Good morning and happy March to you, my dearest friends and family!
It is a fragrant month as we reflect on the life of Jesus and prepare for the coming celebration of His victory over sin and death on the cross. And it is in this period and time of reflection, we are brought to an acute awareness of our own sin and brokenness, and as we taste the bitterness of our lustful hearts, we more rightly taste the sweetness Jesus graciously offers us on the Cross of Calvary.
We have welcomed this month with the celebration of many birthdays and have embraced the days of sunshine as we anticipate the coming rain. As we await the rainy season and all it holds – the cleansing, the washing, the abundance, the preparation for sowing and fertility – we have sought joy, experienced grace, soaked in peace, and held love.
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Here are some updates with what is happening here at Father to the Fatherless Uganda! - Paradise Hill Nursery and Primary School & Paradise Vocational Training Center: The primary and vocational school are both in session, concluding the end of midterms last week and preparing for the end of term 1 come mid-April. It feels surreal that students are back in a regular schooling routine after two years of disruption from COVID-19. We are continuing to pray that the Lord would guide them with all wisdom and understanding as they study hard for their futures. And for those who will not be able to continue their formal education as a result of age, accessibility, familial responsibilities or otherwise, we pray the vocational school will serve as a transitioning point and a stepping-stone to prepare them with hands-on skills for the betterment of their futures. - Father to the Fatherless Uganda Children's Home: After nearly a whole year of work and collaboration with the local government, our children's home received its official registration as recognized nationally. Meaning, our children's home is the only registered children's home in our district. Just last week, we received a call from the local government requesting aid in hosting a young girl, Lamula, whose home environment was unfit due to abuse from her guardian. The local officers brought her to our children's home while further inquiry is made into her living situation and home environment and effort is made to locate her biological mother. - Father to the Fatherless Women’s Empowerment Group: The women’s group is continuing to meet weekly as we seek to empower and encourage vulnerable women in our local community through learning and teaching a variety of hands-on crafting skills. On Saturday, March 19th, we received a formal written constitution with all the necessary group information to register our women’s group on a local and national level. With this registration comes huge benefits for the women in our group – access to government loans with zero or low interest, the distribution of livelihood gifts, and the involvement in larger aid distributed to vulnerable women throughout the country.
In February, we were also blessed to receive two piglets for our group. With these two piglets, we anticipate the opportunity for women well versed in raising pigs to teach other group members and, once the piglets grow and give birth, to distribute piglets to remaining group members for an additional and sustainable income in pig farming. - Construction & Building: March has been a month of blessing as many construction projects have been undertaken. We have been blessed to continue adding on to the guest house with tile flooring – a final and necessary addition to the building that will continue to serve the many visitors and guests who come to Father to the Fatherless Uganda. We have begun building a permanent pigs house for the nine piglets that were born in February.
Construction has continued on the three-story flat near the vocational school that will serve the faculty, staff, students, community members and guests at the school. The painting of the security wall, including the painted murals to color our school, have commenced.
And March 21st is the first day of the beginning of the water project – an effort to have water pumped via solar energy from the borehole (hand-pumped water well at the bottom of our small valley) up to the primary campus. This is a huge endeavor and will bless all of us living and schooling here at F2F Uganda in addition to the surrounding community and the many villages that use our borehole as their primary water source.
The celebration of birthdays this month!
The women's group constitution and the official document signing by our chairperson, Nantali.
Lamula (left), Aisha (center), Namata (right), Sheila (bottom) - enjoying our quality time together taking selfies before bed.
The aerial view of the three-story flat being constructed near the vocational school.
I hope this update finds you all healthy and well. May this spring be a season of sowing and harvesting good fruits. My heart extends my warmest gratitude to you all - for the abounding love, encouraging words, intentional prayer, and thoughtful giving. It is because of you that we are able to do what we do. Thank you. If you are interested in the ways you can partner with me or with Father to the Fatherless Uganda, or if it is on your heart to come and serve, now is the time! Summer is well on its way and we would be overjoyed to receive you . For inquiries or questions checkout my blog Loving the Little Children of the World, reach out to me via phone or email, or contact Mathias Mulumba (Founder & Director) at fathertothefatherless@gmail.com. With grace, Nicole Harkreader
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