It is amazing how God connects the body of Christ. Joseph and I recently met with a social worker at another Children’s Home that works with street boys. As we talked with the social worker, we learned that Samaritan’s Purse would be doing a training seminar on orphan prevention and resettlement that very next week. We were so excited and immediately called the women in charge of the training at Samaritan’s Purse. She gladly offered for us to join the training even though they had already reached their maximum number of trainees. This training was free and even included breakfast and lunch. Joseph and I attended the training together and were excited to learn more about best practices in social work and resettlement.
Joseph and I have been praying and know that God is intending for us to move forward with resettling the children that we care for – this will include tracing biological families more extensively and looking for other alternative care options such as fostering or adoption. We know that children belong in families. The Ugandan government is in the process of approving a new Children’s Act called the Alternative Care Framework that will require all Children’s Home to take part in resettlement of their children.
This does not mean that our children will no longer be at the Rafiki Children’s Home. This means that as a ministry we will work more closely with any family members of the children that we can trace. The children will have more opportunities to visit their extended relatives and even spend time on holiday with them.
It has been overwhelming to Joseph and I who are not social workers to think about all the work that will need to be done. In Uganda, there are no records of births, records of deaths, or list of family members so we face a challenge to trace the existing family members. In Uganda, family members are even given all different last times. For example, Joseph’s last name is Kiwanuka, but his brother’s last name is Kiyaga, and another brother’s last name is Gabunga. This makes tracing families even more difficult.
As we move forward, Joseph and I are excited as this process will eventually enable us to help more children and families. I am amazed that God already had this training through Samaritan’s Purse in place for us to be able to attend to receive the knowledge and equipping that we desperately need. As I am typing this, two of our employees – our social worker and manager – are attending a week long training for best practice in social work at a Babies’ Home in Kampala.
Please be praying with us as we continue to learn more about the resettlement process and how best we can serve Ugandan children and existing families. Pray with us as we begin to implement these new principles that we have learned.
