9th October, 2022
Dear friends,
This week we took in four new boys from the street, Peace and Tresor travelled to Kisenyi on Thursday morning and were acquainted with the boys by one of the street uncles. Many boys wanted to come with them, but we can only take a few at a time. They took them back to George’s Place, where they bathed, received new clothes, and had a large lunch before we talked with them. At the end of the session, the boys took it in turns to pray and sing choruses. The youngest two were really tired and found it difficult to keep awake by the end of the afternoon.
‘No two trees are the same to Raven.
No two branches are the same to Wren.
If what a tree or a bush does is lost on you,
You are surely lost. Stand still. The forest knows
Where you are. You must let it find you.’
Wendell Berry – Stand Still.
Anton has arrived for a few days to collect his National ID, and young Brian is still at home recovering from malaria. He is hoping to return to Hope vocational school on Monday. When the younger boys returned from school, they all introduced themselves and welcomed the new boys. Dennis, our oldest boy (in Senior 4), welcomed the new boys, informed them that George’s Place was the ‘best’ and gave them good advice. It was all very emotional! They went to the clinic for full medicals on Friday before Ian visited them.
This week my friend Pat arrived from the U.K. and is staying with me. She was a nurse and started a project in the villages here called 3 Stones, teaching about the importance of clean water, personal hygiene, household sanitation and a balanced diet. Pat was in Uganda for about 15 years before she retired a few years ago.
I’ve also met up with Chantel this week, who has been working for the UN in the refugee camps. She came with me to Garuga on Saturday afternoon to see the boys.
Everything is fine, I collected boxes from Salabed on Tuesday and a sewing machine, which we are planning to give to Gorette’s daughter. We helped her with fees for a two-year tailoring course which she finished earlier this year. This should help the whole family.
We have at last received our two certificates for reregistering, one, another Certificate of Registration as an International NGO and the other a Permit to Operate an Organisation for 60 months. Praise the Lord!
Everything is working well here, Yusuf has been busy crocheting, washing clothes and cleaning the gates, Gorette is weaving baskets, and Anton cutting the hedges! Asaph has sent me some photos of the chairs he’s been making. I’ve also had phone calls from most of the older boys, who all sound fine. Saturday afternoon, we had a Zoom meeting with a family in Dubai, who sponsor HoP, we all talked, and it was lovely to meet them.
Thank you for all your love and support for our work. Please do be praying for the new boys, Saidi, Joseph, Denis and Musa, that they settle in well, especially as a couple of them are addicted to sniffing jet fuel!
With love and prayers.
Jane
