Our talented team of 11 has done such an incredible job
meeting the needs of the over 1,100 children that are present at Good Samaritan
Home. We spent much of our morning teaching in the nursery classes, and I was a
tad bit overwhelmed when I walked in alone to teach 56 three year olds. My son
Abel has just turned three, and I adore him more than life itself, but I cannot
think back to a time when I thought, it sure would be fun to have 55 more of
him around to play with and teach. With the help of God we all put on our
teacher hats today, and stepped out of our comfort zones to share songs, crafts
and games with the children. I continue to stand in awe of the gratitude of
these children, and the respect in which they show us as we try our best to
love and serve them.
In the afternoon hours we were able to break into four separate
groups to work with the children in Primary 3 and 4. My good friend Shannon and I had the honor of
playing games with the kids during a time of recreation. I cannot express how
wonderful it is to hear these children laugh with such joy and abandon. We
certainly don’t know the back story of every child, but because of their presence
at the home it is safe to say that they have lived through some difficult
times. As we played with the parachutes with the children today, the laughter
and joy was no doubt a symphony in the heavens.
The one thing that touched me the most today was a simple
interaction that I had with Josephine, the National Director of Sweet Sleep in
Uganda, on the drive to the orphanage in the morning. I had given her an
updated photo of my family, my beautiful wife and two special boys, and she
shared with me how much she truly loved them and prayed for them. I am
consistently overwhelmed by Josephine’s love of the children in Uganda, and also
the volunteers that come to serve, and their families back home. Josephine, and
her husband Jonathan, have become dear friends to me during these past three
years, and I am so proud of the work that they are accomplishing here in their
home country.
It is an honor to serve in the name of God, and an honor to
serve in the name of Sweet Sleep. We have the privilege of being an answer to
the prayers of these children, and none of us serving on this team are taking
that lightly. Thank you to everyone in the States that are bathing us in their prayers,
and have encouraged us and helped us along this journey. We are forever blessed
and forever changed!!!
Michael Warneke <> Evansville, IN
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