April 2012 Update

Dear friends of African Hearts! 

 

I hope this finds you well. I am grateful that after a long time I am able to send another update. God has been good to us, and much has happened! 

 

Slum Ministry

Everything is going on well in the slums except that there was a police round up recently, and they took some street children to prison.  Kenny was able to retrieve some of the boys, but some are still in prison and in the government rehabilitation facility. We had a very successful International Street Children's Day celebration.  We had good weather, and many people joined us including some media houses.  Hopefully the voices of the street children can be heard at some point.  We had all the boys in the homes and the band go to the slums and join their brothers.  We did community work and sports.  Our boys from Ssenge were playing soccer against the children living on the streets.  There was music, and we also had a street children's march led by our Royale Band.  Street children suggested ideas that we put on the signs that were shown to the country as we were marching. I am glad at the end of it that they all felt they had communicated their hearts and that they are recognized the world over.

School 

The school is going on well.  We are about to close the term on Friday, April 20.  Children have taken their end of term exams.  Those of you who are sponsoring children in the African Hearts Junior School will be receiving report cards and letters from your sponsored children. We have also installed electricity in the school since it was a need communicated by the head teacher that they need to be able to print education materials any time to help children pass. So we are believing God for printers, a photocopying machine and computers for the school.  We are also planning to add a school gate in order to increase protection and security at the school. We are also thinking of building a school dormitory in order to accommodate children for boarding.

Home

The children in the Ssenge home are doing well.  We are building a permanent home in Ssenge for the older boys who used to live in the Kampala house. The boys in Ssenge enjoyed their time in the slums.  They gave their testimonies and also liked meeting their old friends. The two little boys, John and Kassim, will be starting school for the first time next term. 

 

 

Vocational 

The band is still getting some business. We are still in touch with the community children, and whenever there is a performance, we call on them for practice and performance.  The older boys who are on holidays have been very helpful in building the new home in Ssenge and making bricks.  We paid for one of the boys named Kizito Issa to get training in tailoring. He finished his course successfully, and we have agreed to employ him at the school to make school uniforms and other designs. We also think that he will train people from the community who need to learn tailoring. Kizito is another African Hearts success story!  In a new development, we have finished all the negotiations for land acquisition, and we may conclude the deal next week.

 

 

Prayer requests

1.  Photocopying machine, school computer and printer

2.  Provision for dormitory construction

3.  Good health for all our children 

 

Thank you for your prayers and support!

Lutaaya