Many of you know that one of the things I wanted to achieve in this journey was to find an orphan to sponsor. My first impression of sponsoring was to financially help a child with their day to day expenses. I wanted to personalize it a little more by getting to know the child and having pictures, both literal and in my mind, to relate to when I thought of and prayed for the child.
Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would come to consider one of the children my own, and to call him my son.
Paul, Paige, Beth, and I talked about the idea before I came and the girls requested that we sponsor a little boy because they always wanted a little brother, so this was my plan.
Three days after leaving home we arrived at the orphanage and I was overwhelmed by the almost 100 children/teens who came to greet us. They shook hands, a special handshake that I will teach you, and they welcomed us. Some children were very outgoing, and some were very shy and stood back, but they were very respectful. As we explored the buildings, gardens, and animals that make up the Sunflower Family Center we were often accompanied by children and I began to take notice of the younger boys and I would ask Fr. Pierre if certain boys had sponsors. Sometimes he said yes and sometimes no, and I began wondering with whom I would connect.
At dinner on the first night at the orphanage, but our second night with Fr. Pierre, I told him of my plans. He put down his knife and fork and told me he really wanted me to sponsor Kabwe, it means "little stone". Fr. Pierre told me he had been brought to the orphanage on Christmas Eve last year because his mother was dying of AIDS and that Kabwe was HIV positive too. My heart sank. I wanted a happily ever after and I was immediately concerned that this might not be the case. I was worried about the girls and how upsetting it would be if something happened to Kabwe. Fr. Pierre has already told me the story of how they lost a boy last year with HIV and now Kabwe was the only child in the orphanage with HIV. I didn't share my concerns because I felt ashamed that I was being selfish, so I just said nothing.
That night I prayed to God to send me a sign that would let me know what to do. Over the next couple of days, I tried to get to know this little boy but at first it was not easy. Kabwe is the youngest child and very shy. He speaks very little English but he does understand quite a but. One afternoon I was at the little store talking to Gibson and Kabwe was hanging around. I called him over and asked Gibson to ask if he wanted a sucker and lifted him up to choose one. He told Gibson he was thirsty and wanted strawberry milk and Gibson asked me if that was ok. Of course it was! He was like a child on Christmas morning, smiling from ear to eat. That was the beginning...
In conversation Fr. Pierre told me that he had to go into town on Monday to take Kabwe to the clinic for a check up and to get his antiviral medicine. Almost immediately, I asked if I could go too. Fr. Pierre realized I was trying to get to know Kabwe and he said yes this was a great idea. Later that day Fr. Pierre gave Marjorie a list of the children who do not have sponsors so we could work on getting them sponsors when we come home. I looked on the list for Kabwe's name and I saw it "Kabwe Emmanuel" - God is with us. That was my sign, or at least the first one. That night I prayed in chapel as I looked across at him and I realized it was not about me, or the girls, or Paul, it was about Kabwe. None of us know how long we will live but we all want to live happy, healthy, and fulfilled lives. If our contribution in a monthly basis could make life easier then surely that is all we need.
Monday come and we set out for town two hours off road driving through the bush. Kabwe was bathed and had on his best second hand shirt and his new shoes that he got on Sunday when we had given the children the clothes and shoes we had brought with us in the second suit case we all had checked.
As we got close to town Fr. Pierre began having trouble with the truck overheating and we limped into town and luckily the truck made it to the mechanics shop. Fr. Pierre stayed with the truck and Amos, the boys manager, Kabwe and I took a taxi to the clinic. As we pulled in I got my second sign!! The clinic was called " The Mahakna Ghandi Memorial Clinic" and in the front of the clinic was a statue of Ghandi and inscribed on the stone was his mantra "Be the change you wish to see in the world...". Those of you who know Paige know that is the mantra she tries to live by, and she has it up in her room at home. Heck, she asked for it tattooed on her ribs for her 18th birthday this month, (not happening, just so we are clear...lol). The tears just flowed and poor Amos and Kabwe were really worried and confused. I told Amos I was just overwhelmed by all the people waiting to be seen knowing they were all HIV positive too, they were all adults except for Kabwe.
We got his medicine but found out we had to come back on a Wednesday to register him at this new clinic because they only open new files on a Wednesday - bureaucracy at it's best.
So we then took the bus back to Fr. Pierre and an amazing day and a beautiful relationship began. That whole day in town and our adventures could make a chapter in a book by itself so I will save that for later. But I will close by telling you he had sausage and chips for lunch that day in a cafe with us all, he sat next to me and ate half my lunch too. He arrived back at the orphanage that night very tired, we were gone twelve hours that day. He went to bed with a new family and a big blue toy truck that he saw at the store. For a boy who speaks little English he saw it and pointed wide and said, "Jo, a car for me". See, he is just like another six year old little boy, and I love him like a son.
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