A Day at the Orphanage

The alarm goes
off at 4:30 a.m. It doesn’t take me long to get ready in the morning but things
here take much more time than “normal.”

The children
and the staff have “family” devotions at 5:30 but that is when our taxi arrives
to pick us up and then he zips through the city to get us to the orphanage by
6:00 a.m.

There are
approximately 50 kids to bathe, dress, feed, brush teeth and clean up after.
There are 4 of us to get all of this done by 8:00 in time for school.

My heart aches
as I splash ice cold water on each child to bathe them with my bare hands.
Most kids flinch as the icy water touches their body. Tears want to fall but I
fight them as I whisper prayers over each child. There is no time for tears. We
have less than 2 hours to make sure that everything is done. My mind is racing
as I dip my hand into the freezing water. There isn’t time to boil water to
bathe all of the children and there isn’t money for a water heater for it to be
done automatically. Even if there was money, there isn’t adequate electricity
for the water heater to work. Many of the people here have never had a warm
bath in their lives. Cold water is hard to come by and warm water is a luxury
mainly reserved for foreigners. Most people are shocked to learn that in the
States we have hot water all the time and we don’t have to “carry water” from
the tap. The orphanage is fortunate to have their own tap on their property.
Most people fill various jugs several times a day and carry water in their
hands, on their heads or using wheel barrows to carry several jugs back home.
“Showers” are taken with a bucket and using your hands. This is just the normal
way of life. This is not only in Africa, but in many countries around the
world. Bucket Showers are not bad. It is an efficient way to get clean and save
water. I feel blessed to be able to warm my water on most days.

I sing and play
games as I am bathing to try to distract from the freezing water and the cool
air outside. Mama Rachel has been at the orphanage almost since the beginning.
She is in her 60’s and her spine and legs are twisted. Her feet point outward
and her toes are curled around the opposite direction of the way they should
be. She stands at the sink beside me and strains to lift the children to bathe
them. The older and heavier ones put a bucket on the floor and climb naked up a
brick “wall” to get inside the sink. She bathes them and they climb back down
and shuffle off to another waiting person to be dried off with whatever rag or
whatever piece of clean clothing is available. 
No fluffy Egyptian cotton towels that I love. Usually I don’t even see a
towel. Whatever rag is available is used until it is so full of water that it
is no longer effective. The kids are dried, oiled (with actual cooking oil, not
lotion) and clothes are chosen from the clean pile on the floor in the
laundry/bathing room.

A few of the
younger children have the luxury of lockers to keep their clothes in.

After a quick
meal of rice with fish and veggies, or puff puff and tea, it’s off to school.
Even the kids who are not old enough to actually go to school sit in a
classroom for a few hours. Once the kids are gone, the chore of sweeping up
rice and washing all of the dishes begin. The floor in the wash room must be
mopped up of all the mud and the dishes need to be ready for the next meal.

Then the real
fun begins. Hundreds of pieces of clothes must be washed by hand and hung on a
line or a bush to dry. This doesn’t include all of the sheets from the beds of
all the kids. More than half of the kids are not potty trained and they pee the
bed each night. There are no pull ups here. Walking in every morning awakens
your sense of smell for sure. There hasn’t been a day that we actually finish
the laundry. The normal wash lady is out because of death in her family. I am
still not sure how one woman manages to get it all done on a daily basis.

By the time you
feel finished, (or you are forced to stop) the kids are back from school and
need attention. Their clothes must be changed from their uniform to their “play
clothes.” I’m dating myself I know. They have a bit of quiet time and then
their afternoon/evening chores begin.

I am usually
whisked off to meet with a class, or teacher, or administrator long before the
work is finished. My heart is torn as I know there is much work to be done and
not enough workers. Even with the little bit of help we can give, there is
always much more work to be done.

When I make it
to a classroom, I talk about missions, the U.S. and teach songs, games and
Biblical truths. There is a big difference with the kids from the orphanage and
kids in a private school setting. It’s a bit more challenging but I love the kids
all the same.

There is a 4
year old boy named Achiever who has some problems with his legs. It seems his
spine may be twisted at his hips, his knees always touch and his feet face the
wrong direction. When I return from Yaounde, we will take him to the same
surgeon who did Lydia’s surgery to see if anything can be done.

Next week, I
will begin Bible studies with girls 14 and up. We will meet 2 nights a week
from 6-8. I am thrilled and terrified. There is so much to cover and so many
needs that the staff have asked me to address in addition to what I have
already prepared. I don’t feel adequate or prepared. A few days after I
arrived, the magnitude of what God has called me to hit me like a ton of
bricks. I spent several hours in prayer seeking God for direction. This is my
future. This is my present, this is what I am here for and what I will continue
to do. I am overwhelmed and overjoyed. I love this country and these people. My
heart breaks as much as it rejoices. I don’t know all that the future holds but
I am humbled and grateful to be chosen for the task. I am much more grateful
that I don’t have to do it alone. In my weakness, He will stand up and with
your prayers and support I will go on.

I don’t take
for granted all of the sacrifices that YOU make for me to be here to carry out
this work. The prayers and finances and donations of all sorts make this
possible. I hope that you can feel the impact of your sacrifices on the people
around the world. My words are not adequate and the pictures cannot truly show
you the difference that is being made. The Lord is using all of us to make a
difference, I am just mobile right now. Thank you for your partnership. Please
keep me and the people of Cameroon in your prayers.