First 24 Hours at Otino Waa
This week our social workers and Reverend Dickens have been traveling throughout the Northern Ugandan bush to pick up all the new children. This year we are welcoming in 30 new children at Otino Waa.
We photographed a few of the children saying goodbye to their relatives and friends and arriving at Otino Waa for the very first time.
This is a glimpse at what the first 24 hours of being an Otino Waa kid looks like…
The day that we arrive to pick up the children is a very exciting and sometimes nerve-racking time for the kids. As they say goodbye to their guardians and friends, they are filled with a lot of different feelings.
Some children are excited and happy, while others feel insecure and unsure of where exactly they are going or what to expect. Here are a few photos of children in their home villages the day we pick them up to come live at Otino Waa. Most are dressed in rags and have nothing but the clothes on their backs.
When the children arrive at Otino Waa, they are greeted and welcomed by our staff and the other Otino Waa kids.
Every child remembers the day they first arrived at Otino Waa, and they are eager to make the newcomers feel at home. Many older kids have said they hope that a new child is assigned to their home so they can help them get settled in!
Next, the children receive essential items like new clothing, school uniforms, shoes and their very own mattress and bed! Most orphans have never slept on a mattress before, so this is a very big moment!
The next morning is the first day of school. We open the school year by gathering for prayer and asking for the Lord’s blessing. Then students are shown to their classrooms, find their desks and are given school materials.
For most new arrivals at Otino Waa, this is their very first day in school – ever!
How can you help?
- Please pray for these new students, they are going through so much change. Many are nervous or afraid at first. Some even hide food in their beds because they are unsure of when the next meal will be. Pray that they make friends and begin trusting.
- New orphans means new sponsors are needed! Would you consider sponsoring a child and/or telling your friends about the amazing opportunity to change a child’s life?
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