What happens when a pandemic such as we're currently experiencing pushes millions into extreme poverty? What happens to the people who had nothing before COVID-19 started?
As a Christian, I've learned that we are not saved by works alone but by faith. We live out our faith by loving others less fortunate and caring for their needs also. I honestly believe that everything we've done at Home of Angels is not only caring for our own children but also for the poor, widows and orphans in our community. Because of this, our kids at HOA have witnessed what a heart full of love and hope can do for them in their future. They will carry on doing this exact same thing, helping the less fortunate. I do want to make it clear though, any donations coming to Home of Angels is for HOA unless otherwise specified.
Thanks once again to everyone for helping the people in our community to have something to ease the starvation . We were able to feed 6,000 families because of you. Even for Edwin's wife Precious, who now lives in our community instead in the city of Kampala is seeing how devastating it is where there is literally no food in the areas they went to deliver. It's a traumatic thing to witness. The country is on a very strict lockdown and until this week, there had been zero deaths of COVID-19. As of today, there are 9 fatalities.
I found this on a mud hut and never forgot it. This tells it all.
We have always believed in helping the poor and I want to share this picture with you. Whether it's food or whether it's water, there is lack of both in our community. These children are now grown and still our neighbors but they never forgot how we shared our well water with them. Anytime we need them, they are there for us now.
Precious bringing food to an elderly woman in a village north of us.
Many children are also smashing rocks in the quarries so they can sell them for a little money to buy food for their family.
This is Jessica. I remember her walking past our gate selling avocados in a basket on her head.
She had 3 small children and a husband. Because the husband couldn't feed them and out of shame, he decided to set their grass hut on fire and run. The children all died but Jessica got out and survived severely burned and had lost one eye. Because Edwin had the medicine in our clinic that our dear friend Thomas donated, he was able to help her. A donor then came forth and Edwin was able to get her into a hospital in Entebbe for surgery. Both arms and legs were locked but the surgery was sucessful. She will have nothing when she returns home to her village, but here again, someone gave her a tent to live in and Edwin and Precious have given her sheets. As poor as they are, many people will help her through this trauma.
It's now mandatory that all children housed in an orphanage must leave at 18-years-old. We've started a "School of Skills" to train them in different ways for survival. The first idea was to make soap. This soap will be used to clean everything except the body. Edwin's friend has come in to train them and they've mastered it already. With the new school restrictions recently put out, they have produced fifteen 20-litre jerry cans so far at a much less cost. This is not to be sold but for our compound use and a business for them one day.
When the time comes, this will be something the kids can use for advertising their business.
The older kids are learning to make doughnuts. Precious is teaching them how to make different kinds and has purchased a pot and oil to cook them in outside. All these things will not be shared outside Home of Angels. It's only to teach them, perfect it and when they are off on their own, they will have some skills under their belt.
Learning to prepare dough for Ugandan treats
Sam and the older boys love soccer, but because I can't get there at this time with the balls, they are making their own out of banana fibres and old clothing that was going to be trashed. Where there's a will, there's a way.
The next thing planned will be sewing. We have purchased the machines and the classes will start depending on the school schedule. We have some other ideas coming also and we will guarantee that when each child departs, they will have a skill. Nobody will go back to the streets to live.
Thanks for being patient for this blog. Many of you have wondered what has happened as our followers have watched one per month for 9 years and haven't seen one lately. The reason is because of these unsettled times and it's been difficult to get pictures and information as we used to be able to.
In the past, the sponsors would get letters from their kids and report cards, but that is going to be difficult until this pandemic ends I'm in the process of sending you all updated photos in the mail.
Your kids love you all and worry you will forget them.
As Dr. Bonnie Henry says:
BE KIND, BE CALM AND BE SAFE
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