Many of you have been
praying for Achia, so I wanted to give you an update. We have joy and sorrow with Achia and her
family. We continue to help with food and other needs each week. This is one of the first families here that
truly has nothing. We wrestle with how
to give without fear, yet without creating a mess. Karlie, our teacher, has a heart for the
disabled and has fallen in love with Achia.
Karlie goes almost every day to visit Achia. She holds her, works with her muscles, and
interacts with the family. She always
comes home ready to bath after Achia hugs on her with all her dirt, drool, and
whatever she may have eaten when she was there.
But Achia is irresistible when she reaches out to you longing to be
held.
We are excited that
Achia has gained weight and can even crawl and walk a few steps when you hold
her hands! I will never stop being
amazed by what love and food can do. We
are thankful to see her usually bathed and the family holding her more and even
showing love by interacting at times.
We see a new hope on
the mother’s face. The family seems to
be grateful. They even gave a chicken as
a gift – a way to thank us even in their poverty! They have come to church several
Sundays. Both Dad and Mom carry all
three little ones. I am excited each
time they come knowing they are hearing from God and our church can get to know
them too. Since Karlie, our girls, or
someone from our family visits almost everyday, many of our neighbors and
church friends ask about it or have even come along. Charles and Josh shared Jesus the other day
with Achia’s Dad Opio. He said they once
believed but backslid. They encouraged
him to come back to Jesus. Pray with us
that they do – soon!
We still grieve and
wrestle with the hard stuff. Achia still
lays in the dirt, alone, too much. Her
guts don’t seem to be right and she is often very gasy and uncomfortable. The other day Karlie came home in tears
realizing the dysfunction in the family and how Achia suffers because of it. The mother was gone for days, we are told
they drink sometimes, fighting, poverty…the result is always the innocent
suffer. It is painful to see. Who will rescue and care for Achia who can do
nothing for herself? Hard, hard stuff to
deal with.
Last week we took
Pastor Charles, Achia, and Opio (her father) to the eye hospital (3 hours away)
we were recommended to take her to. Our
family had to go on to Kampala
So please continue to
pray! I want to take Achia next week to
a good doctor in town to get a good exam and tests done to know more about
Achia’s health. I want to know if there
is more we can do. Pray for Achia’s parents
to come to Christ and be freed from the bondage they are in. Pray as they know Jesus love they learn to
love Achia better. Pray for Achia to
know her Heavenly Father’s love and comfort and healing. We all love Achia, but it is hard to know
what to do, it is tiring, discouraging yet worth it. We know God is the answer. His love, His power, His plan,,,for His
glory.
