These are unprecedented times for everyone worldwide and we are all experiencing something that is very difficult and unpredictable. Besides the COVID-19, Uganda also had an election that turned out to be quite violent and most people evacuated back to their villages. If you remember, at that same time, some of you had helped raised funds to feed 6,000 families and the army helped Edwin distribute it. He had explained to the soldiers to tell them that this food was from Jesus. They did and with a smile on their faces.
Even though these were terrible times for many, it was very obvious that God had His hand in it. We were able to hire a pastor from YWAM (Youth With a Mission) and he is currently working with us. Village leaders were calling Edwin asking for our pastor to come to these villages to explain who this Jesus was that gave them the food. One particular leader called last week and asked Edwin if he could bring 60 bibles. Precious and Pastor Richard went together and at the end of the day, 46 people out of the 60 had given their lives to Christ. This is a start of great things to come and we are so excited to share with you.
Like I said before, there was really nothing I could have shared with you in a recent blog since we had very little communication and all technology had been shut down. The one thing our big family in Uganda wanted to share with you was their gratefulness for giving them a real family, a home and your love. Look at the difference you made in their lives...from coming into Home of Angels so scared, malnourished and dirty to these happy faces. This was their way of saying thanks to all of you.
The rains came hard this rainy season and our grass hut roof was destroyed. Edwin found some better grass this time and it's currently being dried.
In the process of repair
Remember our Morning Star nursery school? After the election was through, the President made a new regulation that the children in nursery schools must be separate from the older kids. We had just finished building our Ptarmigan primary school on the same property so we had to move elsewhere. Thanks to the wonderful people at Ptarmigan who have once again helped us build another school.
This building will be made into apartments for whatever will come in the future. Hope and Desire will be taking a six month course for teaching Sunday school at YWAM and this will give them a place to live until the church is built.
The crew has started to build Ptarmigan nursery school on the piece of property where we are going to build the church. See below.
As school had been delayed for the nursery children until the end of July, we decided to build only one floor now. This will be big enough for our children. They will make a slab roof instead of the normal iron sheets so that when time allows, another level can be added. The rules have also changed to one desk per child along with only 15 students per room.
We thought we would use chain link fencing to encase the property, but we are advised by officials that because of street children stealing the links to sell to the scrap metal companies for food and glue, it would be unwise. To make the blocks was the only other way to build a wall. Edwin's brother was kind enough to lend us the machines to make them and these boys made 6,500 in 2 weeks. The next step will be to construct the actual wall.
We were able to purchase Luganda bibles both in book form and solar audible. We have also been advised from YWAM and the local radio station that we should be donating some of them to churches that can't afford to purchase them. The parishioners would use them in the service, leaving them behind when they leave.
This is where Pastor Richard and Precious were requested to come last week. (end right) This church wasn't deep in the bush where so many of them are, but all the same, these people accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior and possibly more will want the same in the future.
You can visually see our three compounds on Google Earth. We have the home compound that we worked construction for the first 4 years. The middle compound that now holds Ptarmigan primary school and the playground and the newest compound where the current nursery school is being built and our dream of a church.
When Edwin started clearing the home compound in 2009, there were only 3 homes around us. The rest was bush. Now, because of HOA, many have moved here and we include everyone into our life. They were able to come to us for water; if injured, Edwin would wrap their wounds; we use only community people to work for us; we feed the widows and the poor and of course, take the children who have no one. Our children have their own "God's Little Angels Ministry" and help a widow every Sunday. (before the pandemic).
Our dream now is to build a church on this property. When I think back to praise and worship that the children have every night before bed and how many people would line the wall outside listening. Also, playing the Jesus video in the grass hut on Saturday night. We were only able to have one hundred people inside, so again, many outside listening. How wonderful would it be to have a place for them?
If anyone would like to help us build a structure that we could call their church, we would be so grateful. Please contact me at barb@jaajashomeofangels.com if you'd like to help us. Thanks.
Please be safe in these uneasy times and God bless all of you.
