Lacking parental love

Last week as I walked through a village with Teo I asked her how her
cousins were doing since I know Annet had just lost her mother a
little less than a year ago. When Teo's two cousins are on break from
school they both come and stay with her. Her other living relatives,
an Aunt and her grandfather are up in Northern Uganda. It's quite
expensive and quite a trek to get there. Anyways, I asked her how
Annet was doing emotionally. She told me that there are some days
that Teo does certain things that remind Annet of her mother and she
thanks Teo for doing those things. And then there are other days
where she just misses the way her mother would do things. I started
to tear up in thankfulness of thinking about my own parents and how
much love they have shown me and continue to. I can not image not
having them in my life right now. My heart breaks for the parentless
children who have been orphaned in this world. I told Teo that she is
such a blessing to her two cousins. I know that while their parents
are no longer alive to love them, they are receiving a lot of love
from their older cousin who cares for them so much. They are blessed
to have Teo in their life. It made me sad to think of all the
children (over 2 million orphans) in Uganda who do not receive this
substitute parental love. There are countless stories of guardains,
whether they are Aunts or Uncles or Grandparents or just friends, that
take on the responsibility of raising an orphan who do not love them
like their own children.

We met a sponsored boy yesterday who was working during his holiday
break from school at St. Francis Clinic on a building project there.
When we found that out we immediately asked him to come and work at
COG's building site. So today Risa and I walked him to the house. We
told him how proud we are of him for showing such initiative and
getting a job over his holiday break! I asked him who he stays with
and he told me he used to stay with his cousins in a house but when he
came back from boarding school they had left the house and sold the
property and there are new people living in there!! So he is now
homeless! He now stays with a friend of his during the holidays. He
told me both of his parents passed away about 5 years ago (so sad!).