I was living with my good friend Jen Gash and she had recently come back from a trip to Kampala, Uganda. She was traveling with a professional photographer during that trip and Hannah had snapped this great photo of what we thought were two little girls, holding both hands and looking at the camera. The photo hung in Jen's bathroom, one weekend my sister Katie was visiting and she made up names for the two girls, Bernie and Tasha. We created a whole story about Bernie and Tasha's lives.
Six months later I'm traveling in Uganda with Jen, we had spent most of our time in the North, but one of the few days we were in Kampala, we went to A Greater Life, to see how the beds and nets Sweet Sleep had provided were holding up. If you've never been to a third world orphanage, let me just tell you the kids are going to be REALLY excited to see you. They don't care who you are, you're someone different, you're going to give them lots of hugs and hand holding and maybe even a present. It's typically a mob scene, if you have a camera and you start shooting and show them the photos at minimum you will have 30 children clammering to see themselves. At some point during the mob scene Jen says to me "oh hey this is where Bernie and Tasha live". I started scanning the faces of all the kids and sure enough I spot Bernie...except Bernie is a BOY! Bernie was very shy but I had a chance to hold him and play with him, but it's very hard to spend time with just one child. Here are some photos of the first day of meeting Bernie:
NOTE: I'm not sure if it's my iPad or the app, but the photos are not posting in the order they are meant to be posted. I think you will be able to tell the photos from 2 years ago to the photos of the past few days.
Later on that day I asked Josephine, Sweet Sleep's in country director, to find out what his real name was and his story. I then learned his real name was Mahadi and he lived at A Greater Life with his Ja-Ja (grandma) along with a couple of siblings. Ja-Ja cooks at the school, she does not receive a salary, she does however receive a roof over her head and food. Mahadi's mother is still alive, though I still haven't gotten a straight story on her. I have a few suspicions but nothing is confirmed.
Over the past two years, I have sent money with Jen when she goes over on a trip to pay for Mahadi's school fees, medical needs and clothing or shoes. He's been dewormed, treated for Malaria and a minor burn. Before you start singing my praises, the amount of money I have sent is nominal. In the past two years I've maybe sent over a total of $300 maybe 400 at the very most.
September 2011
When the opportunity to work a program in Tanzania came up this September, I knew I needed to include a trip to Uganda. I wanted to see for myself how Mahadi was doing, what else I could provide and in the back of my mind maybe even spend a day or two with him. I arrived to Kampala on Wednesday and was greeted at the airport by my dear friends Josephine and Jack. We decided we would go to A Greater Life on Thursday.
We pull up to the gate of A Greater Life, waiting for someone to come with the key to open the gate. Once we were in, immediately, it became a mob scene of 30-50 children running to the gate to say hello. Immediately, I see Mahadi who has a HUGE grin on his face as he sees Jack driving the car. Jack always drives Jen to A Greater Life and I know Jack is sure to spend extra time with Mahadi when he is there, since he knows Mahadi is so special to me.
It was chaos 15 little hands trying to hold my hands or any part of my body, I could see Mahadi in the mix of all the kids, but it was difficult to single him out. Emmy, one of the teachers hollered at all of them to run back to class, meanwhile Mahadi's Ja-Ja was running up to greet us. She was profusely thanking me for providing for Mahadi.
We watched Mahadi's top class (pre-k in the states) sing a few songs. I then asked Josephine if she thought it would be possible if I spent some time with Mahadi and his Ja-Ja away from all of the other kids. Mahadi, his Ja-Ja and I along with a teacher who could translate for me, went to sit on the steps outside of the one room Ja-Ja, Mahadi and 5 other kids sleep in. The whole time Mahadi is sitting on my lap, smiling, laughing, eating some popped corn, Ja-Ja offered me some sugar cane, so I shared that with Mahadi and a couple of other kids who were checking out the scene. I learned Mahadi had been healthy lately, that he shared a bed with his Ja-Ja and some of the money I had recently sent paid for shoes and his school uniforms.
Jack had stayed with the car and about 20 kids were climbing in and out and all around the vehicle. I was busy chatting with some other kids, when Jack said "April, Mahadi is telling everyone he is going with Mama April today" I said "really? Do you think I could take him for a night?" I asked Josephine and God Bless Josephine (knowing full well what a swinging Bachelorette I am) said "April I don't think you could handle it, what if he cries or he misbehaves" I said "Josephine I'm the oldest of 4 and I used to be a nanny, I think I can handle it". She said "Are you sure?" And I said yes, but maybe you and Jack should stay the night with me just in case...ha! We asked the head mistress and Ja-Ja if it was ok for Mahadi to come stay with me for the night and they both said yes.
Thus began the 24 hour adventure of Mama April and Mahadi.......
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