be comfortable.  Thank you to everyone who gave in some way to give these children hope and a future!

"The Smell of Separation"

In the morning, as we packed, we sensed an anxiousness about leaving this place.  I asked myself "What will I do with this?"   

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Ety made our day very special:  First he brought Della's foster mom to our hotel.  When I saw her we embraced and I cried.  How do I explain in words or emotions how grateful I am to this woman who loved my daughter for more than a year?  Through interpretation we talked...I had many questions for her.  She told me she was very grateful that I asked to see her.  It was a very sweet time.

After Mama Josee left, Serge joined us and we went down to the Congo river.  It was very wide and had lots of large rocks.  There were fisherman on handmade wooden boats.  Some men who were working allowed us to step onto their boat.

 

After a good lunch Jean Paul drove us to the airport.  It was the usual hectic, crazy traffic (like New York City on steroids).  Ety said "The smell of separation".  We had a really fun day which contrasted with the heaviness of the last four days.  Ety said he wanted our last day to be enjoyable.  I am so glad he did that for us.  It reminded me that this country, these people, are so beautiful.  And they are just like you and me.

We boarded the plane to Belgium, as we flew, I wondered again 

  "What will I do with this?" 

The heaviness of the children came back, the heaviness of leaving friends, the heaviness of

"The smell of separation"

Sliding in the mud, walking in the bush

We visited the land of the future site for the Pebble Project village.  It's about a 1 hour drive from downtown:

Marie, who is the head attorney for MLJ & GOF, came with us on the trip to the bush.  She is standing in front of the land that will used to build a village for the children in the future.  She has someone gardening the land, they are growing bananas, palm trees, mangoes, avacados, and cassava.

The bush is very quiet, green and smells heavenly.

Here is the natural beauty I was longing to see.

While walking in the bush to look at the land we saw this termite hill....it stands taller than me!

It had rained all morning and was still drizzling when we got there.  We drove through a mud filled road, it was similar to trying to drive through snow.

The head of the school nearby.

Jean Paul:  the best driver in the whole world.  He's a father of 8, 4 are adopted (they were his brother's children) and he's a father of twins which is very esteemed in Africa.  

Little children from the village.

The little boy in blue squealed with delight when I showed him his photo on my camera!

In the afternoon we went back to one of the orphanages to give them a snack and juice.

Beauty From Ashes

We visited the orphanage from the first day again.  When we walked in the children remembered us and were very happy!  They all wanted to be held and hold a hand.  They would gently stroke my hair or my skin.  One little girl was very possessive of me!  She would grunt at others and squeal if she thought another child was going to steal me.  

I learned "Nalingi yo" which means "I love you" in lingala.  The children would smile and laugh.  We brought some foam mattresses for a couple of beds that had only slates and new underwear. 

These twins may look healthy, but their bellies are very extended and the staff is in the process of treating them.

 This little boy (above) got hurt, after I consoled him he didn't want to leave my embrace.

 This little girl (above) wanted held a lot, she was sweet :)

The children loved to get their photo taken....they would say "photo, photo?".

"The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor.  He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion -  

to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, 

the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.  They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor."

Isaiah 61:1-3

A view of the beautiful city!

Handmade children's clothes for sale right outside the orphanage.

Second Day at The Orphanage

Today we visited the second orphanage the Pebble Project helps.  Dr. Marion and Ety do so much good for these children!  And because they are Congolese they understand every aspect and seem to be trusted by the orphanage staff.

After another dust filled journey we arrived in the early afternoon.  As we entered the side street leading to the orphanage people had to move the items they are selling so we could drive through.  We arrived at the big blue metal doors.  As we entered, the bright blue walls shone and the smell was overwhelming.  Some of the children were away attending a school.  The children who remained were eating their lunch which consisted of mashed up rice mixed with water.  They all had their cup, eating quietly.

This little one is loving to play with her food!

I saw a girl who was there from our last trip in 2013, I learned her name, Omba Jeanne.  She is the girl in the pink shirt on the right (below).

2015

 

July 2013

The little girl in the front (below), Marie, has special needs.  She was so happy and smiled so much.

 Mama Nelly is one of the main caretakers.  She has a log of every one of the 89 children, their name, age and when they entered the orphanage.  She is very organized, hands on and is willing to work with the GOF staff.  When I asked them about Della they remembered her. 

Mama Nelly (right)

While Becky and I were with the children we saw so many with great needs.   How do I put into words what I felt.......

These kids just want what every kid wants: love, someone to hold there hand, give them high-five, show them how to zip and unzip a zipper, count to 10.  They want to feel they are special, that someone cares for them.

I know the GOF's Pebble Project is a start to fulfilling those needs through so many like Dr. Marion and Ety and all the others.  But there's so much more that is not being met.

Through it all what surprises me the most is the children are smiling and playing........they somehow find the joy in the midst of their life. 

Leaving the orphanage.  The blue and yellow bus in the public transportation, also called "Spirit of Death".

 

We ate a traditional Congolese meal of chicken, french fries, rice, fufu, fried plantains, mayo, ketchup, hot sauce and vegetables.

Day one of the Orphanage

We started our day off with breakfast at Patachoulle and a GOF meeting.

Typical back street on the way to the orphanage.

This is Dr. Marion and Etienne "Ety", the in-country program director (also our man when we came to get Della in 2013).

Here are a few of the babies.

Here is Moies, he's 4 months old and 5.73 lbs.  He had just been hospitalized for 2 weeks due to severe malnutrition.

More babies

This is one of the Mama's, Josee.  (Not to be confused with Della's foster Mama Josee)

I had the privilege to hold Joel while the staff was shown how to use a nebulizer for breathing treatments.

There are over 80 children that live here.

Rebecca Siegrist passing out stickers to the children.

A view of the trashed filled street right outside the orphanage walls.

Tomorrow we'll visit the second orphanage.  It's hard to put into words what I've seen.....but, pulls at my heart harder than anything I've ever felt.