Monday

Got up to a beautiful morning and had a scrumptious breakfast of Rolexs on the roof top again.

After cleaning up the dishes we had the maintenance crew head up to the Village to do some slashing with machetes and a general tidy up of the grounds.  The rest of us gathered up our craft supplies and headed up as well to set up for a morning of fun activities with the children.

All the children had a great time of going between the different activities.  We had Lego building, colouring in, bracelet making, makeup and nail polish and making craft turtle eggs. After the completion of the activities we had a fashion parade of all the children that had their makeup done.

They sure know how to rock the catwalk!!

To end the great morning, we had a singalong.  We sang Kookaburra sits on the old gum tree and  

The wheels on the bus. The kids then sang us some of their own songs. The children have such beautiful voices.

We then headed back to Suubi for a well-deserved break.

Late arvo we headed back up to the Village to spend some time celebrating the New Year in with the children with some music (very loud), glow sticks, sodas and biscuits.

To end the day off we went to All Friends for a late dinner, with lots of laughter, food, arm wrestling, more very loud music and finished off with some spectacular fireworks. (No OH&S here) 

Team 26

 Saturday

The official travel time was 34hr 47min from Croydon to Subbi House. Generally smooth flights and change overs – all our luggage arrived!!! Bus trip was a 5 hour experience with numerous traffic jams caused by accidents and break downs. But we arrived safe just all a little weary.

Sunday – We began the day with a delicious breakfast of omelette ro lexs, fruit and jam pancakes on the roof. A beautiful, sunny morning – very bright and very hot at an early hour of the day. Following this a short walk to church. Ugandan church services are very different from church services I remember in Australia – beginning with 45 minutes of non-stop singing and dancing. As new members we each introduced ourselves to the congregation – Dale impressing us all with a greeting spoken in the Lugandan language which was well received by everyone. A skit, a talk from a visiting Canadian and some praising and two and a half hours later the service finished. Followed by more singing and dancing outside as we met some of the children from the Village of Hope.

After lunch Glenn drove us in for a quick trip into Jinja to get money out of the bank and get a milkshake at The Keep.

Later in the day we were welcomed into the village by Ivan, Sam, Jacqui and Sharon – had a tour of the village, learnt a little about the place and then enjoyed meeting the children. More singing, playing Leggo, soccer and getting to know everyone. Beautiful, friendly and welcoming children who were so appreciative of our company. It was very hard to leave but in the knowledge that tomorrow we will be able to spend most of the day with the children. Can’t wait!!   Liz

Back at the Village of Hope.... Blessed!

Its so great to be back at the Village of Hope and Uganda in general after almost a year. However, this time I am blessed to be hear with my dear wife Kathy who has shared the journey and supported me incredibly. Kathy and I (and our family) were here leading Team 1 back in December 2008 when we started building House 1, and then she came back again with our family in December 2010 and spent a wonderful Christmas with 16 children... and now she is back with almost 80 children and 14 houses - what a blessing to share this short time here together.

Kathy has been spending time with the mothers and children hearing their stories and helping in cooking and encouraging them...  Some of the kids even reminded us of the Christmas Gift boxes that we had brought in 2010 - they never forget!!!

We still have a week to go,,, there will be Management Team meetings, meeting the board, visiting Home of Hope, taking the Mothers out to dinner, having dinner with the whole village, and so much more....  Looking forward to going to Abundant Life tomorrow and today we are guests of one of our original girls - Winnie - as she has her assessment for her Hospitality course... she has to prepare a complete meal, including the menu, table setting and service to her guests while being assessed. I am sure she will do well, Kathy and I will be joined by Ivan as her guests. She has an internship lined up at one of the top three hotels in Uganda.

Until the next update - we appreciate your prayers and especially your support of the work of HopeBuilders International...

LONG HOLIDAYS START WITH THE P7 MEMBERS

Hi to every one , we send you greetings in the name of the most high God . At the village , we are all in good shape and good health because of God`s protection.We are very grateful to  God that  most of our children in the candidate classes are through with their final examinations starting from primary seven, senior four and now the senior six candidates are also busy sitting for their final National examinations .For that we are so grateful to God who has protected them through out this term and still we ask Him to protect the rest of our children who have started sitting for their final and promotional exams to see to it that they get to go the next classes next year.
During this long long holidays, we (administration), have come up with a program of not seeing our children just sleep but become so productive to the village . So we have decided to teach them several skills like kneating, sewing using the electronic machines(tailoring) , teaching them how to operate a maize mill ,art and craft and also teaching them some computer skills but starting with a few at a time because of the limited resources.
We have started with tailoring and how to operate  the maize mill and then others will follow as we shall start to improvise the resources .
We thank God that our poultry project is doing well and it is also prospering but with time we trust God that we shall see it grow.
Our gardens have been affected by the long scorching sunshine hence reducing on the productivity level of the greens but we still hope for the best out of it with time.
By NYIRO SAMUEL
See some few pics bellow.

HOLIDAY ENDS AS THIRD TERM BEGINS.

We send greetings to you all in the name of the Almighty God.W are so grateful to Him that He has kept us alive and with good health. We are so glad that we came to the end of the second term Holidays. All children reported back to school starting right from pre-school, primary, secondary and those at tertiary institutions .They were all in good health physically and mentally.
While in the holidays, children carried out various activities which included doing all the home chores in time, helping out the mothers with domestic work, answering the holiday package, helping friends to answer the holiday packages, weeding the vegetable gardens, working hand in hand with Emma to maintain the administration block.
Above all they did not put God away because they all know that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom bearing it in mind that they are into a promotional term. Meaning that they will have to be examined at the end of it all to see to it that they get promoted to the next classes in 2019.
Due to the much effort exhibited by children through out the holidays, we are so optimistic that they will exceedingly perform so well this term, as it is a culture of schools to examine children immediately after the holiday, all our children are now sitting for beginning of term exams and we hope for the best out of the them depending on the input effort both at home and at school.

see a few pictures below.

BY Samuel.

Greetings to every one in the name of the Almighty God. We are glad yet again to update you about the Village Of Hope .The whole situation in normal because every thing is moving on well and as expected. Children have started getting report card that mark the end of the second academic term of this year, while the secondary students will receive report cards on Monday 27th/August/ 2018 and after that they will fully embark on spending their holidays well and meaningfully because the staff is ready to help the children in their weak areas academics .
On Monday this week at around 5:15 pm we held a fare well party that saw us say bye to Mama LOIS who has been one of the pioneer mothers who joined the Village Of Hope  in 2009 with the very first lot of the children who joined the Village.Their was a lot of speeches from various speakers and every one that stood to speak thanked mama Lois for serving God from Village of Hope faithfully.Many people thanked her for being an exemplary mother by teaching children several things in life and above all teaching children to love Christ because some of the children she had from the beginning were Muslims but she took it upon her to teach them morals of Christianity .
The children that currently stay in house 7 and those that she cared for in the beginning became so emotional as we reached a time of praying for her that God should protect her as she leaves,this did not only happen to the children but also to the mothers  and it was a sign to show how much she would be missed from the Village.
Now Mama Lois is happily living in Butaleja district in her newly constructed house .A house constructed by Hope Builders International as a token of appreciation for serving in the Village for that good time. 
     See some few pics bellow,
     BY NYIRO SAMUEL

VILLAGE OF HOPE UPDATE

Hallow to every one,We send you greetings in the name of the most high GOD.Its with great pleasure that we get to update you about some activities taking place in Village Of Hope.The general situation around the village is good. The children have been working hard in their books at school through out this entire term because some are already through with the exams that closes the term, like our children from pre-school are back and already enjoying the holidays, the primary children are starting their exams on Thursday 16th/August/2018 , the children in secondary are finalizing with their exams on Thursday 16th/August/2018 whereas the S.4 candidates are already back at the village after finishing their exams too.The farm is also doing well and we are hopping the new calves so soon. 
In the effort to make sure that Village Of Hope becomes financially sustainable, the poultry project is on going and with the help of some staff and mama Kevin we are so optimistic that the outcomes will be so amazing, impressing and by so doing the funds collected there after will at least be able to make the Villlage self sustainable to a small extent.
The horticulture project also started some time back and now its with great happiness that i tell now that the Village is happily enjoying green vegetables from our gardens and this is also one of our objectives to stop bringing in green vegetables from out side the Village but instead get them from our own gardens and this is planned to for a long term basis.
Having joined Village of Hope in 2009 in house one with mama Lois , John has grown up under the care and support of HOPE builders International .He has been supported through out his entire education life right from primary,secondary till he reached the tertiary institute and John attained a certificate in motor vehicle mechanics .The board and staff of village of hope we are very happy to now see off John ready to join the world of the working people.We hope that he will be able to sustain him self in every aspect of life since he has been boasted with a tool box to allow him  compete for jobs in his area of qualification..

 collected by SAMUEL.