All About Love
Written by Shamsa Joy, Child Advocate Project Orphans
As Project Orphans, we believe that no child is ever lost, that every person is valuable, and all people are worthy of love. With this vision, we want everyone in our community to be touched by God’s love, but we prioritize the children that are under our care and one of the values we teach them most is to love one another the way God has loved us. We understand quite well how much God loves His people and therefore we use His love as the standard!
In the new year, during our devotions and our times with the Project Orphan’s kids we have been talking of was to show Godly love. Also, when I and the other Child Advocates do home visits, we are able to teach how genuine love affects people around us! Our goal is to show each child that relationships are not just made by blood. Loving hearts can change lives. We’ve used the example of our loving sponsors and supporters who are not biologically related and yet take their sponsor child as their very own.
You see, your sponsorship and donation is a gift of love, and has changed our children’s lives in so many ways! We believe that it is their responsibility to pass that same love to not only their family, friends, or those they care about – but to everyone who needs genuine love. This is so important because our kids will grow to become great men and women, which Uganda needs, and will make a difference in our nation.
As a child advocate, I always want to see a strong bond of love among our kids and when I am at school, sometimes we organize a room, put chairs around a table, and we all just listen to one another. We talk about what we love, make funny jokes, take photos together, and ask everyone to share about their week.
I’ve seen a bond among our children, and it is a deep love for one another. It is one reason why I love my job so much!
One of our girls named Blessing used to be so reserved and very unsocial – especially when she first came into our program. We never gave up on Blessing and the other Project Orphans kids continued to create bonding moments which gave her opportunities to open up. The testimony is that Blessing is way better and more open to talk and share her heart, ask for help, and express emotions. It’s because she now believes and trusts she has a family who cares!
In Uganda, finding people that genuinely love has always been a challenge. Why? It’s because there is so much pain in our country. People have hurt inside, and their emotions have been eaten up by their pain. Like the disunity among families, despicable poverty, polygamous marriages, victims of sexual assault and molestation, wars, and theft among others… these things have brought nothing but pain to everyone because everyone is affected. People’s hearts are like ice. That is why most parents are not able to show their kids affection and it has carried on from one generation to another. The results are selfishness and the devaluing of other people. Honestly, our country is filled with emotional instabilities.
However, Project Orphans is here to make a difference in Uganda by touching those around us with the love they need to encounter. Everything that Project Orphans does makes a difference and causes a long-lasting impact in someone’s life. We thank God for everyone that supports Project Orphans in one way or another because what we are able to do would not have been possible without support.
Thank you for loving us! We greatly appreciate and you should know it it’s the big deal.