Volunteering With Mercy Childcare: Part 1!
~ Natalia Radcliffe ~ It’s been 2 years since Meggan was last in Kampala, Uganda volunteering with Mercy Childcare. This June, she’s excited to return to volunteer with them once again. Whenever she can, Meggan makes a point to travel there and work with the charity. We’ve briefly talked about Mercy Childcare in previous blogs, but let’s go into a little more depth about it today.
The school being built, funded by people’s generous donations. Photo by Meggan Kimberley
The charity was founded by Pastor Wilfred Blair Rugumba and Pastor Wilson Bugembe in 2002 to help children in need, a lot of them orphaned, abandoned, or living on the streets. Both founders were in high school at the time, and were orphans themselves. Since starting the charity, it has grown from a 10x8 foot single room house to a small village, complete with not only housing for children in need, but also a church, school, and a women’s center that helps teach professional and business skills to others, who can then use those skills to support themselves and their families.
Meggan decided to support Mercy Childcare when she went to Kampala for the first time with her friend Mary Akpovi. She had the opportunity to meet one of the founders, Pastor Wilson Bugembe. Pastor Bugembe is a very well-known Christian singer in Uganda who runs a church in Kampala that comprises of about 5,000 or 6,000 people and growing. Meggan described her decision to support Mercy Childcare as that was it, she wanted to help this charity in any way she could. She could see the good the charity was doing, and wanted to support that.
Meggan, Mary akpovi, and others painting a room at the new school recently built during a past visit. The school also has boarding for children that live in the slums. Photo by Meggan Kimberley
From helping set up and paint the school they recently built, to aiding in the rescuing of abandoned or orphaned children, she has experienced the different world these people live in, and have seen their smiles and joy when giving them the aid they need.
To these people, oftentimes basic necessities such as food, diapers, or baby formula are in short supply. There’ve been instances when Meggan was helping take care of the young children and babies, went to grab diapers, only to realize they’re all out.
It’s a different way of life, living in Kampala, Uganda. Babies are taught to sit up as soon as possible. Immediately when they can get their hands around a cup, they’re taught to drink their milk or porridge on their own. A lot of times, babies have even learned not to cry, as it will often get them nowhere. Children are taught to be self-sufficient and independent from a young age, in order to survive.
Next week, continue with us on this journey as we share more stories on Meggan's experiences volunteering with Mercy Childcare.
More information on Mercy Childcare, or if you want to donate: https://www.mercychildcare.org
Thumbnail: background picture by Eva Elijas on Pexels.com
