Story Continued….
As Grace was hugging me and sobbing, he then began to tell us how thankful he was for Show Mercy.  I share a little bit of his story on our newest video (click here to view that video).  He told me that other visitors would come into his village, but would not stop only just wave and look at him from inside their cars.  He said to me that we were the first ones to stop…the first ones to take action and help.  He then began to go through a long list of all the things he was thankful for.  He was thankful for a bed, blankets, and a room.  He was thankful for meals every day, clean water, and clothes.  He was thankful for medicine, an education and best of all love.  As he was sharing all of this (at that time he could not speak English, so an interpreter was sharing with me and she was sobbing too!) he then said to me,” I have seen the rich children in Uganda and I had only dreamed that I would have a better life, but now I do.  I now know what it is like to be a Kings Kid.”

This last summer, I had one day to sit with Grace and talk. This time we didn’t need an interpreter, because Grace had learned English.  He was struggling to find the words to express his heart, but he pressed on and I could understand every word.  Again, he was pouring out his love to us and you for taking the time to stop and take action.  I didn’t know that would be my last time to see his precious face.  His face will be forever in my mind.  His love and thankful heart will forever be a reminder to me of why together, we are helping these little ones with life.

Thanksgiving has just passed, but it really should be a holiday we celebrate every day.  Grace lived a life of thanksgiving.  He was so thankful for everything we did and he didn’t take a bit of it for granted!

As Christmas quickly approaches, we succumb to the busyness of shopping for the perfect gifts.  I am reminded that sometimes the material gifts that I give each year don’t really do much other than fill my children and family’s closets and rooms with more stuff.  I don’t even remember what I received 5 years ago, but I can tell you in the last 37 years who has touched and changed my life!  Those gifts are the ones that stay with us forever.  This is what I want our Christmas to be about. Isn’t that why we celebrate Jesus’ birth?  After all, he gave the best gift of all, life.

I think we all ask ourselves the question,”How can I take action and make a difference for someone else?”  I would like to present a wonderful opportunity to make a life changing difference in people’s lives.  We have many children that still need that special someone in their life.  We may not be able to change all of their circumstances, but together, we can touch their heart and let them know that they are loved and do matter.  We can come alongside them and help them to pursue their dreams and desires.  Even though Grace is no longer with us, I know he is cheering us on to reach out to as many other children as we can and show them the same love and hope that we showed him.  We made his last years blessed!  Life is delicate and such a gift.   Consider giving the gift of hope and life this Christmas.  I promise you, you’ll be glad you did!

Click here to give a child in Uganda the gift of life!

Lori Salley
Show Mercy International
www.showmercy.org

Love is a Gift
I was reminded today just how delicate and precious life really is.  I don’t know why, but sometimes, it seems we can take every day for granted.  I am prompted to respond to needs, cultivate friendships, and give my time for neighbors, but I don’t.  I say to myself that I will do it another day.  This is not what I want to do that, but there always seems to be something that is pressing at that very moment.  I put off the things that are probably the most important.  I have decided to try to take action sooner rather than later, because as I was reminded, life is delicate and such a gift!

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I received news that one of our children at Hope Children’s home has passed away.  He had been in the hospital for an injury, when it was discovered that he had leukemia.  It is too long of a story to share here and now, but he is now in heaven with Jesus.  His name is Grace and he was a very special boy to me personally!

The very first time I went to Uganda, I met Grace.  He was in a church service and I asked him to come and sit on my lap.  He stole my heart from that moment.  After we built Hope Children’s Home, he was selected to come and live in the home.  I was so excited to be able to help him!  As I got to know him over the years, I really discovered what a precious and sweet boy he really was.  Every time we would go and visit, he was right there wanting to carry my bags and help in any way that he could.  He loved sports too!  He would always share his dreams with me when I would visit.  In his dreams, he was always fishing and casting out nets.  He told me with such confidence and glistening in his eye, that one day he would be a pastor and evangelist for Jesus.

As we were leaving Hope a few years back, Grace ran up to me and gave me a huge hug.  He began to < ![endif]–>sob and share with me all that had happened in his life before and after he had come to live at Hope.

Before Hope, he was living with his grandparents.  His father had died of AIDS and because it was his culture, he went to live with his dad’s parents.  His mother was fighting for custody of the kids, but it took a long time for her to win.  In the meantime, Grace had shared that he was made to be a slave.  He would wake in the early morning hours and begin working in a field.  He was expected to dig with his bare hands all day for food.  He wouldn’t get to partake of any of the food he might have harvested that day.  Grace slept at night on the hard mud floors and his clothes were rags.  He was not allowed to go to school either.  His life was so hard.  At that time he was only 7 years old.  Because he didn’t have shoes and was living in the dirt, he got bacteria and bugs in his skin.  He told me of how infected and sore his hands and feet were all the time.  He was in so much pain.  After his mother finally got custody of him, she was so poor that his life wasn’t much better.  He would be left at home for days or weeks without his mom.  She would travel to the city to try to find work. Grace didn’t share any of the tragedies that happened while he was alone, but I know those times were not good.  Finally, we were able to bring him into Hope.

The rest of the story is coming soon.

Lori Salley
Show Mercy International
www.showmercy.org