AFRICA JOURNAL: Uganda Children Not 'Ruined' By Abundace

28 May 2011

RWIMIKOMA, Uganda — American children are “ruined” compared to orphans in Uganda, Africa who lack some of the most basic physical comforts abundant in the West, such as clean drinking water. That was the assessment of Tyler, Texas business man Rocky Gill as he toured a remote hillside orphanage here recently.

Asked what Africans can teach Americans, Gill said, “What can’t they teach us?” as he surveyed about 100 children at the Parental Care Ministries school here. “When I see these children worshipping God the way they do,” Gill said, “the genuine and powerful prayers they make, the love and gratitude they show to us and the open hearts they have, it makes me think ‘we have ruined our children in America.’”

After witnessing the interactions of school staff and students faced with a life of what Americans would consider downright deprivation, it would be hard not agree with Gill.

Traveling two hours up bumpy dirt roads in lush, eclectic green countryside wet with morning rains, we finally reached Rwimikoma (pronounced “Rim-a-coma”) and were greeted by two lines of singing schoolchildren serenading the Team Ten members walking up the hill between them.

The children broke ranks, hugging us until all were touched by hands, hugs and smiles. Then the fun began.

Patrick Butler is the editor of Resonate News. He is visiting Uganda with Parental Care Ministries, an organization dedicated to helping the country's orphans.