Perhaps you find yourself in a season of life when things are coming at you from every direction, and it's difficult to see what's ahead. In the midst of the millions of people in our world being afflicted by starvation, the spread of diseases and the increase of natural disasters, there is one thing that absolutely remains certain: those who are secure in the Lord are in amazing hands.
As you all know, we live in a poor area outside of town where people struggle for every necessity of life. The rains have washed away many mud huts; finding food and just the worry of surviving a day at a time is tragic for Edwin and Precious to witness. Thanks to your donations we have been able to start building a church for us and 500 people in our community and we are very grateful for your help!
The latest message to the nation was about restrictions regarding COVID. The schools will remain closed operating under the previous instructions. We had to purchases cell phones for the older children and they have mastered this working on a special App until the schools reopen again. The little ones are working in the new grass hut by using a projector and screen with lessons prepared by our teachers .
We've also been able to start some other projects that we'd like to share with you, so instead of pictures of the children this time, we'll show you what's happening with the construction on the three compounds.
Our old grass hut was leaking, especially on the kids eating their meals so we replaced the eucalyptus poles and new grass from northern Uganda. Because of the quality of the grass, it should last 20-30 years. We also use this space for school for our twenty younger children as the pandemic has closed all Ugandan schools except universities. Our school teachers have been very diligent in preparing lessons for all of them throughout these tough times.
The main house is currently receiving a renovation. The gutters are all cleaned and painted which not only provides a good flow of water but now we are starting to look like a new home again.
The quality of the concrete and the paint in Uganda isn't like ours. Often it would peel so the men here are replacing the damaged areas. The workers with the eucalyptus poles on the ground are building more ladders to continue around the entire home.
We didn't realize that many of the children had ear issues. Why? They were raised in mud huts so of course lots of dirt and clay would have settled over the years. When we took Mariam and Lovisa in to have their ears flushed, Dr. Francis found a piece of metal in Lovisa's ear and it was probably the reason why she didn't speak for so long. He then offered to come to our Home of Angels to check all the kids ears at no cost. When it came to helping our little Yahigha here, he found a bead deep down with a piece of wood that he used to remove it with. Never a complaint.
Ptarmigan Primary school is completely finished with electricity and cameras. All we're waiting for now is for the schools to be opened up and to hear the ringing of excitement and laughter.
A view at night
Precious's has her own project and it's very exciting to watch it grow. It will be a Bible school for the community and for the church. If you're wondering, Edwin has been able to get shots for all our workers, so on sunny days the work now continues on all projects.
This building was our old Morning Star nursery school but because of new government restrictions of younger children not in a school on the same property as the older kids, we found the perfect solution. We have 13 older children ready to be transitioned out of HOA but they first need to learn a trade. We will turn this into the Trade Learning Center. They have chosen baking baking banana bread 😉, soap making, sewing and brick laying. We are hoping for donations for stoves and sewing machines if anyone would like to help us. As soon as this is accomplished and they move out to start their new lives, we will bring in more children between the ages of 4 and 6 years old. No child from HOA will ever leave without a trade for survival.
We need a wall on the church property too but this wall will be a little different. It won't be as high but just as safe. Edwin and Precious have designed it and I'm excited to see the end result.
Ptarmigan nursery school is in the process of being built. Now that everyone has had their shots, we will see this being completed in the very near future. Because of land space, it is designed so that another floor can be added on top. As we grow at HOA with young children, and if conditions allow, we will bring many other children to attend also.
This will be the church we waited so long for. Because of heavy rains and COVID shots, it's been a slow process. This building will accommodate 500 people when it's completed and from what we're hearing, we needed to build one for 1,000 people. Everyone wants to attend. Our contractor has gone to the north again to find the same wood we used on the grass hut to build the pews and the roof on the church, so believe me, they are working hard to make it a solid and long-lasting structure.
Thank you everyone for following our amazing story of how God took an old lady and a loaf of banana bread to start a project such as this. Our Home of Angels has become a home full of love and hope for these children and we could not have done it without your prayers and support.
Happy Thanksgiving to all of you
