Tears of Gratitude!

Not many children seek power or position.  Instead they want acceptance and security.  They cling to the adults who love and care for them and at our Home of Angels, that's what Edwin, myself and our wonderful staff try and provide.  Of course there are always challenges, but in each situation they are worked out and the bond gets stronger because of them. 

I recently arrived home from Uganda but whilst there, witnessed the most unbelievable challenges within the community. Lack of water, food, no work and severe depression.  A local orphanage abandoned where children are now left alone to fend for themselves, witchdoctors advising heads of household to depose of a child, and by doing so, will become rich enough to find food.  Edwin and I explain to the kids that our greatest hope here below, is help from God above and that we can trust that He faithfully helps us as we endure all hardships in life. 

We would also like to let you know that KIDS, our partner/umbrella, has added us to their website in order to help us process donations through Canada Helps. You can go to Kuwasha International Development Society (KIDS) at www.kuwasha.net and donate on the link above "Jaaja Barb's Home of Angels".   We hope this will help many of you that have requested other ways to donate besides snail mail.  Of course you can always send a cheque to me by mail and I'll process it for you through KIDS account for you.  Thanks KIDS for improving our system to receive donations.

John's John is always kept clean and it's a daily ritual for James our guard and the children to scrub both latrines and the concrete floor. 

You're right.....it's an iron heated with burning coals.

Every day the children wash their clothes and the older girls iron the school uniforms.  When you don't know the modern world this is normal, but it certainly adds another example for us to be grateful.

Edwin, the community and I want to thank Ptarmigan Foundation for donating the entire funding for a bore hole in a community of 10,000 people.  Oh my goodness, the drillers hit the jackpot where there is so much water that they say it will last for eternity.  We commissioned it together with 100's of people and I had the honour of unlocking the bolt to release the water for the first time.  It was a wonderful celebration with dancing, tears and enough gratitude to make us want to share with the world.  We take so much for granted where we live.

Thank you Ptarmigan Foundation from the entire community. 

Sam and Ivan washing dishes after dinner.

Precious and I spent the entire afternoon baking cupcakes for everyone in our Home of Angels.  She was so proud of what she'd accomplished that I had to take a picture of this "precious" little four year old and how excited she was.

As you all know, we hired a new guard named James from a town on the Sudanese border.  He had to leave his wife and new baby in order to have work, but over time, enough money was raised to reunite him with his family.  James keeps us safe and also helps the children to learn English and the Bible.

Here we have a group of 20 women and one man with mentally and physically challenged children.  In Uganda, they are frowned upon and they struggle to survive.  Every one of these parents had their spouse leave as the child was diagnosed with a mental disorder at birth.  We are trying to help them with food and in this picture, they're receiving 640 eggs from our farm.

Edwin and I want to thank you all once again for both following amazing stories of survival and also for donating to help us make it all happen for our Home of Angels.  Without you and God in our lives, none of this would be available to show you and we thank you so very much.  We also want to thank KIDS for giving us the guidance to be able to make it all work.  Our blessings are endless.

For those of you who donated on GoFundMe, the commissioning of that bore hole will be on the next blog.  One lady told me she hadn't seen clean water in her entire 84 years and Edwin and I are excited to share with you the rewards of your giving hearts.