Lola

Since I have been here in Uganda I have had the blessing of interacting with a beautiful Ugandan child named Scolastica. Last summer, my friend Melissa fell in love with this child. Melissa is a speical education teach back in America. She was here in Uganda last year serving with Empower A Child and ever since then, she has been helping in the well being of this child named Scolastica.

Scolastica has Ceribral Paslsy. She is an orphan at one of the babies home that we go to as a ministry on a weekly basis. The babies home that she is living at is called Nysambia. When Melissa first met Scolastica, she was not getting the special attention that she knew was needed for the child. She was sitting on a mat, in the cornner or the room helpless. Melissa's heart went out to her instantly. 

When Melissa returned home to Chicago, she began feeling as though she needed to do more for this child. First Melissa notified someone who was able to start to get the child the attention that she needed and deserved. Melissa then began to financially support her physical therapy. And then.... Melissa  decided that she needed to pursue adoption of the child. 

Melissa is a 29 year old single woman. She is a teacher, and obviously not someone who you would assume to adopt a child. But God has put this on her heart like a tun of bricks. She knows that she is being called to adopt Scolastica and bring her home to America to give her the life she needs and deserves. 

Melissa was blessed with the opportunity to come back here to Uganda last month for 4 weeks. She spent most of her time with Scolastica as well as some time with Empower A Child. After her time here she was 100% sure that she wanted to adopt this beautiful Ugandan child to give her a better life. While she was here, Melissa saw just how much adopting this child will help the well being of the child. While Scolastica is at the babies home, she is in a room labeled "intensive care unit". She has one caretaker who is assigned to her, but to be honest...... Scolastica is left alone most of the time just sitting staring at the wall or laying down staring at the wall. She has been fed boiling hot porridge that mostly just falls down the front of her because of her swallowing problem. She also is not getting the daily therapy that her poor little muscles so desperately need. Fortunately while Melissa was here she was able to show them some things that will help with her swallowing and muscle movement. 

While she was here, she also met with a lawyer who was able to tell her that her adoption process would be fairly easy and that that lawyer would personally help her with her court date. She could have her child with her in America by December at the earliest ! 

Since Melissa has gone back home to America, Hilary and I have been taking up her role as momma. Whenever Hilary and I have spare time, we have been visiting Scolastica to show her love and remind her that her momma back in America loves her. Hilary and I have both love the time we get to spend with this beautiful child.

Now you may be wondering why this post is titled Lola but I am talking about a child named Scolastica. Melissa, being her future mother has decieded to name her Lola. Scolastica is currently named after the saint who is sometimes known for the saint of children with non-working limbs. For short the orphanage has been calling her Scola, which sounds way to close to Scoliosis ( espeically for a child who has Scoliosis). So Melissa has made the wonderful desicion to name her Lola since it is still very close to her name already. 

So .... now it is time for YOU to meet Lola ! 

Melissa and Lola

Me holding Lola . Look at that SMILE !

Hilary and Lola