27th November, 2022
Dear friends,
Lots of preparations are underway for the party tomorrow (Saturday). It’s been about three years since we last had a celebration and everyone is very excited. There are 29 boys at the home tonight and Shaffick is on his way as well!
A number of the older boys had already arrived at George’s Place on Wednesday when Peace and I visited to spend time chatting with the boys, to also have a talk with them and check who is going back to their villages to spend time with their families for Christmas. There is a really good atmosphere in the home, with the boys working together to clean and tidy everything. Asaph has been improving on the chicken run, Augustine is building an outside store cupboard for the charcoal. Yusuf has been busy with his sketching, Joseph and Kasita have been helping with the cooking. Anton had arrived with a sack of matoke and beans from his land and Simon Peter brought bread and sodas for the boys. Of the older boys, Godfrey, Tim, Simon Peter, Anton, Augustine, Derrick and Emma have so far arrived.
‘From them will proceed thanksgiving
And the voice of those who celebrate;
And I will multiply them and they will not be diminished;
I will also honor them and they will not be insignificant.’
Jeremiah 30:19
Peace is organising ‘games’ for the party, so am leaving that in her capable hands! The Management Committee members have been invited, also teachers from Maranatha and Little Angels, the pastor and his wife, two of the doctors from the surgery. I’ve said the boys can each invite one friend from 4pm for cake and ice cream – so I imagine it will be quite a ‘do’.
We have had the minibus serviced and as the insurance ran out earlier this week made sure all our paperwork for the minibus is in place. Tresor and Jesse will take the boys going to the east next Tuesday, they are also planning to visit Dan and his family on their way back to see how the latrine is coming along.
On Friday Ian and I both went to Garuga and later in the afternoon Tresor, Benard (‘uncle Ben Ben’ as the boys call him) and I walked them to Sky Beach Hotel for them to enjoy a swim and play football.
Benard had also been at Little Angels on Friday morning to collect the boys school reports. I was extremely pleased that on every report under ‘behaviour’ was the word ‘Good’. We don’t expect the boys to all be academic, they have missed too much schooling, but we do expect their behaviour to be acceptable and thankfully it is! The boys from Hope International Vocational Institute also all arrived with good reports with New Brian achieving an A+ in car mechanics, Ronald an A.
On Sunday, Dr. Trevor and his wife Carol are coming to stay with me for a few days before they return to the U.K., and Diana from Canada is also arriving next week – I’m not sure for how long but it might be until she goes to India in January!
It’s been a busy time, but so many blessings seeing all the boys returning. I’ll send photos from the party next week. Thank you for all your love and support.
God bless.
Love Jane x
