My first day at the orphanage

A NIGHT TO REMEMBER

It was a hot Tuesday afternoon in March I walked into Gidan bege orphanage when they were having mid-day prayer, my heart was beating fast, scared and terrified, i wanted to leave but something kept holding me back. When I finally gather the courage to leave, the prayers was over and everyone saw me standing, I said I was just leaving I thought there was program today and I just came to eat “I’m hungry”. Everyone look at me with a pity instead of chasing me away, they welcomed me with smiles and told me I could stay forever if I wanted to. Uncle Dan Asabe and a couple of other staffs prayed for me even when I didn’t know what they were doing at the time.

The kids welcomed me warmly, they didn’t even know me. The older boys gave me a thorough bath; I mean who won’t want a bath after 5 years of living on the street. The kids of my age then selected some of their clothes and gave them to me. Then it was night everyone gathers around for the night devotion, I knew most of the songs they sang, (I also knew a couple of Islamic recitation from my time on the street) after night devotion, we all went to the room, uncle Dan said sorry new boy you will have to share a bed with someone tonight, tomorrow we will sort something out for you, I didn’t care I just wanted a place to lay my head. Myself and Adams Bulus shared the bed that night. That night remained my best night yet, I opened my eyes with the hope that I would see the stars I saw everyday while laying down in drainages or under the bridges but no, there was a roof over my head, a door with lock and I don’t have to be scared because there was a security outside guarding me, wait did I missed the part where there were also 15 boys in the same room with me so no harm at night could come my way tonight?. After all the thought I slept of with my heart at rest. My eyes close properly for the first time in a long while, by the time it was morning, oh God I have wet the whole room, the other kids laugh thinking I was just a regular bed wetter, guess what to me it was the best night of my life. They next day Uncle Dan, Uncle Jimmy and some I can’t remember, call me and some of the new boys for orientation, they asked our names I told them. They started talking about JESUS. They said we need to accept him to be our savior, I didn’t hesitate to say yes, in my head I thought this Jesus own this place if you don’t accept him they will be sent out, not until when I grew up a little that I get to know him and accept him to be my lord and personal savior. KNOWING JESUS HAVE BEEN THE BEST DECISION OF MY LIFE. To be continued