Bunking With An Orphan

It’s not possible for me to express what God did in my life on my last mission trip, except to share a few of my favorite stories.  God worked on breaking my heart, but in turn also healed my heart using the very children I was visiting.  I want to hear your heart, too.  What is holding you back from your passions?

We had the opportunity to live at an orphanage for 5 days in Jinja, Uganda and bonded with the 200+ children living at Canaan’s Childrens Home.

I love how excited kids get when they sleep in bunk beds, but have you ever seen grown-ups giddy about grabbing a bunk and camping out together.  It’s incredible connecting as a mission team to hang out and bond at Canaans.  Pastor Isaac has made a home away from home for teams coming to minister to his children and its heaven!  Each bed (queens for the couples in their own room:) has mosquito nets and its sooo charming with flashlights and giggling from sharing funny stories.  The other night, I was going around tucking in my team for the night (hey I’m Mama Kiki) and one of the gals was on her bunk with her lantern on and pen in hand praying.  I was being silly and shined my light in her face and she didn’t budge.  I realized she was fast asleep and it cracked me up.  All of a sudden she opened her eyes and started swiping at invisible bugs.  I was like… Elisa, what are you doing.  She looked at me and said- stop you heifer!!!  WHAT??! Did just called me a cow?  I was laughing in hysterics and the girls came over and we started teasing her realizing she was high on Ambien:))  Sleeping pills and bunk parties are a crazy combo!!

Mission teams quickly become family and as a family we love on the children and staff 24/7.  Canaan’s is so unique due to waking up in the morning and heading outside to kids getting ready for school, washing clothes, doing their chores or playing.  The opportunities to pour love are endless.  Every personality can benefit from a mission trip.  Sitting one on one with a child can change the course of their lives, playing with a group of kids with your iPad games can make you the #1 popular rock star, or just helping scrub tables with the staff before meals is such a blessing.  Tucking the kids in their bunk beds is so precious… they do things so differently than how I put Zoie to bed – peeing in a bucket (really) and dancing and singing for 30 min. But, it makes you feel like a part of something so amazing- you’re in their world.

Going on a mission trip can bless so many children, but honestly the KIDS change our lives.  We are the ones who are blessed the most.  I promise you, if you can jump in with both feet your life will never be the same.

Learn more at www.visitingorphans.org

PS: I’m writing this sitting next to the Nile with a lantern and twinkle lights in the sky!!!