Tresor visits Patrick in Rukungiri, Joshua goes to Maranatha, zoom meeting with the auditor.

Dear friends,

Another quiet week. Tresor travelled to Rukungiri to catch up with Patrick, who left our care at the end of 2020. He was older and had been on the streets a long time before he came to us, I am not sure he has ever been to school. Patrick went to Meeting Point on a welding course and did well. He has been in Rukungiri for about a year staying with his grandmother and helping her in planting etc., of course he has kept in touch with us regularly. Tresor went to see if he could help him look for welding work. Some of our boys do lack confidence in seeking employment. Patrick phoned me on Thursday to tell me he was being assessed at a workshop for a couple of weeks, he is a good worker and prayers please that he can settle in this welding workshop. His granny told me he has been going to church with her. We have never given him any tools so if he settles we will help him, we want to see the boys saving money when they are working and contributing towards what they need.

Petra and I had an online meeting with Catherine from the auditors on Thursday. She was really helpful and gave me some ideas of organisations to approach in Uganda for grants. I’ve been busy sending off emails for application forms.

“Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.” ‭‭Matthew‬ ‭5‬:‭7‬

Peace and I went to Garuga on Friday afternoon to collect Joshua as we are placing him back in Maranatha Primary school for P7, we were so pleased with Johnson and Kasita’s performance under teacher Francis, they still achieve A*s in most subjects in Senior 2. Maranatha school now have a boarding section and Joshua will know many of the students and teachers so we feel this is the right move.

We arrived at George’s Place, stayed for an hour, then Peace, Joshua with his mattress, metal box, bucket, Jerry can, backpack etc. and Gorette (who finishes work Friday afternoon and wanted a lift to Kampala) got into the car. As I started the car the key broke in two in the ignition! The car wouldn’t start – Benard managed to retrieve the piece of key out of the ignition – Peace suggested we superglue the key – which I was anxious about. I phoned Santa, the lady who cleans for me and has a key to my apartment and asked if she could help by collecting the spare car key and handing it to Julius our security guard. Tresor then phoned a Boda guy he trusts and asked him to collect the car key and bring it to George’s Place! This took about an hour whilst Peace and I sat in the garden relaxing in the shade. Joshua and Gorette watched the end of the Disney film. God is good all the time! No one panics in Uganda – there are always solutions. Later I dropped Joshua to Maranatha, who was welcomed by many of the children and teachers and I was home before 6pm. I just need to get a new car key.

Patrick our security guard and Sam who works for us when Benard is away are going on a day course this coming week to learn how to grow mushrooms. We are considering building a small room at the back of the extension to start a mushrooms project – this will be a good skill for the younger boys to learn, we might even be able to sell them – the mushrooms!

I have been to Garuga again this afternoon (Saturday) and arrived before the boys were back from football. Benard checked the boys metal boxes – which were all in good order. The boys enjoyed their lunch, beans and rolex (chapati with omelette inside) but were so tired when they got back they didn’t even offer to clean my car. The young boys are all fine – Joseph (Ryan) even managed a smile, slow progress though!

Thank you for all your love and support.

Love Jane xx