29th January, 2023
Dear friends,
Good news – Johnson (Musumba) and Kasita both passed their P7 exams. Johnson passed in – Division 1 and Kasita Division 2, both will be going into Secondary school in February. They took a boda to Maranatha School on Friday afternoon to be in a film organised by the school. Also, the ‘cast’ has been taken off Bethel’s leg and he’s walking and skipping around happily. We will keep checking the leg as he has some sores around his ankle.
On Tuesday I collected the local Mayor and Senior Child Development Officer and took them to George’s Place. Benard has been on a child education training programme run by Resonate all week so Tresor was there answering questions with me! The Mayor has arranged for the Speaker to be on our Management Committee with the CDO, so we will be well represented by the government, with hopefully Patience our Probation Officer. Peace is looking at organising a meeting for next month.
‘Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up’ Galatians 6 v9
It’s been really hot again this week, and on Thursday, when I went again to Garuga we stayed in the home, making paper clocks, learning to tell the time – not using telephones and colouring and cutting out – even the older boys enjoy these activities!
Gorette is looking at buying land in her home village, so on Friday morning her and I went to see Nora to get advice. It is really difficult to find out who land belongs to here and even with many phone calls we didn’t seem to advance any further – I think it will be a slow process!
Young Brian (though not so young now) has arrived back and he and Derek will be going to Marjorie Vocational College next week to resume their car mechanics course. We have changed their college as at this one they work in a local garage some of the time and also learn how to drive which we feel would be an advantage. We have 20 boys in the home at present.
Peace has been busy visiting senior schools. It’s an expensive time with all the boys returning to primary school/senior boarding or vocational training (boarding), especially with all the requirements needed, also as with everything else fees have gone up!
Christine and I have continued walking most evenings apart from Wednesday as we have our house group that evening. I know this past week has been the Week of Christian Unity – the core members of our home group are: Sam, a young Ugandan architect, Klaus, German, who runs his own business making Shear butter products, Anka, from Netherlands, and an Anthropologist, with four teenagers, Christine, Korean/American running an NGO for refugee women, (architect) and me! We are of different ages and come from completely different church backgrounds/cultures etc. which makes our discussions and prayers interesting, stimulating and lively – we’re definitely practising Christian Unity!
Thank you for your commitment to our work. It is so encouraging seeing the boys doing well, we give God the Glory.
Love Jane x
