Just Missing!

Yesterday my two little big boys went to school.  They are Goma Victor Hines and Israel Mayatsa Hines (they took the last name on their own!).  They are wonderful young boys of 13 years of age, soon to be 14.  They have been growing together since they were babies.  Goma was the youngest I ever took in to stay in my home.  He was 10 1/2 months old when he started staying with me and 1 1/2 years old when he started to live with me.  Yes, I potty trained and all - though his young mother did help a lot with some of this before she left.

Israel was always there but came to live with us when he was three years old.  He was attached to Goma so much and they are still like real brothers.  They both accepted Christ when they were nine years of age and having been growing in the Lord ever since that time.  They read their Bibles that I bought them for Christmas one year.  All of my kids have a Bible, it is an important gift to all (God's Word).  Goma and Israel love football and games.  They enjoy bringing the other children together with them in the village at the orphanage compound and playing football and do this often during their holidays.  They are always visiting with me, mom, and enjoy spending time with me and I enjoy spending time with them too. 

On the left is a picture of very many of my kids, though they were not all there in this picture.  In the front is on the floor with me from left to right - Susan, Ssemu (in front) Norah, around me is Sabrina, Peace (in front) and Mary, and in front again is young David, then next to me is Momma Phyllis with Edith in red and in pink next to her is Annette.  The behind row is Sylvia, Rachel, Sarah, Irene, Christine, Israel, Goma, Elvis and big Ssemu.
Missing are Charles, big Mary, big David, the two Violets, Katie, Alpha, Benjamin, Henry and Kepher.

The two boys are to the right at the Source of the Nile in Jinja, Uganda.  They enjoy a boat ride on the Nile.  Most of the kids that are in the ministry have visited the Source at one time or another, as it is on our list for special rewards for AWANA Clubs.  We do not have the pins, and etc. to give, so we do field trips as a gift to a class for those who do well on scripture memory, etc.

The school is coming along and the building is set to open up on the 19th of May, we hope this weekend to move in the furniture.  The painting is almost finished, and the toilets are being tiled as I write this blog.

Genesis is going to give all the kids in the ministry a good foundation, as spoken of earlier, and all our newly sponsored kids will go there.  We are still trying to raise another $8,000 to finish the school for things that have not been covered, mostly the electricity, insulation of the roofing, etc. Otherwise, water is there, a temporary kitchen is still in process of being built but more funds are needed included in the $8,000.  All the praise and glory and honor goes back to the Lord.  God bless you, Katherine

 

Much has happened since I last had a chance to blog.  Some good and some not so good.  I buried my father in Belleville, Illinois.  He was 87 years of age.

We started in August the building of the primary school for Genesis Nursery/Primary School.  With the Lord's help we will start with little ones and raise them up with a good foundation in the Lord and the Word of God.

 This is the first building of six for the classrooms.  There is also a toilet building going up with flush toilets!!  We are excited and thankful to our partners who have done so much to see that this is happening (Orphans Heart).  The school currently has 108 students.  We are currently having a middle class (nursery), a top class (nursery), first grade, second grade and third grade.  The curriculum we got from another organization that has been a great help to us, Rafiki Foundation.  This curriculum has the word of God all through it from the time they are little to the time they get through the 7th grade.  All primary schools in Uganda go through the third grade when they are a complete primary school.  We hope to register our school this year with the government so that by the 7th grade all students are able to take the Uganda National Education exam that is required before they can go to high school.  Pray for the school to be one of the best for the glory of God.

I want to tell you about a little girl in our ministry named Desire Mercy.  She is a very sweet little girl that has grown in a home that is so difficult.  Her mother has left her father very many times because he was continuing in witchcraft for so long and doing horrible things. 

Desire Mercy has been coming to the AWANA Clubs since she could walk with her half brother, Zebaloni.  She is a good student at Genesis Primary School.  She went home when she was three years old and told her father that he needed to get saved.  That he needed to stop all this evil stuff he does or he won't go to Heaven.  That he needed to ask Jesus into his heart. 
I went to her home many times and shared with her father and he told me this story in tears as he said that he feared that he would be killed by the demons if he gave his life to Christ.  I told him he had to believe and to know that our Lord is mightier than any of the demons or Satan himself.  He had a hard time believing this.  Last year he gave his life to Christ and had a big bonfire to burn all the evil stuff that he used in his witchcraft.  Now he is growing mangos and trying to make a living.
Desire is here with a doll that one of her sponsors made for her for Christmas as a gift.

Continue praying for the children, especially those in situations like Desire was in.  God bless you so much. 

TIA

Africa is often known as the "dark continent."  Not because of the color of the people, but because of the problems they face.  I can only speak for Uganda, however, as I am not familiar with the other countries.

When I think of the word "Dark," I think of night, I think of evil, I think of the Devil, I think of all wrongdoing.  Everyone has their own ideas of the what dark is.  At night there are many things that go on that do not go on in the day, things that are just evil. 

Witchcraft is a real problem all over the world, but particularly in Uganda and Africa.  Evil things are done.  I have really come to hate what the witchdoctors do.  Most of them have AIDS, as they often take sex as payment for what they do.  Performing evil deeds, that is what they do, in the name of Satan.  I do not fear them, as I know God is with me and protects me.  I often go to their homes to share the gospel and pray for them.  I have seen a few of them give their lives to Christ, and it is not easy for them, as the demons always come back to taunt them and ridicule them. 
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I like to think that the ministry is a light in all this darkness.  Serving the children and people of the community of Kamonkoli to the glory of God.  Raising up the children to be healthy, strong Christian adults that make a difference for their community and country to the glory of God.  This is why we started a primary school.  We call it Genesis Nursery/Primary School, because it is their beginning and the foundation in their lives.  I know that the children get a lot of influence from their homes as they sleep there, etc., but to really influence them you need more than just AWANA Club and Sunday School.  More than youth Bible studies that come later in their lives.  In school they spend a lot of time - five days a week - eight hours a day.  This is where they can be influenced.  The Muslims have been doing this for a long time, why not the Christians.  We have a curriculum that puts God in everything and builds a strong foundation in Christ from the time they are little.

The children in my home have devotions every night, short, but keeps them in the word at least once in a day and time to pray together before having dinner.  I have watched most of my children grow into the kind of adults that make one very happy and give God glory.  My daughter, Mary Nanyonga, recently finished her last year of high school and did very well.  We are praying that she will get a scholarship to Makerere University, which would allow us to use her sponsorship for her boarding and feeding, and other needs (books, etc.).  I ask you to pray with her. 

More than just finishing high school with good grades, she loves Jesus.  Mary has been working with us in the office and helping with many different things.  She is hard working and always willing to help out.  She is quiet and does not get involved in any gossip.  She desires to give God glory.  She is one of my little women of Africa.  Next week she turns 20 on the 18th of this month, April.  I give thanks to God for her each and every day.  I have put a picture of Mary from Christmas day in 2013.  It is wonderful to be bright and pretty at the same time. 
This year I taught her how to make cakes and read recipes.  She learns very fast and does an excellent job because she follows the recipes.
Mary came to live with me when she was 8 years of age.  She had gone through a lot.  She had two older brothers.  Her mother abandoned her when she was a baby and she did not remember her much.  Her father died and left her with her Grandfather and her two half brothers, whose mother and father are dead.
She was bitten by a dog when she was 7 years old that we thought had rabies, and she had to go through many injections for this.  She overcame her fear of dogs, even still!  We have two dogs and she does okay with them (Buster and Bella).  The house that she and her brothers was living in collapsed so they came to stay with me.  The Grandfather and the Uncles that lived in the home were brewing a liquor every day, kind of like what we call moonshine.  It was not a good place for a young girl to grow up.  I went to the courts and got a care order to keep her in the orphanage, as well as her two brothers.  In 2010, her brother, Bonafice, who was 21 at the time, died in a motorcycle accident.  It was really hard for Mary and Charles (the other brother).  Her brother, Charles, is studying to be a Dentist at Kampala International University and like Mary, is very bright and loves the Lord.

The picture here on the left shows all my girls in the orphanage.  The back row is my little women now and Mary is there, and the front row shows the young girls coming up.
I am proud and excited about all of my girls.  In the back row is Brenda Nakku, Violet Namisi, Mary Nanyonga, Alpha Namuyanja, Iryn Nagaga, Sarah Sabano, Catherine Amuroni.  In the front row is Sylvia Mugole, Annette Kayendeke, Norah Kaidu, Sabrina Musenero, Rachel Mudondo, Edith Biniki, Peace Namaja, and in the very front is Mary Naula and in the middle in front of Mary Nanyonga is Susan Nabirye.  Missing from the picture is Beatrice Namuzungu, who was not at home.  Below is a picture of some of my sons, they were not all around for the picture.

Not all the boys are pictures here and men.  From left to right is Israel Mayasa Hines, David Kirya Lunguba, Elvis Tenywa, Ssemu Innocent, Charles Ongabba, Ssemu Isabirye and Goma Victor Hines.  Missing from this picture is David Kisembo, Henry Olipotto, Benjamin Wytayabi, Keifer Tukkei, Julius Bumba and Nelson Duchu.

Elvis, Ssemu, Goma and Israel are all still in high school.  David Kisembo and Ssemu Innocent are in primary school,  David Kirya Lunguba finished at Makerere University in Information Systems and Computer Science and is currently looking for a job.   Charles mentioned above is studying to be a Dentist at Kampala International Unversity in Mbarara.  Henry is studying Project Management at Uganda Christian Unversity.  Benjamin is studying to be a doctor at Makerere University.  Keifer is studying to be a Lab Technician at Medicare Institute.  Julius finished in Business Administration from Nkumba Unversity and currently works with an organization that is affiliated with the UN out of Dubai.  Nelson finished with Business Administration from Makerere University and went on to do 1 1/2 years of Bible and is currently pastoring a church of around 75 members in Mbale, with plans to continue his Bible studies.