Good morning dear friends and family!
Each time I sit down to write an update I think:
Where has the time gone?
90 days later and I think, truly, the time has gone everywhere. It has been spread across the smiles and excitement of children calling my name and the various places beholding golden hour at a day’s end and the people, vibrant and curious. It has been a time splattered three months painted bright with speckles of delight and deep joy and belly laughs; lined with sincere love and unspoken grace.
It has been a three months enveloped in adding:
Adding new friends
Adding eager students
Adding familiar faces
Adding names recognized and remembered
Adding Luganda words spoken
Adding hugs and hands to hold
And adding a home, with a new known and new familiar.
I recently shared a story with a group of women that when I moved away for college I never redefined home, I just added a home. When I would go to Palisade I would say, “I’m going home.” And when I would return to Durango I would say, “I’m going home.” And now when the school day finishes and I begin to walk I say, "nze ngenda e Waka", "I'm going home."
It feels good to be home.
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As always, my warmest and deepest gratitude is owed to you each who have faithfully and fervently walked alongside me in encouragement, in prayer, and in support. The donations given and received are vital in my ability to be here in Uganda to serve, to love, to empower, and to meet the physical and spiritual needs of those most vulnerable in our community of Namuganga and surrounding regions.
I come with many updates!
On Monday, March 1st the Ugandan government allowed the partial reopening of schools. Currently, Paradise Hill Primary school is open to Primary 4 and Primary 5 students. We are so grateful to have the school open, even if only partially! The government will allow additional grades to reopen in the coming months. I have been teaching English for both primary 4 and 5 but will soon be transitioning into a more supportive role to meet students one on one, encourage and aide teachers, and facilitate extracurricular activities. This flexibility allows me to invest in multiple aspects of the ministry and continue connecting with the community on a larger scale.
Many construction projects are taking place here at the Father to the Fatherless Uganda property! The construction of the dining hall is progressing at a steady and quick pace. A biogas project was recently constructed and completed which will use a combination of manure and water to create gas that will not only give the main kitchen access to natural gas for cooking, but also electricity!
March is known to be the beginning of the rainy season. As we enter this season, many hands have worked hard in preparation for our soil to be ready and fertile for planting and sowing. We have begun sowing our maize and bean crops and will continue planting as the rain comes. All the food grown this season (March-June) will provide the food used to feed all the children attending school and all the guests and visitors coming this summer!
Speaking of guests and visitors – summertime is quickly approaching and as restrictions loosen and vaccines are administered the potential for travel resurfaces for many people! If you have the desire to come to Uganda to visit or a heart to come serve, please reach out to me or Mathias Mulumba (F2F founder and director) at fathertothefatherless@gmail.com. We would love nothing more than to have you come to Uganda!
I have recently published more blog posts and photos! To check out the stories and what life is like here in Namuganga or to donate to my service here in Uganda, please visit my blog:
With love, joy & many hugs,
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