'Giant K'

This here is 'Giant K'...


At least that's how the Lwanika village mad man introduced himself to me. We met yesterday when I was taking our donor visitors, Kyle and Darryl, around to some WMU project sites. Between the odd chatter, abrupt manner (such as jumping infront of the camera when Darryl was photographing our workers, behind), wounds, puss, stench, and uncomfortably low trouser line, he wasn't exactly drawing people to himself. The kids, who formed our large entourage as we moved around the village to see the layout of the safe water system and distribution, ran every time he came near.


I am of the view that mad people are generally treated worse than their actions call for. So with my fellow WMU worker Shalvin close by, I made sure to set an example to the kids that you can be nice to someone without being overly friendly. To go down to the lake we needed to go down a steep slope. 'Giant K' took my hand to "help" me; I could just see us rolling down in a heap, and eased my way backwards onto a rock, encouraging him to go down by himself slowly, slowly. Shalvin then helped me from my retreat position. Giant K' took off to help the kids hold up the intake pipe for the men to row it out into the lake (explanation: WMU uses lake water, and positions the intake pipe about 100m out from the shoreline). Ironically, he was the only one giving the kids clear instructions, and I found out later that he also told off the adults on the shore for watching the kids do all the work. Too funny!

My opportunity came when the intake pipe work was done, and the kids were gathered around in a circle, chatting with me. 'Giant K' came and sat himself down in the middle of us. Perfect! He pointed out his horrible, infected, open wounds and said they hurt (no kidding!). I offered to pray for him - that's what I'd been waiting for. Yeah! He said yes, and I told the kids that we were going to pray for him. They closed their eyes, and I prayed for the Kingdom to come upon him, to bring a change to his heart, mind and body, and for the healing of his wounds - the normal things one prays. 

You can see why I crave the field work, right; it's all the in-between "work" moments that make up the experience and the influence we are able to have.
"Little things" are so important.

Emily