Sad news – Charles passed away on Friday, a quiet week, Martin leaves, Auditors in

Good morning friends,

Prayer please, Charles passed away on Friday afternoon. Obviously Petra and the family are really upset, she has travelled to Tororo for the funeral. We are all so sad that Charles was unable to have the heart operation. May he rest in peace.

Martin left Uganda on Monday evening. I’ve been working from home since Tuesday as the auditors have been in the office and there isn’t a lot of space with files out etc.

The boys are all fine. Petra visited Kasita at school last Saturday as it was his visiting day – he continues to do well. Musumba has a week off school, at the end of this coming week. I called in at Maranatha Senior School on Saturday morning to find out when Joshua’s visiting day is, he is looking well and told me it was mid term exam time, I left him some money to buy some extra treats!

I’ve heard from Dennis a few times this week and he is hoping to register at university shortly in Gulu. Eventually he wants to be a social worker but he needs to be working hard! He’s been working at a petrol station. Peace and I will visit his father in the next few weeks, although we will help he should be out of our care.

“But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.” ‭‭James‬ ‭3‬:‭17‬

There have been phone calls this week from Joseph (Yusuf), and the boys from Connect Africa and all is well. I’ve taken Griffin to three hotels helping him look for work but he needs to apply in writing and send in copies of his CV and certificates. Prayers please that he finds somewhere to work soon.

The boys at home have continued enjoying the bikes and have also been involved in filling in a large hole that Godfrey dug at some point for drainage – which has been sorted, they were working together as a team moving stones. The decorators have also started preliminary work before painting some of the rooms. We have had to have the home fumigated – when the older boys come back from college/senior school with their mattresses we get ‘bed bugs!’ The younger boys have also been involved in relieving a matoke of its old branches, cleaning the minibus and generally helping. They were given new water bottles, food containers for school and padlocks for their boxes – I gave them instructions last Sunday, when Martin called to say goodbye, on looking after their belongings and taking care of what they are given – Saidi translated for me obviously with humorous comments! He has a great sense of humour – Bethel is the main culprit at losing his belongings but is easily upset when challenged about it! They all still had everything today, (Saturday) and we clapped Bethel!

Later this afternoon we walked to the swimming pool and two of the boys friends came with us, they all enjoy diving for coins and surprisingly Bethel and Saidi are the best at retrieving them.

Thank you for all your love, support and kindness.

Love Jane x