New Managers - Robert and Milly

Robert and Milly - New managers of Village of Hope

This is the first post by the new managers of the Village of Hope. We trust that you will be blessed by the many items of news that will be posted here. We look forward to your comments and we thank you for your prayers for the work here.

We look forward to seeing many of you visit us in Uganda - you will be most welcome.

The Halfway Mark!

The sun beginning to rise!

 The morning started with an early wake-up and a walk up the mountain opposite the Village of Hope at 5am. When we got up to the top after walking around 40 minutes we were treated with an awesome panorama of Jinja and surrounds as well as right in front of us the Village of Hope. As the sun began to rise the group started to worship with Joel on guitar and this was an amazing God moment. The team also reflected on the trip so far and how good our Great God has and had been to us.

The Village of Hope in the middle of the landscape

 Having been to Uganda many times since the start of HopeBuilders, this was the first time I had personally been up to the top of what has become affectionately known as "monkey mountain", and this was quite special in a number of different ways. I was looking down at the Village and there were 26 young people (the Schoolies team) in my line of sight, it was as if I was looking through them at the Village and we had all just the night before, experienced an awesome time of devotion with all our wonderful children of the village. There was something about this timing and I think God was saying this is how the HopeBuilders story is going to continue, this was about generations and dreams and visions to young, younger and not so young.

An amazing panorama of God's creation

It was special!

Through the day we saw the completion of the house that the schoolies team started just last week - yes it is now ready for the roof which will be put on by locals.. maybe before we leave!

Praying in the new block of land for the new school

 The day ended with anither amazing event that could only have been timed and orchestrated by God. The Schoolies team walked through and around the recently purchased land that will see a new school built - they also prayed over this land and claimed it for Christ and prayed for a blessing upon all that will learn and grow to maturity as leaders on this land and through this school.

Ron and Anne in traditional
Ugandan outfits

This was a special moment especially for Ron and Anne Matheson, in whom God had placed this vision and dream and together with HopeBuilders and the blessing of God, they will take it forward into reality. Ron and Anne have played a very special part in the ongoing development and growth of the Village of Hope and the ministry of HopeBuilders in Uganda. We have seen the completion of 6 houses now and in the next couple of days ALL 6 will be filled with children and mothers. We have seen the building of Suubi House and amazing home for our visiting teams and others that may want a guest house. We will soon have a new Village Meeting Hall and we have seen many community families and individuals released from the cycle of poverty through engagement in the ministry of Suubi House and facilitated in commencing enterprises of their own. Ron and Anne will be returning to Australia a day after the Schoolies team leaves for their safari - they will continue to minister in Uganda with HopeBuilders and through the school in particular through short term visits, so their story will continue albeit in a dufferent manner. I would like to thank Ron and Anne for their generousity and love to the teams and to the work of HopeBuilders - they have modelled true selflessness and been Jesus to many. This community here in the Village of Hope and around it has been impacted and will bear fruit to their endeavours and sacrifices made in their time here. Thank you "Uncle Ron" and "Aunty Anne" you are most welcome thank you for your good work :)

Schoolies progress...!

The whole team at the Source of the Nile

The Schoolies team have made some incredible progress at the Village of Hope and they have managed to fit in a whole lot more.

On Sunday we visited the Source of the Nile and witnessed where the Nile River starts it's 4000km long journey. We also enjoyed a little boat ride on the Nile and also into Lake Victoria.

This was also the day that we celebrated Tayla's birthday which also included dinner out at a restaurant - great day!

The team on the marker that marks
the start of the 4000km

The building continued and the team has managed to get the house up to the ring beam and they are quite confident of finishing all the brick work in the next day or so ready for the roof. They have also put in a new culvert drain at the entrance to the Village of Hope which means no more bottoming out of vehicles as they drive in. The driveway is also now looking "very smart" with gravel and drains on either side.

The house ready for the ring beam

 The team has also interacted a lot with the mothers and the children, with our Schoolies being taught African dances, how to make paper beads, how to make chapattis and learning first hand a bit more of African life and culture.

Today the team also visited the Jinja Main Prison - what an eye opener. We were escorted in after having to leave behind all our wallets, cameras and phones. As we entered the prison there were over 500 prisoners sitting on mats and gathered around. There was a mini sound system setup and the team proceeded to minister to these inmates - it was explained to us that the inmates with the white shirts were the condemned men (death row) and the yellow shirts were the others. There were about 1/3 in white shirts!

Winnie and Jane having some quiet
time in the new Rock Hut

The team did an awesome song with songs and Andrew B shared a message and then the team paired off and had the opportunity to pray for inmates as they responded to the Word - this was amazing. We then shared in a volley ball match with the inmates - probably the largest captive audience (sorry!!) we have ever played in front off.

Another highlight was also sharing in the devotion time at our Village of Hope - what a priviledge. To see our kids leading in worship and prayer that was truly from the heart and then our ENTIRE Schoolies team gathered around and prayed for the kids of theVillage of Hope - unforgettable - and it was all in front of the ROCK!

So many memories and we are only half way!

Open air devotion time with the Village of Hope

Worship in Uganda

WOW! What an awesome day today with the terrific Schoolies Revolution team. We woke up to balloons and streamers all in honour of Tayla's 18th birthday.. after breakfast we went to church and this was an amazing experience with our wonderful Village of Hope children - who greeted as we walked up. The entire team had to introduce themselves to the entire church and then we had the priviledge of seeing some of our older girls leading worhsip as part of the worship team. The younger boys also ministered in a couple of songs and Samuel and Paul were the stars... Paul who now wants to be a singer with the stage name of "Paul Boy" was fantastic :) Here is a little glimpse of what you all missed out on...

The whole worship experience was incredible and the whole team loved it. The rest of the day saw us enjoying some amazing chocolate cake made by Lucy (our Ugandan Suubi house cook) and a lovely lunch. Then it was off to the Source of the Nile - yes this where the 4000 km journey starts for the Nile River, and then dinner at 2 Friends... not a bad way to spend a day! Tomorrow it back to them mudbricks and digging and raking and working - sounds like an even better day than today!! :)

Schoolies Revolution in Jinja

 

The SR brick line

The start..!

Looking good...!

Well we are here..  22 young people, 4 leaders and 2 board members.. The team have been awesome and they ahve already made an impact in the 4 days that they have been here. They have made huge progress on the house being built, they have resurfaced the road in the Village of Hope and they have helped get the new community shelter well underway to completion. Today was also a visit to the Kikaramoja slum which was an incredible experience - our young team did an amazing job. While it was a very confronting day, the team were fantastic and our debrief was a truly God moment. We got a glimpse of what breaks God's heart every day. Tomorrow we will be visiting Hope Community High School in the morning and then continuing our building in the afternoon. We will also complete our road with a drain at the gate, this will stop cars bottoming out as they enter our driveway. This is truly an incredible journey and I am so priviledged to be on it and sharing it with these amazing young people. You can follow this journey with a day-to-day blog at http://schooliesrevolution.com/?page_id=85 

Progress..!



Team eating on deck of Suubi House



New shelter by "the rock"









Kikaramoja doing a skit!

Kikaramoja slum visit







In about 5 days a group of 22 young people (21 from Australia and 1 from The Netherlands) and 4 leaders along with two HopeBuilders board members will  set off for Uganda and the Village of Hope. These young people would all have just completed their VCE Year 12 exams and will be making a stand against the flow and will be the first Schoolies Revolution team. We are looking forward to some amazing stories and some transformational experiences. We will be building and working in the Village of Hope, visiting some slums and villages, a prison, and engaging with kids and people at all levels. You will be able to keep track of our adventures here and on the Schoolies revolution site < CLICK HERE >

Almost the whole crew - we were missing 5!!

Together with the Board Members - the avg age jumped up!

Here we Grow again!

Last Saturday was another very special day in the life of Village of Hope. All of the hard work of the teams of people from home in Australia, together with the local labourers, became worth it when the next intake of children into the village began.

Previously, each of the intakes had included 16 new children. Circumstances this time meant that on Saturday only six children came, with another two expected any day now, and a further 8 within a couple of weeks we hope.

Our new mother, Mama Florence, has been in the village for a little over a week now, getting used to her new surroundings and assisting with the final preparations for the children to arrive. She came with us as we collected each of the children from where they had been living, providing a sense of comfort to those who had been caring for them that the future for the children was secure.

In the few days that they have been here, Florence has been very caring and has made the transition for the kids very easy. It was amazing to see how quickly they were adapting to the new surroundings and circumstances, and this was very much down to the love that Florence was giving them all.

The children include 4 very young ones, 2 boys Richard and Johnson and 2 girls Mariam and Irene, and 2 older boys Robert and Juma. Robert and Juma are both at school, and are completing the year at the school they were attending, so each morning they head off early to school and then come back midway through the afternoon. When they arrive home, the little ones follow them inside, glad that "the family is together again". They are still learning that there is a difference between "Mzungu" and "Uncle Ron" - I only answer to one of those names when in the village!

The rest of the children were looking forward to the new arrivals, and have been terrific in welcoming their new friends. Robert and Juma have fitted in with the other boys as if they were lifelong friends, and most of the older (and not so older) girls have been very helpful in looking after the young ones. It is really a great privilege that we have in seeing this transition of the kids from a life that is often one of despair and hopelessness to a present and future that has hope.

 Time for a  manicure . . .

. . .  while the new brother and sisters await their turn.

Mama Florence collecting her brood to bathe before supper