Ready for the rainy season!

Hello Supporters!

A lot has happened at the Orphanage of Hope recently and we are certainly grateful to the many people making a great difference and God speaking to me to prevent what could have been a disaster.

Firstly meet our two wonderful teachers Tumuhimbise Prossy and Ahabwe Alex. Prossy and Alex are responsible for teaching all 172 children at the Orphanage of Hope in an extremely confined space. They are teaching 7 days a week. Long hours, long days. Our children crave for knowledge and are super respectful.

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The buildings that we traded in a land swap with the Ugandan Government was not a purpose built facility rather two buildings that could be used to house 172 children and a small number of adults. It wasn't secure (with fencing) and therefore funding had to be found to build steel gates, and gradually a three metre high stone fence. Before lockdown we were around 65% secure. It was then that I was spoken to by God to finish a further section of fence, but it wasn't for the reason I had envisaged.

My concern was for the safety of the children. Terrible things happen to young children including kidnapping by undesirable people walking into the Orphanage.

But the reason to build the fence resulted in diverting the huge amount of rainfall that has fallen - the flood waters have gone around the walls of the orphanage buildings.

Just 400 metres away houses have been swept away and there has sadly been loss of life.

The fence was built during lock down which presented a number of challenges but what a great job was made by our master fence builders!

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Total lockdown means we are not yet able to "retrieve" all our crops from our Garden of Hope and Annie's Garden. Cogan, Medius (and baby Elijah) and several of the older children have been weeding in preparation of planting in the next couple of weeks at our Banana Plantation which is right beside the Orphanage and in time it is where we plan to build our own school. In the meantime, we have 100+ banana trees, sweet potatoes, climbing beans, peas and cabbages will be planted very soon before the dry season hopefully arrives. The bananas will be ready in September.

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The living conditions have been really difficult under lockdown. To make it even harder has been the terrible weather - despite it being the wet season (one of two a year) this year has been excessively wet...and cold. I was extremely concerned that the children were cold ... going to bed cold and being both wet and cold throughout the day. As a result of donations from our wonderful supporters, we bought jackets and coats for every orphan.

As part of my almost non-stop communication with Ps Cogan, Dalaine and I were able to make a video call and were treated to a rendition of the Christmas Carol "I wish you a Merry Christmas" by all the Orphans who Cogan said were the happiest people on this earth with their wonderfully warm clothes. We will complete the clothing wish list with trousers and warm skirts when funding allows.

Again we want to thank EVERYONE who made a contribution to the Orphanage of Hope ...

Lindsay and Dalaine