September 2012 Update

Dear friends, family and supporters, we wish to inform you of new tidings as they unfold at African Hearts Community Organization.

 

African Hearts Junior School

Head prefect Peter Sentongo clad in a scout uniform.

School Elections

Thirteen year old Peter Sentongo was chosen by African Hearts Junior School pupils as the Head Prefect. He won over Adam Kanabo with a big margin in the campaigns with each of the contestants promising to deliver what is needed if voted into office and ended with the voting  on July 19.  “I feel so great as a former street child to lead more than four hundred pupils. It is a great honor, “ says Sentongo.  Sentongo is committed to serving his fellow pupils, and he promised to treat every one fairly without fear or favor and that is his number one responsibility as the new school term commences. This former street boy who was rescued a year ago from the slums of Kivulu, now lives in the Ssenge Home.  He is devoted to serving and honoring God.  He wants to be a doctor when he grows up, and he desires to have good grades in his studies. 

This time around the campaigns and the voting were so amazing as six year old Jeremiah Kasule of primary one managed to take on and defeat Edwin Mukisa of primary six .

Jeremiah Kasule, the newly elected school timekeeper

During the campaigns the lower primary and even most of the upper primary class pupils could sing and chant out Jeremiah’s name all the time saying, “Our man, our man, our man!“

In Mathew 18, the disciples came to Jesus and asked Him, “Who is greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?” The answer was that any one who welcomes a little child in his or her house is welcoming Jesus, and they were told not to look down on any of the little ones (children) because in heaven their angels are always in the presence of the Heavenly Father.

School Shoes

Eleven year old Anna Ervin from White Oak Elementary School in North Carolina spearheaded the fundraising of children’s shoes when she learned of children in Africa going to school without shoes. In June, little Ervin brought over one hundred pairs of shoes to the pupils of African Hearts Junior School.

 

“I wanted to help and thought of what to do.  When I found out that mom and I  were coming to Uganda with a mission team that was to conduct medical clinics, I had to think of how to help and then did a shoe fundraising drive,“ she said.

 

Anna promised to continue praying for the children of Uganda and that the Lord enables her to visit again .

 

Ssenge Home News

Our newest addition to the Ssenge Home is Regan Onyango.  A few weeks back Onyango was rescued from Kabalagala Police Station after nine months living with police officers wondering what the next day would be like. The nine year old boy was abandoned by his parents last year in Kampala city and was picked up by a Good Samaritan who sought help from police.  In a letter presented to African Hearts Community Organization, the Kampala City Council Welfare Officer requested the organization to offer alternative care to Onyango as tracing for his family continues.

Joshua Eyaru, a Sunday School teacher at Kabalagala who got so concerned about Onyango’s vulnerability, says that he came to know about Regan’s life as each Sunday children were asked in church about their lives.  Children who were friends with him told the church that Onyango has no parents.

’’Onyango was dropped at the police barracks as a missing child.  He could sleep and  eat everywhere on the streets. The church became keenly interested to help him out, but we had to follow the right way as required by the law,‘’ Mr Eyaru told African Hearts officials recently.  “We also tried to put him in a boarding school, but now we are relieved since he is going to be staying in a transition home in the mean time,” Mr. Eyaru said.  According to Silvia, the house mom, Onyango is adapting to living in the African Hearts Ssenge Home and enjoys music and soccer.

Other children from the Ssenge Home got to visit with their relatives as plans are under way for resettlement and re-integration into families ordained of God.

Mr.Joshua Eyaru with Regan Onyango at the Kabalaga Police Barracks

 

Prayer Requests:

1.  Funds for building the dormitory at African Hearts Junior School.

2. Good health for the children under our care.

3.  Wisdom for the children going for last term before national exams.

4.  Youth micro-loan program