After the last tear falls... there is love.

Well, to all of you that actually read this and look forward to it, I apologize for not posting for so long! I have been very busy lately and still am, but am taking some time at my local American restaurant with free wireless Internet and chocolate fudge cake to update you!

Last week was camp for our street boys! I posted about it before I left and shared some photos on Facebook. There is a team from the giant Providence church of North Carolina (is that where Rev. Graham is from? or did I misunderstand what someone told me?) Anyway, they come every year (for 3 years now) to fund and run our camp for the street boys. They pay for food, crafts, blankets, shoes, etc. for all of the boys. We had over 120 in attendance! The team runs all the programs for camp during the day and we handle the boys after about 4pm until bed.

This is not Camp War Eagle...

Now, I have experience in summer camp. I worked at the wonderful Camp War Eagle in NW Arkansas for 4 summers... So... what is summer camp like with over 100 boys that live on the streets? Goodness...After only a few short hours on the first day, my teacher desire to have behavior management and structure was thrown out the window! haha... If boys didn't want to listen to the speakers, I couldn't make them. If boys didn't want to go into the main room for the Bible lesson, I couldn't make them. If boys didn't want to join the rest of the group during morning exercises, I couldn't make them. Gosh that was hard! and frustrating! (rest assured that the uncles definitely demand more respect and obedience, but this mzungu auntie couldn't get much) .

Now, the boys from our street program in Kivulu would respect me and obey most of the time, but we also had some boys from another slum in Kampala that is considered the "rough" slum. These boys were absolutely horrible at times, no joke. The second day a boy had to be taken to the hospital because he had been stoned. Yes, stoned. A large rock (bigger than a cereal bowl) thrown to the back of his head to crack it open. Yup. Angry at the other street boy that stole your chair? Run around yelling and screaming at him out of anger.. and once you catch up to him, just punch him in the face as hard as you can. Or go find a big rock and beat his head with it. Or you can even just bite them in the ribs as hard as you can if you want. Yes, each of these things happened. I have no idea how many fights I had to stop or prevent. As in using all of my strength to grab the boy and hold his arms or legs still until he stopped fighting to get free from me. They kick, scream, push, shove, whatever they can do to get free to attack the boy that maybe looked at them the wrong way, simply sat in their chair, accidentally spilled something of theirs. It was crazy.

Then the pains seeps out...

You know what though? You know what happened almost every time a boy finally stopped trying to get free?.. tears. Yes.. their big brown eyes would fill with tears. They would begin crying about how they were hurt. They would explain what happened over and over and simply cry. A young boy. His feelings hurt by the actions of another. Yes, he was angry and wanted to fight initially, but deep down I could see he was truly hurting inside. I would just hold him and hold him, try to wipe his tears if he let me, and then go on a walk to continue to cool off. I don't know how many fights I saw, but I promise, probably 95% of the time it ended in tears. These boys are hurting so much. They want to be strong and be able to take care of themselves, but they simply cannot. And they shouldn't have to! They shouldn't have to worry about all of those things. I think they just get so overwhelmed by wanting to be strong, but knowing they ultimately cannot take care of themselves.

Lord, love through me...

Please pray for my boys. They can be so very precious and sweet, they can show extreme anger and rage, but deep down inside they are simply young boys that need love and care. They need the love our Father alone can give them. I pray that His love will overflow out of me and onto them. I learned at Camp War Eagle that I have no love to give these boys. There is nothing within me that is good. But if I allow the Lord to fill me with His love, then HE can love these boys THROUGH me... Please pray for them. Pray that I remain so intimately connected to the Father's love that I can show them that love that will be the ultimate healing for their lives. And pray that they accept it.

I will end with a song by Andrew Peterson that is absolutely beautiful, then post some photos of the boys.. Hope you enjoy, but most of all I pray I can stir your heart to pray for these boys.

After the last tear falls
After the last secret's told
After the last bullet tears through flesh and bone
After the last child starves
And the last girl walks the boulevard
After the last year that's just too hard

There is love
Love, love, love
There is love
Love, love, love
There is love

After the last disgrace
After the last lie to save some face
After the last brutal jab from a poison tongue
After the last dirty politician
After the last meal down at the mission
After the last lonely night in prison

There is love
Love, love, love
There is love
Love, love, love
There is love

And in the end, the end is
Oceans and oceans
Of love and love again
We'll see how the tears that have fallen
Were caught in the palms
Of the Giver of love and the Lover of all
And we'll look back on these tears as old tales

'Cause after the last plan fails
After the last siren wails
After the last young husband sails off to join the war
After the last "this marriage is over"
After the last young girl's innocence is stolen
After the last years of silence that won't let a heart open

There is love
Love, love, love
There is love

And in the end, the end is
Oceans and oceans
Of love and love again
We'll see how the tears that have fallen
Were caught in the palms
Of the Giver of love and the Lover of all
And we'll look back on these tears as old tales

'Cause after the last tear falls
There is love

Some boys having a blast carrying an uncle into the water!

Vincent, Denis (my new little brother), and a 3rd boy helping with food.
These are incredible leaders among the street boys. Helping to break up
fights and control the craziness.

Trevor is leading the way to carrying another uncle to the water!

Sweet, sweet smiles!

Enoch, on the right, has been in our home
2 times and has twice ran away. He is a tiny
kid but a fighter like none other. Goodness,
my heart aches for him.