Fishermen Needed #fishing

Dedicated spirit

not afraid of water

not afraid to get hands dirty

loves taking time to fish

I forgot to mention

the fish are over-sized

but very lovable

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War Torn #Peaceonearth #poetry

 

I held a Sudanese hand

it fit so small in mine

I caught a ragged smile

I wished I had more time

We sang a song of praise

they dance with all their might

their mamas and their papas

they lost them in war’s night

fortitude and strength

the littlest they stand

hope, faith, love

we grasp another’s hand

*****

 

smiles radiate

reach our hands to the sun

Peace on Earth

 

 

One of the villages we have worked in has built homes and adopted So. Sudanese orphans. Love is being poured into hearts and the children are doing so well.   We would love to see peace in So. Sudan so that families are not displaced and children are not orphaned.

 

Poets United has a wonderful community and this midweek prompt is Peace on Earth

 

 

 

Joy’s Smile #orphans #uganda #sundaydevotion

Goodness in those eyes

kindness in his smile

 little fingers wrap in mine

 never want to let go

God is the maker

children such a gift

may actions always match

the love I feel inside

 

I am always disturbed when I hear of children who are cast-offs. Our world has grown careless with its real treasures. We would never throw away gold, but these little ones are much more precious than any gem.

I am grateful that there are those in the world who have hearts willing to pour their love into a heart and rekindle precious smiles.

“He called a little child to him, and placed the child among them.

And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

 And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me.

 “If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.'”

~Matthew 18:2-6

 

Yellow #atozchallenge #orphans #Uganda

A boy with a yellow shirt

whizzes by pushing a tire

laughter giggles

before he can stop it

children eye the toy

waiting for their turn

*

I have a year old picture

children sit on the porch

sorrow pulls them down

fathers are dead, mothers sick or in prison

the boy with the yellow shirt

whizzes by

 I thank God for healing love

Thanks to the A to Z challenge for letting me share a chronicle of a trip, the Acholi people and loved orphans,

X where the roads meet #atozchallenge #Uganda

Can I paint a picture for you where four roads meet and a story is told?

A young man closes his eyes and I hear a six-year-old huff and puff as  his feet dash  from tree to tree.

“Please soldiers don’t look up from your noon day sleep.”

He and his family run back to their hut to get some of their belongings.

“There it is the book that my teacher gave me to read.”

A dusty road forks and a long line of refugees trudge southward.

“No one wants you” people wave their hands to ward them off.

makeshift wooden buildings are put up in the south

“Stay here. No one cares.”

Some at the end of the war don’t return the journey is too painful

Others have lived on the edge of the war  zone – waiting

The dust on the road finally clears

one family then two return to a village of ashes

“I look at myself playing dangerous games as a child. I could have been shot.”

Everyone has lost loved ones.

The land welcome the Acholi home.

The young man is expecting a child soon.

He points down the road.

“There is a tree where we have prayed. We are almost there.”

I see pride rise like the sun in his face.

“This is our church. ” He points at two sprawling trees.

“God hears us rain or  shine.”

We give children water and cookies under the prayer tree.

I see a piece of the fourth road as we drive away.

It isn’t clear what it will hold.

It is filled with hopes.

Acholi tribes to prosper

Orphans healthy and safe

Rain  falls on fertile soil

I hope to be there to see the dust settle.

These amazing people the Acholi have known so much loss, terror, hardship and yet it is in their rightful ancestral land where refugees are being welcome to rebuild their lives. Uganda is the third largest country in the world to offer refuge to the war-torn people of our world.

Thanks to the A to Z challenge for allowing me to share about these people the Acholi and Uganda.

Refuge #Uganda #Acholi #South Sudan #refugees

Refuge – A Safe Place

One day where a pair of feet stand

many feet will be running

 where there a few huts there will be many

the spade of hope has pierced this ground

the seed of the future has been planted

songs will be sung, children will be safe

all because of the faith of a few men

I wish I could paint a picture of what this Acholi land will look like one day. I heard the plan and I believe many children’s lives will never be the same because a few men (who understand what is like to be refugees) prayed.

According to PRI more than 2000 South Sudanese are fleeing to Uganda daily. Uganda is one of three countries taking in a massive number of refugees.

 

A Single Orphan #atozchallenge #Africa #Uganda

There had been too many to count

blue eyes, brown skin

little hands big feet

from Ukraine to Uganda

silent cry the same

“Ma Ma”

Some left in a field

others on a bin

most left with nothing

and overly thin

a few were adopted

many stung by the cold

they started out young

too soon they were old

“no solution” they say

the world is too small

children too many

no parents at all

but what about  hearts

of you and of me

provide for these futures

giving more free

a day down the road

there will only be one

one single orphan

and him not alone

Though there is no simple solution to helping the growing population of children without parents I do know there are two responses. One is a willingness to have a little less that others can have something and the other is to open one’s heart to the misery and the heartache of this world and make a small difference. Easy? No! Possible? Yes!!!

The children we are working with are each a treasure. There are those who have fast legs, others have beautiful voices and others could draw exceptionally if someone would give them a pencil, drawing pad and some encouragement. Most important are hands filled with love and laps with plenty of room for children.

There is a large  group of orphans (refugees) that we are hoping to (help) build a center for in Northern Gulu. The opportunities range from supplying  funds for bedding, shoes and clothing to coming and giving a week or two of your time in numerous areas. Interested??

my email is vesseyglobal@gmail.com

 

Nile and Orphans #uganda #atozchallenge #Acholi

The water’s stories flow

she laps against my boat

pages of history turning

one torn proffered note

lazy sun lulled to sleep

 one hand in the nile

not very far off

 slanted eye, crocodile

a swish of his tail

for my hand it’s too late

better learn from history

spilt blood is her fate

awaken to the falls

book falls from my hand

so much life has been lived

on this river beauty, grand

*

can’t count the drops

seasons droughts and floods

orphans plentiful

Celebrating the strength and  beauty of the Acholi people and the Nile on this A to Z challenge Monday.

Dance #uganda #atozchallenge

Orphan’s voices lift to the stars

can’t keep feet from moving

notes merge harmonious

large is the circle of our song

mimicking children’s motions

I don’t want the song to end

laughter young and old

fills the skies

tired we sit on mats

our hearts still singing

as we do crafts

 Jesus is smiling

*

color butterfly

children want to dance in the sky

coffee filter art

*

The video sharing the beauty of the Acholi culture.

 I know that these children at Mercy Home have come from hard and lonely places. We are greeted each day with smiles of  love and welcome and we end the day Dancing!

Enjoy the A to Z challenge this month!

Im also tagging on to Poets United prompt April. Spring and April give cause to dance with the blossoms.

In Life’s Mirror #poetry #uganda #photography

In the mirror of a water bucket I see:

A blur of color

children with bright hearts

flames cannot douse courage

little girls pump, pump, pump

feet steadily move up the hill

“more water”

little heads bear yellow water jugs

school books brown edged

blue chairs too hot to touch

 ashen are next day’s reflections

 parents anxious to know education’s fate

stories told, songs we sang, things we made

in the mirror of my heart

 stout hearts of orphans

 smiles contagious

 over flow of son’s rays of love

*

Fire rages fierce

days merge breeze takes them away

color filled smiles

 

Today’s prompt at Poet’s United is “Mirror.”