New House, New Feet!!
Well we had to return back to Soysambu where we had left our little friends and their troubled feet. It’s the usual procedure that once we build a house, when its completed we go back and have a handing over ceremony. We were an equal mix of excited and apprehensive about what we would find there? Would the jiggers be gone, would things have improved, or would things have just slipped back to like before?
Well as we drove up we saw a sight that we will remember forever - the two youngest boys, Able and Hilary ran up to the car with huge smiles and big waving hands.
If it wasn’t for them wearing the cleanly washed t-shirts, we had given them last time, we may not have recognised them. Not because we didn’t know so well their little faces but they were standing up straight without their sticks, they used before, standing tall and their feet were flat on the ground. It seemed unreal like looking at different children’s feet almost and crazy to think that they had just crawled for so long before. They were closely followed by the grandma, who wearing her new blue scarf, was pointing down at her little black pumps delighted that she could now wear shoes.
…And they were all so happy to see us. All the pain of that week was forgiven and we set off, across the field together to see the completed new house.
Well, the house looked really good, as did the oldest son Collins and the Father, Edward soon shyly emerged dressed in Tim’s painting shirt for the occasion (it looked good on him too, sorry Tim but he was working it better than you!)
We had a ceremony that closed with members of the community giving them small gifts that ranged from clothes, soap, bowls, and food along with the blanket and new mattress that we brought to replace the old ones, which were well overdue for a change.
The time for us to leave came far too soon, but it was such a comfort to know that they were in much better way than when we had first met. The children although much skinner than we remember (very malnourished) would be starting school the following week (thanks to some kind people from York paying their fees). This means they will be getting a square meal every day, a valuable education and an equal start in joining the other kids.
So concluding this emotional and worthwhile chapter, we said goodbye to all those involved in this project with a sadness but a sense of feeling resolved. Realising that sometimes God places people into your lives for a small time to help, and then disappear. We felt that God had used us to reach out to this family, but more abundantly we felt changed. The humbleness, openness and sheer beauty of these children richly blessed us. Who knows if we may ever see those lovely children again..but the Zigugu family will certainly never be forgotten!
Well, the house looked really good, as did the oldest son Collins and the Father, Edward soon shyly emerged dressed in Tim’s painting shirt for the occasion (it looked good on him too, sorry Tim but he was working it better than you!)
We had a ceremony that closed with members of the community giving them small gifts that ranged from clothes, soap, bowls, and food along with the blanket and new mattress that we brought to replace the old ones, which were well overdue for a change.The time for us to leave came far too soon, but it was such a comfort to know that they were in much better way than when we had first met. The children although much skinner than we remember (very malnourished) would be starting school the following week (thanks to some kind people from York paying their fees). This means they will be getting a square meal every day, a valuable education and an equal start in joining the other kids.
So concluding this emotional and worthwhile chapter, we said goodbye to all those involved in this project with a sadness but a sense of feeling resolved. Realising that sometimes God places people into your lives for a small time to help, and then disappear. We felt that God had used us to reach out to this family, but more abundantly we felt changed. The humbleness, openness and sheer beauty of these children richly blessed us. Who knows if we may ever see those lovely children again..but the Zigugu family will certainly never be forgotten!
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