Sunday 3rd December, 2023
Dear friends,
Last Monday Tresor brought Joseph to the office as he has been looking for work at National Water, we telephoned the main office and sent him off with a letter from HoP and his introduction for industrial training from Don Bosco. He went to their main office, then to another office on Jinja Road, unfortunately they couldn’t offer anything. This week he has been going to the local offices at Entebbe and hopefully will get some work during these long holidays. In the afternoon we went to Garuga to George’s Place as we were hoping to have an online meeting with Class 3 at Forty Hill School in Enfield as Jackie was visiting and talking about our work. Unfortunately the connection failed but we used the phone for the boys to talk with a few of the children. Class 3 are sending Christmas cards to our boys and my son James is delivering them as he is coming in 10 days time to Uganda.
This week Peace and I travelled (Jessie driving) to Mbale and Tororo. On our way we called in at the school in Kayunga that Dan’s brother and sister attend and took exercise books, pencils, rubbers, rulers and posters for their classroom walls. The children greeted us and sang a couple of songs that Peace advised me had a good message about parents needing to be good examples to their children! We also took lollipops that Griffin and Peace’s niece Grace, who was travelling with us to Mbale gave the children and staff.
“Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
We took Griffin on to Iganga as he is working in a restaurant for the holidays, we had lunch there and met the manager, staff and Griffin’s father who he will stay with. On arrival in Mbale we went to where Emma works and as it was getting late took him home so we could visit his grandfather, who is really sick and unable to get out of bed. We greeted him – there have been a few family problems as the Muzzere (old man) is sick and all the family members are looking for their inheritance! Peace spoke with Emma’s father and insisted that Emma was promised somewhere to set up his own welding business by the grandfather when we visited years ago. After much discussion I believe it was favourably sorted. The following day we met Emma and Sam (our past Warden, who lives in Mbale) for breakfast where we stayed. Sam is going to rent Emma a large welding machine and we will help with a grinding machine and file. We all then went back to the family home, met Emma’s father and his grandmother again and hopefully everything will be in place early in the New Year.
Jessie drove us on to Tororo and managed to locate the compound where Omoding’s family live. Omoding is doing a hairdressing course at a local college and stays with his father, stepmother and their children during holiday times, he had a good college report. His father and stepmother are very good people but Omoding was unhappy as he wants to go with his mother to visit his granny for Christmas, the father was not happy about this – we try not to get involved in these family disputes, hopefully all will get sorted. Omoding needs to discuss things with his father before making plans with his mother and us! I was gifted with a chicken and Jessie, Peace and the boys at GP received bags of peanuts. I gave the chicken to Peace later.
We then drove to Bugiri and found Shaffick and his mother. Shaffick wanted us to visit where he is staying with a friend. It was all very neat and tidy (great as he wasn’t aware we were visiting), he has bought curtains that he is hanging from the walls as they are bare brick and also has planted little hedges outside to make a garden. He looked well and although not doing much hairdressing is making some money selling secondhand clothes. Hopefully he will come for the Christmas party. It was a long drive back to Kampala and I didn’t reach home until about 10pm – but lots to be thankful for as these older boys settle back in their local communities with their families.
Thursday morning I met Ian for breakfast as he has been away and there were things to catch up on before the Management Meeting next week. I then went on to work. Today (Friday) is my day off. Saturday I visited the boys at George’s Place and welcomed home Ronald, Ivan, Robert and new Brian from Hope College. After lunch twenty of us walked to Banana Village, in brilliant sunshine, for them to have a swim. It’s a bigger and deeper pool which the older boys appreciate to practice their diving.
Please do be praying for the boys in this holiday period, with so many of them in the home (25 boys) of varying ages and those who are looking for industrial training. Thank you once again for all your love and kindness.
With love
Jane x
