This is about Kids...our Kids in Uganda and our Kids around the world...

Sometimes I get overwhelmed, really overwhelmed.

So much, so fast and I know I have to keep up with it to make it all happen.  Thank goodness for my Board of  Directors because they watch me carefully and they have taken alot off my shoulders to help me get through the days.  I am blessed, truly blessed to have these people in my life
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But, the children....yes, our focus is to help the children in Uganda. 
We have an amazing group of  people sponsoring the ones we know we are taking into our home and a waiting list  for the ones to be chosen this next February.  I think I would like to make this about them....the kids they sponsor and the kids around the world  who want to make a difference to help them.  I have always said one thing throughout this entire journey....Kids helping Kids.  That is what has happened and we need to make it really an important factor to show how amazing our kids are.  Not only Canada...but in places like England too.  For example, we have a wonderful girl named Olivia, age 10,  who has given her own money to put towards the generator that they are fundraising for over there.  They will accomplish their goal before Christmas.   Olivia and her Mom Simone,  have also sponsored little Joseph.
Wow, the world has joined our dream.  Sponsors in London,  the United States, Poland and Europe.

It is Christmas and the world celebrates the birth of Jesus...Here are some of the things that have happened for the kids we know we are taking into our home and we would like to share them with you.

This is Hope and Desire.  They have been sponsored by two wonderful women who have given them a life they never knew possible.  These dresses are something that they only dreamed of and never believed their dream would come true.  Edwin took them shopping for 5 hours and finally they found the most beautiful ones.  Thanks Edwin for your patience but I know that you knew how important this was for them... Their sponsors have sent them to private school and they are learning so much there.  Thanks Patti and Becky...the kids love you.

This is Sammi...and Sammi is a brother to Hope and Desire.  He is in school thanks to Becky and Patti but he is also at home taking care of his two paraplegic Grandma's of which one is blind.  The workload on this little boy is something you and I cannot understand.  Sammi, Hope and Desire will be with us when we open.
Edwin watches over him very closely and helps him alot with his Grandmas.

 This is our Alex..  Remember his brother Nathan who recently passed away?  His Mom, Mutesi who suffers from HIV also is still holding on for our arrival in February.  When she does leave us , this little boy will be with us too. He has Amanda and her family watching over him from Abbotsford.  Thanks Amanda and family for giving him his very first Christmas outfit.  He was so very happy.

And here is our baby Alan with Edwin.  Alan even got a new Christmas outfit.  Just to let you know...Grandma gave us this child to raise because she has 12 other grandchildren to take care of.  We made sure she had some money to make a business and she is going to be paying back that money within a year and show she can create an income on her own.  She grows tomatoes and all 12 kids help her.  We will update you on the success of her new little business and how she can support the kids more easily.

And there is our Joseph...little quiet Joseph who has been so helpless.  A little boy who hid in a hut until
Edwin noticed him and he was very malnourished.  He suffers from HIV, has no parents and will be coming with us when we open.  Thank you Simone and Olivia in England for loving this little one.  He will come out of his shell once we start working with him.  Edwin took him Christmas shopping and said that when he saw this suit, his eyes lit up.  He was so happy and so happy that someone finally really loved him...Thanks

I have to say there are other kids that received gifts also.  They chose to use the money to go to school instead of clothes, so thanks to all those sponsors who let them make that decision for themselves.

This is Hope and Grace...In our country Grace is a girl, but there, it is a boy.  Grace cried for 2 days when he saw me the first time because he had never seen a white person...scared to death, but after a week he was my best friend.  They suffer from lack of food as many do but there happened to be someone who noticed and came to the rescue.......KIDS HELPING KIDS.....

Meet Rhys, age 7 and Sebastian, age 9
These two boys came to my house with a cheque, their first bank account and their first cheque written and  they wanted to give money to Hope and Grace for food.  I am to take it back with me when I go in February and buy them the necessary things they need.  Wow..this is what it is all about ..Kids helping Kids and straight from the hearts of little ones.  Thanks you guys....I will for sure do this for you and send you pictures.

And more kids.... OK, not exactly kids  It's only cause I am a Grandma and I can say that.....But almost adults.....Chilliwack Secondary African Relief Club and the most awesome group ever.
On December 2nd at Chilliwack's Secondary School, these kids had a fundraiser for Jaaja Barb's Home of Angels selling the banana bread.  They raised $300.00 towards helping the building of our project and we all commend their efforts.  A big thanks to Mr. Anderson and all the students who participated. Thanks almost adults...lol....you are the best

I also want to say that prior to this we had many kids in Canada helping the little ones in Uganda.  Thanks to Silas and Oliva who delivered their piggy banks in baggies to my front door and who made photo albums for Nathan (since passed) and Alex.  Jamie and Olivia who made hundreds of bracelets which we distributed over there last year, W.J. Mouat Secondary School who raised money for banana bread, Katie, Kaitlin and their team in Maple Ridge who worked so hard raising $2000 with the help of the Big Feast Bistro for bunk beds, the grade 11 students at Heritage Woods Secondary School in Port Moody, to Andrea and Laura for their silent auction in Langley, to Jody and her students in Mission who donated $500.00.  To Chris and Catie for wanting to get involved in Brackendale to raise money for us, and then today...Rhys and Sebastian  who took $20.00 each out of there own money to feed Hope and Grace.
How much better does it get than that....Wow.....Kids Helping Kids

Joanne and Tim Codling...how can we ever thank you both.  This gift was something that bought tears
to us.  A quilt of an "Angel" holding a teddy bear..  We have a special place as you enter the kid's home
that we are going to hang this... Thanks to the both of you for your HUGE hearts.  We love you.


I would like to show you the Global TV news that was done by Linda Aylesworth last week.
Many of you didn't get the chance to see it the other day so I am posting it for you.

 http://www.globaltvbc.com/video/banana+bread+orphanage/video.html?v=2176779428&p=3&s=dd#video


Together with myself and Board of Directors, we all wish you a very Merry Christmas.
Thank you for following our journey throughout this past year and I hope you will continue to do so in 2012.  We are estimating the completion of Jaaja Barb's Home of Angels in August or September 2012.   In the meantime, our grass hut is under construction, along with the completion of the main house.  We have been very blessed with our team....that is YOU and we thank all of you for your support and love.

Merry Christmas from all of us....including the kids we so love