5th September, 2021

Dear friends,

Peace and Shadrach have been busy this week travelling to Mbale with Haruna, Asaph, Charles and Ivan, also managing a visit to Derrick.

Asaph is staying with Haruna and his large extended family in a village near Mbale, for a couple of weeks. Haruna has three step-mothers and lots of half brothers and sisters. They all live on a large compound in different small houses, there are also two grandfathers as well! Haruna’s mother left a long time ago and unfortunately we have never been able to locate her. He is now reconciled with his family and returns during the holidays. He will be returning to Connect Africa on a two year welding course when colleges are allowed back – he only had a couple of months there before the college closed due to the pandemic.

‘Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.’ Colossians 3 v12

Charles has returned to his father who is in the process of building a small family home for them, so hopefully Charles will be able to help. Charles will also be going to Connect Africa when they reopen, but I am not sure which course he will be undertaking.

Ivan is visiting his mother, who is very unwell, he hasn’t been able to see her for a couple of years so please pray for the visit, there is also a younger brother.

When Peace and Shadrach arrived to see Derrick, they were saddened by the situation. His father who had a stroke at Christmas is unable to speak or communicate and is just lying in bed. Derrick’s mother died recently (although the parents were separated). The father has to be washed, kept clean and fed by Derrick and two younger children (from the mother). Shadrach managed to FaceTime me and I was able to see the situation and was impressed that Derrick and his younger half-siblings had kept the father, the home and themselves so clean. I asked Peace and Shadrach to contact the Local Councillor to make him aware of the situation. They took Derrick a welding and grinding machine so at least he should be able to get some work to support them all. Derrick was very emotional when he spoke with me and I will make it a priority to visit as soon as possible on my return. Please do pray for the situation as when anything happens to the father, Derrick’s uncles could come to claim the house and the land and turn them out – life can be so difficult in the villages.

Peace and Shadrach also managed to give ‘fish and chip’ baby clothes, blankets, clothes and knitted teddies in the villages they visited – from the photos it looks like everyone was delighted with them.

Petra is now working 5 days a week in the office and hopefully when I return we can arrange for her to pay some of our bills by direct transfer. She is really good with setting up Zoom meetings and I was able to talk to everyone in the home on Thursday and Friday.

The boys in George’s Place are all fine. Uncle Sam had bought some ‘spot’ cream for John (Musumba), and this seems to be working, thankfully. The younger ones are all doing school work daily and Kodet was appreciating the new text books. Augustine was there, he has been unable to find any building work at present but was in an apron helping Auntie Gorette with the cooking!

As I’m finishing writing this I have had a message from Anton, who tells me he has planted maize as there has been some rainfall in Ibanda, he is also making 2,000 bricks (probably to start building himself a home). ‘God is good all the time!’

We give thanks to God for the way ‘our’ boys lives are being transformed and for the way many of them are becoming responsible, caring and considerate young men.

Thank you for all your support.

Love Jane