Show Mercy Teams

We just returned from an entire month in Uganda. The month of June went by very fast for us. We had over 50 people join up with us in Uganda. The first team was from Santiam Christian High School and the second team was made up of 27 differentpeople from all over the USA! With our two different teams serving for 2 week periods, we accomplished so many different missions! We have posted a few blogs on our website of the many experiences we had while we were in Uganda, but there are so many stories that we haven’t been able to share. Over the next months, we will try to recap some of those special moments!

THANK YOU
We also want to say a big THANK YOU to everyone that has been so generous with your resources and time! Even though you may not have been walking the dirt roads in Uganda with us, you were definitely there! When we gathered 50 of the poorestchildren together to eat a wonderful meal, you were there as we handed out the bowls. For some of those children, this was their first time to eat meat. You served them a FEAST! As they sat with their little bellies full, they had huge smiles on their faces. They knew at that moment someone that lives on the other side of the world cared enough to give them above and beyond their needs. Some of the children began to fall asleep right on their bench as they finished up their meal. It was a precious sight to see! Your donation made a declaration and you helped us to Say No To Hunger!

Uganda Children’s Cancer Hospital
When we walked into the children’s cancer hospital in Uganda and began handing out the toys and gift bags that you had donated, hopelessness disappeared from their faces for just a moment. Together, we brought hope to some of the children battling for their lives. Because of your help, we were able to touch little Simon’s hand and tell him that someone cares. I will never forget the look on his face. He was a little shriveled up boy fighting for his life. I am not sure what type of cancer he was fighting, but he was fighting. He was in so much pain and he was asking his mom to push on his little frail back to help ease the pain. We had given him a bracelet (donated by Rob and Rachel Byers in memory of their daughter Jenessa Boey Byers) along with some little toys. As he lay there in pain, I noticed that he repositioned his new bracelet. (The bracelets said, “Believe for Boey” and “Find a Cure for Pediactric Cancer”)He wanted to look at it as he lay there fighting for his life. Another mother raised her hands in the air and began praising God for sending her a glimmer of Hope and reminding her that she isn’t alone. (We will be posting more information about our heart to partner with the Byer’s Family and help the children in Uganda who are currently fighting cancer)

Together We Accomplished So Much
There are so many other stories to share! Together we accomplished so much in Uganda. Together, we helped bring hope when there wasn’t anything but despair. Together, we provided a fence of safety for all of our Hope kids. Together, we brought tears to Grandma’s face as we gave her food, clothes and a new bed. Together, we did so much! Thank you for being a part of answering the cries of injustice. You made a huge impact in Uganda this summer!

Get Involved Today
Get involved today by clicking here (sponsor a child, say no to hunger, pray for SMI, volunteer at our new office). We are going to have an open house at our new office soon! Watch your email box for the date!

Lori Salley
Show Mercy International
www.showmercy.org

On our arrival at Hope Children’s Home in Uganda, our team exited our minibus and began a wonderful selection process among children and team members. The eyes of the children met our eyes, their hands reached for our hands and each child hoped to find a new friend to call their own. It was an amazing, heart-wrenching time. By the time we entered the Show Mercy site, most of the children had connected themselves to one of us, while some shy ones stood at a distance watching and hoping. The children were simply holding onto us with a hunger in their hearts and a hope that they would find the love and personal attention they desired. They needed us and we had come to love them, if just for two weeks, it was a match made in heaven. Each time our minibus would come and go, our special children would find us in the crowd and hang close to us. I knew early on that the separation from these new friends was not going to be easy for any of us.

Toward the end of our visit, Nancy, a grief counselor and one of our team members, encouraged us that is was OK to cry and let the children see us. She assured us it would not be good for any of us to bottle up our emotions, but to express them to the children and let them express theirs to us. And that we did! On our final day, I had a moment with three of the children: Stephen, Patricia and Claire. We piled our hands on top of one another and I took the above picture. I told the children it was a picture that showed we were not only joined in our hands, but that we would forever be joined in our hearts. We all cried and I shared with them in my mother’s voice: “If we hadn’t gotten close in our hearts, we wouldn’t have these tears. So our tears are good because they mean we love one another. Do you get it?” And the children softly and sadly responded, “Yes.” On our final walk to the minibus prior to leaving, the children held my hands and helped carry my belongings. I was relieved when Lori told me we would make a fairly quick exit because as I told her I didn’t know how much more my heart could bear. One part of me wanted the final minutes to last and the other part of me could hardly bear the coming separation. Parting is such sweet sorrow.

www.showmercy.org

The Children of hope….

When I look into the eyes of the children who live and go to school at Hope Children’s Home I don’t see poverty, I don’t see masses of orphaned children, I don’t see a problem that I can’t begin to understand or help with. What I do see are people I have fallen in love with, I see individual children much like my own, and I see opportunity. I see opportunity to make a real difference in someone’s life; and an opportunity to change my own life in the process. These children are bright, enthusiastic and loving. They have hopes, dreams and aspirations. Each child just needs one person who cares enough to open a door of opportunity up for them.

A few of the boys came and sat down next to me the other day and told me they were going to give me a language lesson. Their native language is Luganda. They patiently worked with me to learn words that will bridge a gap between our two cultures. They were eager to invite me to walk into their world. As we spent more time together, I found that they were truly special kids and so I asked them about their dreams. Without hesitating, Silage told me “I want to be a Pilot.” I looked at him and envisioned that for him. I think he would make a very good pilot. Ronald on the other hand chimed in “I’m going to be a Business.” He said it with all the confidence that a business man would need to have. Then lastly Moses gently said “I want to be a Pastor” and I thought I would surly want to attend his church.

These children have hope. They have hope because people like you have been willing to set aside a portion of the plenty they have and reach their hands across the continents, in love, to help someone who has no one. Many of the people on our team sponsor children at Hope Children’s Home and have had the joy of getting to know them while in Uganda. I know without a doubt they would all tell you that they are far richer for having been given the opportunity to help these little ones to have a home, eat, go to school and realize their dreams. We invite you to consider this same opportunity. My husband Randy and I have found that Show Mercy is not just a place we have chosen to give money to, it is an opportunity we have taken that is changing our lives and giving us joy we never knew before. Sponsoring a child is very easy and yet it means so much to everyone involved. 

Show Mercy has many children’s pictures on the website and will be posting many more soon.  Click here to help a child today.

Alisa Varga
Show Mercy Volunteer

We only have 3 days left with our team and still so many great things on the schedule. I wanted to share with you a few of the different ways our team has been reaching out in LOVE!

Mending a Pocket…Mending a Heart
Some of the team has been working to sew up all the rips and holes in the children’s clothes.  As I watched the team sew, I could see the look in the children’s faces. They weren’t sure about what was happening…probably because no one has taken the time to mend something that is torn.  As each child sat as the mending took place, I could see a look of peace and joy come on their face.  They not only looked better on the outside (with mended clothes), but I know something happened on the inside of the little ones as well.     

Teaching the Next Leaders of Uganda
Another part of our team has poured many hours of sharing and teaching in the classrooms. The children have all loved every minute! Many of our team has commented on how smart and special these children are! It is really amazing what our Alpha Omega teachers have been able to do with a very tight budget. We need help to build classrooms as well as purchase text books for the school. Click here if you can help with this project.

Living Water for Kaliti
We are currently in the process of drilling a fresh water well in Kaliti Village (Field of Dreams). The village leaders are very excited for the people. All of those that we are meeting that live by the Field of Dreams are so appreciative for all of the ways we have been reaching out to them. Last year we were able to hand out mosquito nets. This year, the previous team went door to door handing out donated flashlights/radios. This team has been able to hand out blankets to the widows and now they are going to all have living water to drink. We are very excited about this project! Mike is meeting with a builder today and we should have plans for our new missions base as well as the first children’s cottages very soon!

Tea Party at Hope
Today,  we will have a “tea” party for all of the girls that live at Hope. We will also give each one a brand new dress. Over 70 dresses  were collected especially for the girls at Hope. Thank you to all who gave the dresses and thank you Linda for the wonderful idea. (here is a picture of all the dresses…they are hanging on Linda’s front porch)

Say No To Hunger
We are going to be feeding 50 hungry children on Saturday evening. The menu will be meat stew and rice. This will be the first time these children will have probably ever had meat in their life. Our older children from Hope will also have an opportunity to share a Bible story with these children. If you would like to help feed these children, please click here.

Sorry it has been so long since we have posted an update.  We have been so busy! 

Our Show Mercy team of 29 is AWESOME!  Each person has so much love in their hearts and they are an answer to prayer.  They have been showing LOVE to so many people.

Yesterday (Wednesday), we had a wonderful day out in Kaliti Village (where we are building The Field of Dreams).  Here is Linda Dodson’s description of the day:

We pulled into Kaliti in front of a building with a big wide porch and pretty front lawn filled with luscious trees and shrubs and even several kinds of pretty flowers—a welcome sight in this land with no garbage service and unpleasant signs of poverty. There was a festive feeling in the atmosphere—this was obviously a special occasion for the village people. Gathered on the front porch were several village officials and a woman pastor. The most colorfully dressed Ugandan widows were spreading lovely cloths on the ground and sitting together in small groups. They had anticipated our arrival and were absolutely, stunningly beautiful! The team walked among them, shaking their hands, sharing names and trying out short Ugandan greetings. It felt like a family reunion and we were blessed to be God’s representatives with about 65 lovely new blankets–gifts from Show Mercy.

We were given a warm greeting read by a Kaliti leader. Then Mike gave a short greeting, with the help of his interpreter Simon, our bus driver, and assured the people of this village that our intention in coming was to love and bless them. He also thanked them for welcoming us  and then introduced themselves with their new Ugandan names: Mike is “Mukessa” (blessing) and Lori is ”Kiskye” (God’s grace). One by one, each of the widows’ names were read. The ladies were greeted by Mike and Lori and then we shared our words and hugs and gave them their new blanket. We were told some of them didn’t even have a blanket! It was so fun to see how the randomly held blanket perfectly matched the colors in a widow’s dress! God is in the details.

Mike happily commented to me later that there was such a new peace in the atmosphere. The favor of God is a wonderful blessing!   In the midst of an oh-so-sweet ceremonial gifting, three white doves flew just above our heads three times! One white dove lit on a nearby rooftop, sitting next to a white and black dove. We didn’t question that God was in our midst, but the confirmation brought a rush to our hearts! 

 Linda’s description is so perfect!  It was so touching to be able to give a token of love to these ladies.  When they go to bed at night, they will remember that they are loved and not forgotten!

Thank you for helping us to share hope with the widows in Kaliti! 

Reaching out in LOVE…one widow at a time.

Lori Salley
www.showmercy.org