23rd April, 2017

Dear friends,

Another week has gone by and I’m preparing to come home next Wednesday for a couple of weeks holiday returning here on the 12th May.

The boys have had exams this week so arrived home about lunch time each day which kept us busy.  They are all well, Shaffick returned from a week’s visit to his mother and bought me a hen to add to my collection.  I am always very humbled when people who have so little give so generously.  Shaffick told us that it is very dry in the area he comes from and many people in the villages are hungry.  His mother informed William when he collected him that she was very happy to see Shaffick looking and behaving well – an encouragement, he is on our website video, very loud and ‘sniffing’ jet fuel.  You would hardly recognise him now.  God is good!
Samuel, Tim and Godfrey returned to Mbale on Monday to meet up with Augustine and finish their courses at the vocational school.

We have a new member of staff, Timothy a qualified Social Worker who will be working three days each week. He has been thrown in at the deep end though as Sam has gone for 10 days leave so Timothy is working full time for the next 10 days.  He is married and has two children.  He has worked with street children in Mbale so has experience – he seems to be fitting in well and when I arrived Saturday afternoon was giving lessons on washing the floors!

This week I met with the South Sudanese Mothers’ Union based in Kampala at Namirembi Cathedral and handed over 2,400 kilos of food for refugees, some will be taken to the camp in Bweyale and some given to needy refugees in Kampala.  Bob and I also took 300 kilos to the South Sudanese Archbishop, who is looking after about 15 orphans as well as his own family.  When I return I will visit the refugee camp to meet the M.U. members there.  Many thanks to those who donated the money.

The rain is torrential this morning and it’s not very warm, I’m expecting the power to go off shortly as it usually does with the rain!  

Saturday afternoon we went for our usual visit to KK beach, some of us walked there but Bob managed to get 18 of us in the car for the return journey, he gives strict instructions as to who sits where and how much space you can take up – it’s as well none of us are large!  I wouldn’t mind being the driver as obviously the best seat but rather a responsibility with so many passengers and the road to George’s Place is horrendous at present.

Plea for Tshirts – We are in need of boys Tshirts for 8-15 year olds – if you have any good quality ones I can bring back with me that would be wonderful.

We have been blessed with a box of 18 pair of trainers, gratefully received and I’ll arrange shipment when I’m home.  

Look forward to seeing some of you shortly.

Love and blessings.

Jane