14th February, 2020
Dear friends,
I had a long Zoom conversation with the staff on Tuesday morning and we went through and discussed some of the issues that have arisen with the older boys who are now in independent living. We finish paying their rent at the end of this month and there are a few concerns that some will be unable to manage if they are only in part-time employment.
Asaph has begun at the carpentry course in Nsambya and seems to have settled into work. Shadrach sent me a few photos of him weaving plastic strips into chairs. At Don Bosco he was using all the electric saws, tools etc. so I’m not sure how happy he will be doing this!
‘Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong. Do everything in love.’ 1 Corinthians 16 v13/14
I had an email from Connect Africa, where we registered Haruna on a metalwork course last year, but due to the pandemic, they closed after a few weeks. They are reopening on 1st March so we will consider if any other boys will be joining Haruna on a vocational course there. This organisation is run by an American lady who has been in Uganda for many years.
The younger boys continue with their homeschooling during the mornings and have been busy enjoying football in the afternoons, the temperature has been really high in Kampala and there has been little rain recently.
Peace and Shadrach took Dennis to stay with his uncle and cousins this week and he will go into boarding school at the beginning of March in Luzira. It sounds like things are opening up slowly in Uganda.
Big Brian’s grandmother has died this week and he travelled back to the village to attend the funeral before going back to Don Bosco – he says he has lots of college work to catch up on.
I have received some photographs of the boys threading beads – I haven’t as yet seen what they are making. Also, beans and maize have been bought for the art classes so I look forward to seeing what this is for!
I received a lovely video from the children Flavia looks after, they are only young, and English is obviously not their first language – thanking me for the food that we supplied.
There has been very little other news, and George’s Place seems to be running smoothly.
Godfrey is back with us, your prayers for him please, he is older now but doesn’t seem able to settle in any work, he is an orphan and has elderly grandparents, always seems happy, a nice young man, brilliant at chess, but no sense of planning for tomorrow, he makes some money and spends it straightaway. The staff are concerned as he really shouldn’t still be with us but we don’t believe he will be able to manage with independent living just yet and there are no hostels to place him in. Please pray for him and us as we consider the way forward.
With love and prayers
Jane
