Brothers & Sisters

GSF has just hosted a reunion for it’s older ‘brothers and sisters’. This is a weekend where those who have left and graduated from the orphanage gather together to meet up with old friends, see younger ‘brothers and sisters’ that are still living here and to swap stories of what they are up to now they are grown up! They get to meet their old house mum’s, aunties and those adults they have grown up with. It is a weekend of fun, celebration and thankfulness.

Last Saturday night after the big brothers and sisters had arrived throughout the afternoon we all gathered around the bonfire. We were led in worship and a time to share testimonies of what we are thankful to God for. The microphone was passed around and I heard story after story of struggle and success, sadness and great joy, of uncertainty for the future and God’s abundant faithfulness. It was a special evening and one that I felt exclusive to be a part of.

We had an amazing service on the Sunday morning with worship led by the brothers and sisters and it was a joy being with them and worshipping together. Part way through the service they sang a song with the line, “God you have been faithful to me”. I was excited listening to these words and watching these remarkable young adults who have become incredible people each accomplishing huge personal goals; striving after success at university, maintaining good jobs, having their own families….I looked around the church at the young lives that God has entrusted into our hands today and was overwhelmed at the responsibility we have in raising and moulding them into wholesome, successful and Goodly young people.  What a privilege I have to add to their lives in the year I am here. I was thinking of all the love I can give them, the many hugs and kind words I will be able to share telling them how special and wanted they are here. I pray over each one as I see them in the clinic, when I am applying a plaster or giving malaria medication and I ask God daily to make me his hands and feet as physical and emotional wounds are healed within this safe place. How exciting that we have another generation of incredible people here now that I am seeing develop and grow each day and if our big ‘brothers and sisters’ are anything to go buy these kids are going to turn out to be amazing!

I must remember to give out double hugs today to all of the beautiful children today!

All the brothers and sisters with their babies

James 1 v 27 "Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you."