meet sseguya

After a day of training and a day at the conference, I was ready to hit the streets of Kampala and love on some kids. My first opportunity was at an orphanage made up of kids rescued from the streets. I’ve been to lots of orphanages and been around lots of African children, but right now my heart is so tender and soft that it’s affecting me differently. Deeper, even.

The way they held this mzungu’s hand like we’ve been best friends for life made my heart swell. Looking at them and praying for the plans God has for their lives caused excitement to well up. But when Sseguya all of a sudden started telling me his dreams of what he wants to do with his life, I smiled through tears. This young boy who showed me the play gun he made (and who I instructed to never point at anyone), this boy who was eager to show off his tricks, including hand stands and other silliness, for the camera. This boy who sang a song for the camera. This boy who is still a child has dreams for his life.

I realize that the word “dream” is totally a trigger word for me right now, but it’s so exciting to hear that this boy who was rescued off the streets has dreams for his life. I don’t know if I’ll ever see him on this earth again, but I pray that those dreams would come true, and no circumstance would stand in the way of that. Whether his career path is to be a pastor or a bossman of a building crew (my words, his explanation was the man who tells people what to do at a construction site), I pray that God guides him and blesses him. He’s already rescued him from a life on the streets. I know there’s great plans for this boy that stole my heart.