dalton's home

how do you live out the Gospel in the places you call home?

you make sure those you love have a home.

welcome my dearest friends, tim and kristin milner, here today.  what i love so much about you being here is that you are a people that are acting and living daily to change this world. you are going to want a part of this here!

{Tim} I have some exciting news that I would like to share with you. Kristin and I sponsor a child through Compassion International. The child’s name is Dalton, and he lives right outside of Kampala, Uganda. This past summer, I was able to meet Dalton and spend some time with him and his family. It was one of the most touching experiences of my life. It was incredible to meet him, talk with him and his mother and to hear their story. 

While meeting in their home, I was told that during heavy rains, their house floods. And not just a little bit. The mother told me that up to 3 feet of water will occasionally fill the house. When that happens Dalton, who is only 3 (and less than 3 feet tall), has to climb on to their bed which is on risers. Dalton, his 2 siblings, and mother have to wait out the flood on the one single bed. Sometimes it can take days for the water to reside enough for them to sit in other parts of the house. 

While I was there, I was told that a nearby child who is Dalton's age had drowned. That child too was on a similar bed. The mother went to get something to eat nearby, and when she had returned the child had fallen into the water and drowned. 

Besides the water being deep enough to drown a child, the sanitation is not great either. Human waste gets into the flood waters and is toxic. 

My fear is that poverty will take Dalton's life. 

But perhaps I was just over-reacting, right? Just because I live in a place where I don't have to worry about 3 feet of water perpetually flooding my home doesn't mean Dalton is in any real danger, right? After all, I had only been in Uganda for a few days, and the last thing I wanted to do was to try to come in and solve a problem if it really was no problem.

So I sought the advice of locals who were familiar with Dalton's situation and people who were connected to Compassion International and the church that Epic Church partners with (United Christian Centre). Everyone I talked to agreed that Dalton's home is among the worst of the worst because of the dangerous flooding. They agreed that this was an actual problem and something needed to be done.

As soon as I returned from the trip to Uganda, I told Kristin what I had seen, and we both agreed that we would do whatever we could to get Dalton and his family into a safe home. 

We both prayed. We both agreed that we had to do whatever we could to help Dalton. This is a kid I've actually held; a kid that took an hour long nap in my arms! All the other kids and their sponsors were running and round and playing. But my big man Dalton just wanted to rest. Sounded good to me. And you know what? That was one of the best hours of my life.

The cost for the house is $6,944 and that include some expenses for Compassion International to oversee this project and make sure it's done right. Kristin and I are going to do whatever it takes to make this happen. It will be a blessing and a pleasure for us to do so.

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maybe you sponsor a child and by helping dalton you are extending love to all sponsored children, letting them know they are deeply loved.

maybe you can look up and see a roof over your head and know that when the waters come, you are safe.

maybe you've got children at home that will sleep tonight in beds where they never fear floodwaters.

dalton and his mom have no such peace.

no such calm.

no such stability.

no such structure.

my weather app says there's a drizzle in kampala right now.

thunderstorms are expected on saturday.

let's build dalton a house.

let's send him hope.

the course of dalton's life is on the verge of radical change in this moment.

he and his family are about to receive the most outpouring of love humanly possible.

come play a part in this. if you never meet dalton, if you never step foot in uganda,

we're going to be happy to introduce him to you on the streets of heaven one day.

invite your kids and spouse and roommates to join you.

who's in?

the five pilgreens are in!

give, then leave a comment and encourage tim and kristin that this is going to happen.

that dalton is loved all over the world.

take a minute and thank God for letting you play a part in dalton's story.

use the PayPal link below.

the total cost of dalton's house, including land, labor, building materials and oversight by Compassion International is $6,944.

It's an honor that God uses people like us to help others.

On behalf, of Dalton and his family, thank you!

to be continued...