Meet Elvis, Daphine, and Leocadia

I am so excited to be able to introduce to you three more of these beautiful children! Although some of these kids have been attending BDI for years, they are all new to me. The more I get to know each one, the more I fall in love with them.

I know everyone, everywhere, can find Christ in these children as I have. You only have to look. Be with me on this journey of love and learn how to open yourself up more and more to give and receive Christs love. I came here to give love but I feel I am receiving much more than I ever thought. The more I learn, the more hands I hold, faces I kiss, and foreheads I bless, the closer I come to Jesus. 

It is amazing what happens when we start to give. Its not a matter of what we are giving, how much, or to who. Its only a matter of "giving". It's the spirit of giving and the self-less love. The same self-less love that Christ gave to us when He died on the Cross. 

There is a difference between the kids who are sponsored and the ones that aren't. Many of these kids are used to abandonment and are used to being unloved. When a child gets sponsored they feel so wanted! "Someone chose me!"  

I am humbly asking you to chose one. Let them send you letters and emails about their thoughts, drawings, struggles, and joy. Share with them your love.

Meet Elivs and his older sister Daphine, who is hearing. Their life is not easy, their parents are separated and they live their Aunt. Their mother lives with her mother and the father sometimes stays with the children but most of the time he is not there. He doesn't care about his children.

At home Daphine is the oldest and takes care of her three younger siblings. Sometimes the Aunt will disappear and they will stay alone, leaving Daphine in charge and having to find food for her siblings. Many times they have came to the school at night or on weekends looking for food because they have none.

Elvis is nine years old, he is very social, and likes to play any and every game! He and his sister came to BDI two years ago when their parents were still together. When the problems at home starting happening that's when his grades started to drop. He would come to school and be very distracted. Because of such poor academics the first year he is now having to repeat P1. 

Daphine is 12 years old and she is in P5. Her favorite subjects in school are Science and English. "Science is very easy. English is nice to speak." Her exact words. Her favorite thing to do outside of school is play net ball!  Although I knew the answer to this question I asked her anyways about her personality, shy or outgoing? She laughs as she buries her head in her arms and says "I'm shy."

Daphine attends school here because Elvis, being very attached to her, refused to attend school without her. She loves sign language! And she is the only one at home that is able to communicate with her brother. Isn't that great!? I love seeing them together. 

Meet Leocadia. She is 17 years old and came to BDI one year ago but only stayed for two weeks because she had to leave to take care of her sick aunt. So officially on June 6th of this year was her fist day. How did she get here? Her mom would see some of the deaf children walking to church and signing to each other and then grabbed the opportunity for her daughter to have an education. Her mother is the only one who cares for sweet Leocadia. 

Although it is SO hard for Leocadia to learn sign language, because she is so old, she still tries very hard. She likes to be smart. She also likes to be clean and very well maintained, her hair is always done so beautifully! Leocadia is in Top Class and despite being very old for her class she is very comfortable with it. 

If you have the capacity to give and feel called to do so please go to http://www.boanergesdeafinitiative.org/apps/donations/. Or visit the BDI page for any further information. You can also contact me via email with any questions or concerns at rannah_banana@yahoo.com. 

Thank you!

Meet Kooga and Alex!

The most beautiful thing in the world is to love one another as God loves each one of us. And it is for this purpose that we are in this world. -Mother Teresa




Hi my name is Kooga and I am 13 years old. In 2010 Joel found me, I was 9, and had never had a language or any form of education. Coming from a very poor family where my parents were not able to provide basic needs for me, education has always been out of the picture. Joel offered to take me in and provide boarding and an education for free. Although coming from a very poor family has always been a struggle, I am very lucky to have parents who love and care for me. I have never been rejected or abused by them and they have always accepted my deafness. Academically I am average but for coming to school so late I am doing very well and work hard in my studies. One thing I love is fashion. I am always helping the other kids get dressed, changing their outfits, and helping to make them look nice.





















Hello! My name is Alex and I am 14 years old. My home is in Paidha located in Northern Uganda. I come from a Catholic family who live in grass and mud huts. I am lucky to have parents who love me but as I got older I was becoming more stubborn and having no language or communication with my parents make things hard. Out of the 250 deaf in Northern Uganda I was one of the lucky five that Joel was able to take back to BDI in 2011 to give us an education and grow spiritually.

Since I have been at BDI I have changed a lot for the better. I now have a language and I am getting an education. I dream of being a teacher for the deaf. Although academically I need to improve, I have a desire to learn and I do try in school. I am always more shy and reserved, not as outgoing as some of the other kids. I usually just sit back and watch when games are being played. Its hard to get a picture of me sometimes, but when I open up I am very funny and joyful. I seem to always have a smile on my face.


Kooga and Alex along with all of Boanerges Deaf Initiative need your support. If you feel called to sponsor one of these children please go to  http://www.boanergesdeafinitiative.org/apps/donations/. You will also be able to be in contact with the child you sponsor through letters, emails, and more. If you have any questions please contact me through email at rannah_banana@yahoo.com.

Come and help change the lives of these children and watch how they will change yours!

Thank you and God bless!

Sponsorship.

I'm so great full for all of my sponsors, all of the donations that I have received, and all the people who are continuously praying for BDI! We have been able to buy food, charcoal, medical supplies, and different things for the children when necessary. But I know the money I have been given wont last forever. These children need continual support. Why? Because deaf children in Uganda are vulnerable and excluded. The school of BDI is struggling to survive and needs people like you to be willing to step up and get involved. As you may know from my previous posts we are in need of everything - basic needs like food, water and medicine being the most urgent at this moment.

There are currently 53 kids enrolled at BDI and eight teachers. There are 26 children that have sponsors which leaves 27 who need sponsors. As for the teachers, there are currently four being sponsored. 

As a sponsor of course you have the freedom to decide any amount to give and believe me, anything helps!! You would be surprised how far money can go here! Thirty dollars a month (1$ a day) is ideal for a child's sponsorship but continuity is more important than the amount. When you sponsor a child you will implicitly support all children as the money from sponsorship will be spent on food and medical care. A sponsorship provides more than food and medical care. It also demonstrates to the child that they are loved. The Ugandan deaf children are not used to this.

For these awesome teachers, a sponsorship will help ensure that they have a home, food, and will even make it possible for them to use transportation. It is common for them to walk for several hours each day to and from the school. This is difficult under any circumstances, especially on an empty stomach. An ideal amount for a teacher sponsorship is 100$. Of course, a sponsorship for teachers is more expensive. This is a great opportunity for a company, school group or group of friends. If ten people commit to sponsoring a teacher, that is only 10$ a month per person.

For those who wish, there will be opportunity to have contact with the child or teacher you sponsor through letters, emails and more. Another option for helping out is a simple donation to the organization as a whole. Donations can be made at http://www.boanergesdeafinitiative.org/apps/donations/. 

During the next weeks I will blog about and introduce to you the kids and teachers that need sponsorship. I hope this will make you consider to help and support these lovely children and teachers. 

If you have any questions at all please feel free to contact me through Facebook or by email at rannah_banana@yahoo.com . Also, for further information visit the BDI website: http://www.boanergesdeafinitiative.org/.  

God Bless. 

 

Sick Kids

Last Monday we found out that some of the kids were sick with measles. The rest of the week more illnesses kept coming up. More measles, malaria, fevers, coughing, and kids throwing up. There is very little sanitation at the school and its a very small area where germs and sickness can spread easily. Also, all of the kids and teachers have worms in their stomach and they rarely have the money to treat them.

Monday we got medicine for the children! We dewormed all of them, gave them all immune boosters, and treated the few with ring worms on their heads. We also bought forks so the kids no longer have to eat with their hands. Next we are working on getting running water from a container and soap for the kids. With all of this we also will have to teach the kids to wash their hands frequently, especially after going to the toilet.

Yes toilet, there is no bathroom, not even a door or a curtain. Just a hole in the ground with flies all around. No privacy and sometimes no toilet paper. The kids sometimes just use regular paper to wipe. It is very dirty and smelly.

With these new initiatives the kids' health will hopefully start to improve soon.

Before I came to Uganda I knew my mission was to serve the poor and spread His word. Rather it be just through my actions of love or through talking to people and teaching kids. I have been praying about trying to fulfill what God wants me to do and so far I think I have been doing okay! I was worried a little about the actual "talking" about God because my religious signing is not that good.

One night I went to the school and at one point was in the office with maybe 6 of the older kids. We just started talking about the Bible somehow and that lead into me standing there signing about how important daily prayer is and reading the Bible. They all pray multiple times a day together like before eating and when school is finished. I was explaining the importance of the silence alone, just you and God, everyday. Their eyes were glued to me. I was actually nervous to look at them because they were looking at me so sharply it seemed. God was speaking through me, simply, with His words, and His Truth, I was merely saying "yes".

The whole day before that night I had been trying to get to school. Different weird things kept happening that kept me away until about 5:30 pm when I finally got there. God really had control of that day and wanted me to be there that night.

I think we all know the passage Matthew 25:31-40:

For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you made me welcome.....And the King will answer, "In truth I tell you, in so far as you did this to one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did to me."

This is from Mother Teresa:

"Hunger is not only for bread, hunger is for love, to be loved, to be wanted....Homelessness is not only for a house made of bricks, homelessness is also being rejected, being a "throw away" of society unwanted, unloved, uncared for. There among these people you can put and I can put my love for God in a living action." 

Christ says that when we die we are going to be judged on this point.

This reading just reminded me of the Deaf children here and how they are just pushed aside.

Now here are a bunch of pictures from last week.

                                                   Bath time!

Teachers prayer time.

The kitchen.

Porridge, every morning for breakfast. 

Picking black jacks out of their pants.

Bought more beans!

Semuto

Left: Sara. Middle: Vickie. 

                       Great meal provided by the wonderful Sara!

Black jacks that attacked us all and made our legs itchy and spotted red.

 
I love this picture. I took it while at Cafe Prunes with Sara. 

SUNDAY!

Guess who stayed up to late last night again? Yeah, so this morning I woke up late and had to rush to get ready for Church. 

Church was good though, as usual. I love Jesus so much. The singing is always so beautiful during Mass. There was a lady who caught my attention, she was so beautiful and seemed so present. She was very old and moved very slowly. During the profession of Faith everyone raises their right hand, something I'm not familiar with, and you could tell it was hard for her. Slowly her hand was dropping, she would look at it and pick it up, and slowly it would drop again. She walked so slowly and patiently to receive communion and slowly came back to her seat. I don't know why she was so interesting but she was, her slowness caught my attention. Maybe I feel eager and fast paced sometimes and seeing her calmness made me feel calm.  

After Church I did the usual walk home. I felt irritated. It was very hot, I was sweating all during Mass and the walk, my shoulders were hurting so badly and I was tired. I'm so human! I was staring at the ground and walking just wanting to be home already. Then I think I got a little nudge from my guardian angel and I just looked up. There was a tree branch hanging over my head with the sun shining through the lush green leaves and a big colorful butterfly flew right in front. It was so beautiful. I smiled and laughed at myself for indulging in such human and pointless thoughts. I wish I had a picture. God is so good, His beauty is all around, even in the smallest things, you just have to look! 

When I got home I took a cold shower, ate mandazi and yogurt, and got ready to go play soccer. Kiwa took me to the bank, back home to drop off stuff, and then to Kampala! 

Dennis is one of the teachers at BDI, he is deaf, and is on a soccer team with other deaf people. Since being here I have only ran one time and I feel so weird not moving my body. In America I ran pretty much everyday. A few weeks before I came to Uganda a finished a half-marathon, so yeah, I hate not running. So, I knew Dennis played soccer and I told him that I want to learn he invited my to come play today. 

It was fun! Before their game started I just played around with him and his teammates. I think I did okay for my first day! I mostly enjoyed just moving my legs around haha! I also loved watching and being around all of the Deaf people. 

Their was another team out on the field close to us that Dennis was talking to....they saw me and started walking towards me and this is the conversation...

Man: "Something in Luganda, Mzungu, More Luganda" to his friend.

Me: "Mzungu, what!?!"

Man: "Mzungu, where is you camera?"

Me: "Why do you think I have a camera?"

Man: (laughing) "Mzungu, where is your camera?"

Me: "Because I am a Mzungu you think I have a camera?"

Man: Just laughs and nods his head. 

Hahah I went and got my camera. 

I don't know what it was about today but I encountered many people that had never seen and had no idea what my freckles were. The first were some of the deaf soccer players. They just stared and asked me allllllllllll about them. I told them that they were Angel kisses. The last question was if I "felt okay about them". Yes, thank you, I love them. TIA.

After soccer I went to the store and the lady that checks you bag before you go into the store had lots and lots of questions about them. She thought I got them from being in African....I told her no I got them in America. To her surprise she said "oh, you have a sun like Africa does"? Haha yes, and I told her that currently it is hotter where I live in America than it is here. She was so confused. And then after her was another lady while I was leaving. It was crazy. 

Kiwa took me home and I ate dinner with Vickie and Sara. We had some good laughs, looked a pictures and watched videos from today and yesterday. Sara and I talked a lot about education, schooling, why so many kids are increasingly doing drugs, and government stuff. The differences in Denmark and America are very interesting. I learned that Denmark really does (I think) have a better education system set up. Also, if God wants me to go to college I am moving to Denmark and doing it there. :) 

It is now 1:36 am. Goodnight and God bless. 

Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 

This Mzungu found her camera.

Dennis  

Blurry, but this is traffic. 

Dinner is served! 

Saturday.

Today we ate waffles and eggs for breakfast. We decided every Saturday will be waffle day and we only eat breakfast and dinner!

I took a nap in the afternoon because I stayed up all night blogging and skyping with my family and I was very tired.

At four in the afternoon we went to the school. Saturdays are really relaxed. Sara brought suckers and balloons for the kids and they loved them!

Then we walked up to Lugoba Hill with all of the kids. It was absolutely beautiful! You could see everything! The sunset was amazing. I am so happy we got to go up there and I know the kids were too. They had so much space to run around, play soccer, or do whatever. The whole time up there you could just see more of God's goodness. I love his creations. I love the giant sky and the rolling city hills. I love the laughter and joy coming out of each child.

As the sun was setting we were walking back to the school. Not long after it was dark but the kids were still so active. Playing soccer and being eve more crazy I think then on the hill. For the younger ones they had to bathe right away. Every morning and every night each child bathes. The older kids take turns washing the younger ones.

Kiwa drove me home around eight. Kawempe seems to become a different place at night time...people are everywhere and there's so much noise. I guess its probably the same craziness as day time but it seems to be very different. I just looked up at the starts and talked to God for the 15 minute drive home.

For dinner we ate chapati and eggs, aka rolex, and popcorn.

I'm so tired physically and mentally. I have so much going on in my head I don't know what to do with it. I've started to really miss my family and that just makes things a little bit harder.

I just rely on God to comfort me and push me forward.

I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go...I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you. Genesis 28:15

She is so beautiful!