Sixteen years ago, I would have never believed I'd be saying these words. I'm fast approaching a new season, "the winter of old age". We've all worked hard to achieve a dream and even though it's not quite finished, we couldn't have done it without your help.
No matter what the circumstances were throughout these past years, we've trusted God to give us the wisdom and the skills to raise these children, to provide for the sick, hungry and the elderly. We want you to understand that this is not about only what we've done. It's also about all of you who played a part in helping us to provide for the orphan and the helpless. Whether it was by donation or through one of the many teams who visited HOA, we all did it from our hearts. Friends like Joyce for example, who put Hope and Desire through YWAM and is currently putting them through a catering and hotel management courses. So many wonderful people who cared about the helpless and never gave up helping us to help them on your behalf. Below, you will understand the impact of what's possible in the future and we're convinced that many children from Ptarmigan schools will make a difference in Uganda.
We live in what I used to call "the bush". Sixteen years ago there were very few mud huts but today a village has been constructed all around us. After we built HOA for the children to live in we decided we needed a school. We already had the two chicken houses with 1000 chickens that died of the Avian flu, so we converted it into a school that we named "Morning Star Nursery School". It filled quickly, so the next decision was to build a larger Nursery school. Thanks to Richard and his family, we were able do this plus build a Primary school. Our dream has always been to be self-sustainable with 500 students and the best qualified staff. The Morning Star school was then converted to a Trade school so children could learn a trade before they phased out at 18-years old. Also, the parents are now requesting their children would love that too but with a fee. That's when the media became involved.
I had planned a trip to Uganda recently, but sadly, I had to cancel due to personal reasons. Little did I know that they had prepared this surprise for me when I was there. They still went ahead on a rare day the sun came out. The school compound was set up for 1000 people. Twenty police cars arrived carrying two government officials. The Commissioner of Education and Sports who issues all the permits to schools in Uganda. She was sent to witness what was happening at Ptarmigan schools in a district outside the City of Jinja, later to share it with the Prime Minister of Uganda.
In the second car was the Minister to President Museveni. He sent her to witness what everyone was saying about Ptarmigan schools at Home of Angels outside Jinja. She was thrilled and beamed the entire day. She couldn't believe the quality of education and that the youngest child could speak to her in English.
Because of the radio stations being involved, many parents arrived to find out how to enrol their child.
By midday they had reached their maximum of 1,000 people on the property, including the radio stations, news media and parents wanting to enrol their children. The Minister was thrilled to cut the few cakes they had and she seemed to beam with a smile at all times.
These are children performing from Nursery school. They danced and sang in English to Baby Jesus
The Muslim children had a beautiful dance also. Where we are, everyone is the same and I love that. When we have a Christmas party for our Home of Angels children, it's the Muslims that bring the meat for them.
And back on our Home of Angels property, a tent was set up in preparation for our children to have a Christmas party also. Because so many of the children were helping Uncle Edwin and Precious, they all aren't here but I thought you'd be thrilled to see how they've grown. Thank you Laurel for making them so happy.
This was an amazing Christmas party. I see meat in the rice, flowers on the table and the sun is shining.
We are rapidly building the hostel but with the hard rains, it's not been easy. Edwin has had up to 75 workers a day and they won't be giving up. It must be completed by mid-January. All you prayer warriors out there, please pray they can do this before school starts. It looks like we may have a good enrolment.
This is the first part of a radio series about our Ptarmigan primary school.
This rain is heavy and goes all day like this
Wishing you all a Happy New Year and thanks again for all you've done for us over the years.
