notes from kibale #11: the home of the holy angels · 2011-07-08 · top: ms. jesca namata leads...

Eka Ya Bamalayika Abarukwera

July, 2011

See us on Facebook: Join the ‘KUDU’ group.Visit our website: www.helpkibale.org

Learn how to sponsor a child at The Home of the Holy Angels.Kibale Uganda Development Union, Inc. (KUDU) is a 501-c-3 non-profit organization. All contributions are tax-deductible.

Top: Ms. Jesca Namata leads her class in a welcoming song and dance to honor our guests of honor, Denis and Mary-Michelle Arsenault of Deltona.Second row, left: Members of the Kibale community advisory committee meet in front of our school.Second row, center: The Lee String Ensemble, Winter Park High School, entertains.Second row, right: Young members of the Center for Contemporary Dance perform.

Notes from Kibale #11: The Home of the Holy Angels

July, 2011

Third row, left: Ms. Agnes Jurczyk visits the school and helps set up classes and a library.Third row, second from left: Ms. Ann McQuiggan and Ms. Sherry Graham put finishing touches on the buffet. The dinner included delicious favorites and endless wines.Third row, center: Ms. Betsy Schreyer and Mr. Denis Arsenault review our notes prior to the meeting. Third row, right: Denis and I report our mission’s achievements.

Dear Friends:

As I report to you, our children are still in class. Unlike US schools which break for summer vacations, our students will continue to study until mid-August, I, however, have the pleasure of returning to Winter Park, FL for a brief period to meet again with my Central Florida friends. Here, I am able to renew my acquaintances with Friends of The Home of the Holy Angels and to make new friends. I am currently staying at St. Margaret Mary Church in Winter Park, awaiting a summer appointment. OnJune2,aftera24-hourflight,IlandedinOrlando,verylateandveryexhausted!Withonedayofrest,Iattendedabeautifulsocialeventthenextevening given for the supporters of The Home of the Holy Angels by Tracy and Dave Hilleren. The lakeside, sunset venue was the perfect backdrop for a group of about 50 friends to gather to hear my report on the recent activities at our school in Kibale. We were treated to a delicious buffet provided by M/M Gerry and Ann McQuiggan and Ms. Sherry Graham. A string ensemble from Winter Park High provided a delightful musical background. The evening closed with a colorful and animated program of original choreography by the Center for Contemporary Dance of Winter Park, under the direction of Mr. Craig W. Johnson.Whatanenchantingexperience!

Our Successes So Far

Wecompletedamulti-roomkitchencomplex.Withallofourstudentstofeed,weneededamulti-purposefacilitywithasound,well-constructedkitchenand staff quarters. This facilitates our food storage, the preparation and the service of our meals and provides for our kitchen staff. We connected to the national power grid and now have electricity on a limited basis. We added a laundry facility. Many little children produce many loads of laundry, as you well know. The laundry was made possible with a generous gift fromasinceredonorintheinterestofour‘angels.’Withourcleanwatersupplyandelectricalservice,ourlaundryfacilityisfinallyupandrunning.

Our farm manager has begun an active agricultural project on our campus. Mr. Christopher Mugume has cleared land and planted sustaining crops of corn,cassava,millet,yucca,beans,sweetpotatoes,peanutsand,ofcourse,Irishpotatoes!Hehasstockedlivestockpenswithchickens,pigsandgoats.Hehas proven to be one of the best and hardest working support staff.

We recently enrolled a second class of students. Currently, we have 45 children, ages four to seven. We are blessed to have 26 children sponsored, but 19 are not yet sponsored.

We have increased our staff with a second teacher, Ms. Jesca Namata and I have selected Fr. Joseph Bakale who takes over the duties of Fr. Deo. Ms.NamataisbrilliantwiththestudentsandFr.Bakaleisyoung,extremelybrightandverycommittedtoourmission.Inaddition,wehaveformedanactivecommunity committee consisting of parents or guardians of our students and selected community persons, headed by Mr. Joseph Tibyasa.

We hosted severalvisitors:first,Mr. John Byabasaija, a member of Rotary International/Kibale chapter, who donated piglets to our livestock collection and has promised us two water tanks and continued assistance in the future. We were visited a second time by Ms. Agnes Jurczyk, a student intern from Germany who donated some children’s games and started a small library. In April, we were visited by members of our advisory committee, Denis & Mary-Michelle Arsenault of Deltona. The Arsenaultslivedoncampuswhiletheydidsomefilming and interviews with staff and children. You can view his videos on our website, www.helpkibale.org and on YouTube.

Our Challenges for the Future As the home continues to grow, so do our needs. The Home of the Holy Angels hasidentifiedthefollowingthreefundamentalneeds:

• Financial security. The children need a mission program that can continue to operatewithoutfearofalossoffunding.Yourongoingfinancialsupport permits us to provide an enriching and nurturing home environment for our students. The gift of a home, hot meals and a sound education provides them with literacy and an appreciation of the world around them, free from fears and poverty and is a true gift from God indeed.

• Child Sponsors.Wehavebeenblessedwithsponsorsforourfirstgroupofstudents,butneedsponsorsfortherecentlyenrolled.Childsponsorship is $1,200 per year.

• Sustainable Building Program.Weneedfinancialsupportforourthirdmajorbuilding,agirl’sdormitory.Theexpectedbudgetforthisbuildingis$92,000 USD. You can ensure that our construction program matches our student population growth pattern by funding this building or contributing individually at $10,000, $5,000 and $1,000 amounts. An entire dormitory, or parts of the dormitory, can carry the name of the donor in perpetuity.

We need your email addresses to keep our operational costs down. Simply email me at: helpkibaleuganda@gmail.com and provide yourcontact info. Thank you for your continued support and sincere help.

I thank Tracy and Dave Hilleren for their hospitality and for all the good people who contributed their time and talents to make our get-together the warmgatheringitwas!Godcontinuestoblessus.Asourresponsibilitiesgrow,wecontinuetorelyonyourfinancialsupport.PleasevisitourWebsiteandlearn how you or your church, your school or your civic organization can sponsor a child or underwrite all, or a portion of our new building.

Have a blessed summer, Fr. Charles Nabwana.