Breakfast of Champions.......for CHRIST!
Our Family, which included Silver (14), Jesse (10), Davis (9) and Uncle Nicholas. (not pictured: Dad)
Schultz Family, which included Peter (11), David (11) and Uncle Mike. (not pictured: Steve, aka Dad)
The whole Watoto group (at least the ones that stayed with us)
Davis did this with our Fridge Phonics - I just found it.
Last night our church had a concert. It was the Watoto Children's Choir. The Watoto Village was started to give homes to children orphaned by HIV/AIDS. We were so blessed to have 3 boys and their "uncle" stay with us last night. The concert was amazing! The kids were so sweet! I hated to see them leave, but I am getting ahead of myself. When I had originally went to sign up to offer our house as a host house, there were no more availabilities. I was bummed. However, on the Tuesday before the concert I received a call that someone had come down with the flu and they needed a back-up. We were ready! I was talking with my friend, Julie (who lives very close to me), and since she was hosting also, I asked if I could borrow one of her kids to watch mine while I took our friends back to the church this morning. Through the course of that conversation, we decided that it would be WAY MORE FUN to all get together and have a huge breakfast. So that is what we did. But again, I am getting ahead of myself again. Last night, after the concert, we all came home, had a snack and started talking. I asked the boys (Silver - 14, Jesse - 10 and Davis - 9) if they wanted to tell me their stories. Silver eagerly told his story of how his parents died and he had to live with his grandparents until they were no longer able to pay his school fees, then a social worker from Watoto came and he went there and he is so happy now! Love it. Jesse could not remember his story. Uncle Nicholas said that was because Jesse had been institutionalized since he was a baby. Sweet boy. Davis' story was the least sad. His mom (his real mom) is a house mother in the Watoto Village. When a woman takes that position she can bring her own biological children (up to 2 of them) with her. So his mother is a house mother and he has many new brothers and sisters. Each house has a mother and 8 children. Such a neat way to take children who have no family and give them one. After the boys told their stories, Jacob asked if they wanted to play a game. I was nervous about what he may suggest, so I asked him on the side what he was thinking about. He told me Twister - I was so proud of him. When he mentioned Twister to the boys they cheered "yes" they wanted to play that. They had a great time playing. After the game they all played in the playroom together. It was neat to watch the boys explore all the new toys - toys they had never seen before. They were so curious. Then it was bedtime. We all gathered in my boys' room (where they were staying), stood in a circle, held hands and Jesse said a beautiful prayer. Afterward, I told them I had a song that I usually sing to my kids as I put them to bed. I asked if I could sing to them. They were so excited for it.....Jacob was totally embarrassed. Who cares? I loved loving on these precious boys. So I sang with all my heart "Aunt Michelle loves you...." Then we went to bed. This morning we had our big breakfast. The boys got up and a couple of them had to take a test first. By about 8:45am the Schultzs arrived and we all sat down to breakfast. Julie made a egg and ham casserole and cinnamon rolls. I made a sausage and egg casserole and a french toast bake (which I burned), fruit salad, juice, milk and coffee. Then all the kids (all 14 of them) played together. Well, they were sort of separated - boys and girls - but that was ok. While they played Julie and I packed lunches. Well, I packed mine the night before and got up this morning and made the sandwiches. Then Julie went and asked her guys what kind of sandwich they wanted.....I didn't do that, I just made them. Well, then I had to ask my guys. They all wanted something other than what I made. 3 peanut butter and honeys and one butter and jelly - yes, regular butter. Oh well, I will give them what they want. Then it came time to take them back. Sadness was ensuing. Our trip to the church was filled with all of us singing praises to the Lord. That was a great way to end it. At the church, Grant ran up to Uncle Nicholas and gave him a huge hug - like the kind where Uncle Nicholas picked him up and held him for quite some time. It was more than precious.
This was an incredible experience for my family. I have, honestly, not de-briefed with my kiddos yet. But I did here Jacob exclaim twice this morning "That was awesome! Can we do it again?" I think that about says it all.
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