Dennis passes Senior 4 exams (Grade 2), 4 boys return to Hope International College, Younger boys back to Little Angels, Work Permit collected.

Dear friends,

The boys are all fine. The younger boys went back to school last Monday and Bethel joined them on Friday (his leg wound has improved). He was so wanting to go to school when Peace, Petra and I saw him at George’s Place on Wednesday and begged Benard who let him go. Saidi and Denis are settling in well and their teachers are pleased with the way they are behaving and learning – little Denis told Tresor he can write his name now!

Peace and Jessie took the four boys back to Hope International College in Lugazi on Thursday – Ronald, new Brian, Robert and Ivan. Young Brian was supposed to be going to Marjorine College with Derek, but when speaking with him on Wednesday, he asked if he could go back to school, he has been struggling with vocational training, and had a difficult time during Covid when he stayed with family. He has gone into boarding at Little Angels.

“Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.” 1 Colossians 4 v2

Dennis received his exam results and achieved Grade 2 in the 10 subjects (O levels) he took. He returned Friday and is staying over the weekend at George’s Place but has some work for next week with his brother. He was telling Benard and I that he had given his life to Jesus at the church he has been attending in Pader. We will shortly be looking at schools, probably near his home, for him to study his A levels.

I went to Trinity Academy at Entebbe on Friday to register Johnson (Musumba) and I will be taking him on Monday when he starts in S1 boarding. Kodet is going to a school in Kampala S2 (boarding) also on Monday and Kasita is going into Senior 1 (boarding) school in Mukono the following week, near where his grandfather and aunt live.

I collected my work permit on Tuesday but sadly dropped my iPad and smashed the screen which has caused problems with taking photos and difficulty finding somewhere to get it fixed! Hopefully a new screen, which has been ordered, will be available next week.

The older boys have been involved in cooking ‘daddies’, little pastry bites for taking back to college, or boarding school, that they really like. They each make a bag of them to enjoy as snacks.

Many of the boys have had new school shoes or hard toed shoes for the two starting metal fabrication/plumbing courses. Everything seems to have run smoothly – getting so many boys with different requirements to senior schools/vocational schools with all that they need is quite a challenge and Tresor has been doing a great job. Benard is having next week off as he has worked without a break since the end of November! I really appreciate his way of working with the boys and amazingly he is always calm, kind and in control in every situation – incredible!

• Joseph and Kasita went for dental treatment this week.
• Simon Peter is back with us, he has not been good at managing on his own and we are arranging some counselling for him.
• Godfrey continues his chapati making business and is well settled in his room nearby.
• Tim has started cooking for himself, he is still on the TB medication but has lost his appetite and a lot of weight. Ian had a talk with him to find out what he would eat, and we have added, liver or offal three times a week to his diet plus an apple, banana or mango each day. Please pray for him as he is really very slight and weak.
• Augustine came with me to Garuga on Saturday for a visit.
• He and I met Asaph on the way back, a teacher from Don Bosco will call at the Industrial training site on Monday to talk with his ‘employer’ and then Friday he will have finished his course and be looking for work!

Please do be praying for all our boys, they face many challenges at school and college and when they start living independently but I am very proud of the way they are coping and growing into thoughtful, caring teenagers, for which we thank God. It’s very special spending time with them! Thank you for all your love and support.

Love Jane x