An American Abroad | Part 3

From Laura:

Four years ago I had the immense privilege of coming to Saving Grace and meeting Francis. A little boy that captivated my heart as we fed the street kids every Saturday. I kept a photo of him up on the wall in every classroom I taught in back in the States along with the one on the wall of my house. Typing it out like that makes it seem weird but it’s the only way to really capture the love I have for this kid.

I met Francis four years ago when he was a young boy living on the streets. I sat with the Uncle Fred and some of the team from the U.S. and as we ate lunch asked the burning questions:

How do you choose which kids to take Fred?
How do you make that decision?
The decision that changes the course of lives?
How do you keep up with it?
What about Francis?

That last question was probably the most burning of them all. I’d met Francis weeks earlier while playing puzzles on a Saturday morning as food was prepared for all these boys living on the streets. After having played many many puzzles over the course of my trip I realized that puzzle skills along with critical thinking and problem solving skills weren’t typical of kids in Uganda. And yet Francis was seriously good at solving these puzzles. So much so that we dumped multiple puzzles out all together, mixed them up and then had him solve them all simultaneously and he did it, he completed every one of them. I was officially impressed.

An American Abroad | Part 2

We received an update from Laura on what she’s been doing during her time at the SGU Children’s Village and wow is she keeping busy!

Last week was spent getting all of the SGU students ready for school. School in Uganda is divided into three terms and the first day of school begins at the end of January for a new school year. Like in America, “back to school” means uniforms, school supplies, and taking care of school fees. About half the kids at the SGU village have completed primary school at Saving Grace Primary and have moved on to Secondary school-praise God! This means they no longer attend school there in the village but go to a boarding school (somewhat equivalent to high school in America, but starting at an earlier age and ending at a later age) located elsewhere. Laura explained the process of paying secondary school fees and apparently it is quite the task! Depending on which school your students are attending, parents must travel to many different banks (along with all the other parents in town) to pay the school fees. This meant that Laura waited in some really long lines to make sure every student was able to get their school fees paid. Thankfully, they were able to pay everyone’s school fees in 3 days (which sounds like a long time but Laura said it was nothing short of a miracle!).

Another part of the back-to-school process was taking Stephen and Denis to a new school- Dara Christian High School. The boys had to complete interviews and entrance exams in order to attend. Both did a great job and began Senior 2 and Senior 3 classes there this week! Laura shared that Dara Christian High School is a very good school in the area so we are all excited to see these boys succeed!

This past weekend Laura had the pleasure of traveling with Quinto (the SGU village director) and Louis (our SGU driver) to drop off a majority of our secondary students. They traveled to four different secondary schools around Lira to drop students off and help them check-in. Here’s what Laura said about this experience:

“It reminded me of being dropped off for your Freshman Year of College; some schools were full of people with trunks, mattresses, and supplies. Some of kids were returning to Senior 2, 3 or 4 classes and were much more comfortable in their surroundings even running into classmates and friends, being greeting and hugged. But getting dropped off for Senior 1 is such a new experience! In Uganda emotions are not as forthcoming as in the States. For example, it is completely commonplace and almost expected that there will be many tears when you drop your students off for college in the U.S, definitely the first year and probably in some years after that. It is also expected that there will be some homesickness.

So as you can imagine, dropping our new Senior 1 boys off was hard and they are not even college aged yet. They never expressed their nervousness but it was easy to see how unsure they were as we got ready to pull away. Phillips was the most honest and said he was excited but also a little worried. And watching Sunday Fred’s face as we all climbed back in the car to leave was heartbreaking. I warned them that I was going to act like such an American as we dropped them off, sending them off with tons of pictures, hugs and prayers, which they took like champs. I think it helped giving them something to chuckle over as we left. No one else felt the need to have such emotions, but I love our kids! I’m telling myself they secretly loved it because they asked multiple times to verify I was going to come back and visit them.”

One of Laura’s tasks while there will be to go around to the local Secondary (High) Schools and visit with and check in on our students. Not only will it be exciting to see them and hear about their progress both from them and the school, but it also provides accountability for each of our students. They want nothing more than for us to be proud of them (which we are!) and if they know Laura’s coming to check in it will only work to inspire them further.

Laura is doing so much for SGU. We are abundantly grateful for the love she has for our children and her willingness to serve. Please continue to cover her in prayer and be looking for her next update!

An American Abroad | Part 1

We are so thrilled to have an American who is passionate about the mission of SGU serving at the Children’s Village in Lira! Meet Laura, a 5th grade teacher from the U.S. with a heart for children and a love for the Lord.

Laura arrived in Lira on January 17th and will be staying through April with plans of returning again in May to stay through late in the year. She first heard about SGU from a conversation with Suzanne (one of our board members) at her son’s wedding. Laura was a bridesmaid in the wedding and was chatting with Suzanne when she asked what Laura’s plans were after graduating from the University of Florida. When Laura shared that she was interested in teaching abroad, Suzanne suggested Africa and shared the heart behind Saving Grace in Uganda. After praying for direction, Laura spent that next summer in Uganda for the first time with Saving Grace. God had planted a seed in Laura’s heart and today, four years later, is continuing to bring it to fruition.

This young woman’s heart for children and students is so evident. She’s excited to introduce some different styles of teaching into the classrooms at Saving Grace Primary School. When we asked what she hopes to bring to Saving Grace Primary she responded, “every student, regardless of circumstance, has the ability and the right to learn – my hope is to help make that happen.” Can’t you see why we’re so excited to have her there!

When we asked Laura what she loves about SGU she shared that she loves the focus on children that are often forgotten because she is passionate about those in society who are overlooked. After her first summer in Uganda, Laura took a teaching job in the U.S. in a low-income community because she wanted to create the same sense of belonging and community for her students that SGU has created in Lira. “SGU does such an amazing job of loving on kids and creating a community where most wouldn’t want to create it, and they show redemption and hope to everyone that comes into contact with them. I absolutely love that message.”

During her time in Lira with SGU, Laura’s focus will be working with the Children’s Village and the Street Children’s Ministry that SGU has. She’s excited to do life alongside the kids through community outreach and development, worship, and helping to continually share the hope and love SGU is known for! She also mentioned how eager she is to be with Fred, Kosta and the girls and to hug each child that she’s missed so much since her last time at the village.

We’d love for you to join us in praying for Laura’s time in Lira. Be praying for her to develop a deep sense of community there and for all the challenges that come with adapting to another culture.

Here’s Laura’s prayer request:
“Be praying for open hearts all around me, for me, for the community, and for every student and staff at SGU so God can complete His purpose through us!”

Amen!

Stay tuned for future posts updating you on Laura’s latest adventures!

New Administration Building Underway

We’re kicking off this year with some exciting news: a new building on the property! The new administration building is currently being built on the SGU village property in Lira. This will serve as Saving Grace in Uganda’s main office and will provide office space for the ministry director, administer, accountant, and social worker, complete with a kitchen and bathroom!

Many people come to visit the children’s village to find out more about Saving Grace. This building will be a place where visitors can sit and learn about all that God is doing through SGU. In addition, this building will serve as a place to store school records, exams and other documents. This is very much needed in keeping the school organized and operating smoothly as well as satisfying government requirements there.

The building is located at the entrance of the Saving Grace property as to provide identity and to draw in members of the community to seek guidance and learn about SGU. Due to its location, the administration building will be the first on the property to have running water and a flush toilet (Not something you find many places in Lira)!

The administration building is currently being built and will hopefully be completed by mid February! Saving Grace Primary School has been a way to reach the community and bring hope to children and families. Changed lives and the power of the gospel are being spread through this ministry to many in Uganda.

We are extremely grateful for the donor whose generous donation made it possible for this administration building to be built. THANK YOU!

2016: A Year in Review

What better way to start off the new year than by reflecting on all the Lord did in the last? Through YOUR donations and God’s faithful provision, 2016 was a fruitful year of growth for SGU.

In 2016, SGU:

• Served over 108,460 meals to children
• Tested over 100 children for Malaria at our medical clinic for street children
• Treated 40 children with life threatening Malaria
• Housed over 80 street children during the rainy season and the election uprising
• Put 44 children in primary school and 10 in secondary school
• Grew crops on three acres to supplement food for SGU’s village and school
• Led 70 street children to faith in Christ Jesus (Praise God!!!)
• Provided leadership training on mentoring to 21 primary & preschool staff
• Increased SGU school enrollment to over 325 students
• Led 9 community members to faith in Christ Jesus
• Put in a drainage system at Saving Grace Primary School
• Built an outdoor pavilion for shade
• Provided hospital care for four children with life threatening Malaria
• Provided food and clothing for hundreds of street children
• Implemented the Street Youth Vocational Training Program with success
• Completed the street boys’ shelter at Uncle Fred’s House by adding windows, doors and beds

Uncle Fred taught the Million Leader Mandate training program by Equip to the SGU staff after going through the training himself. The aim of this training is to raise up effective leaders to fulfill the Great Commission.

Finally, in 2016 our own Philips and Ivan (pictured below) won best in a mathematics contest in Northern Uganda! This is huge! These two boys are former street kids who have been taken in by SGU and through God’s redemptive power are now thriving! We are so proud.

With the start of a new school year, we are hopeful looking ahead in this New Year and trusting the LORD to continue to provide beyond what we can ask for in 2017. Join us this year as part of the SGU family in praying for the least of the least in Uganda.

Another Home for Boys

SGU has over the past couple of years, taken in more boys than we have room for. When the older boys return from secondary school the two boys homes are overflowing. To date we have over 19 boys in one house and 12 in the other. The Lord knows how difficult this is not only for the boys but for the house mothers as well.

We are excited that Big Jasper, who is attending college to teach primary school, will be returning to SGU as a teachersoon. Big Jasper will not only be teaching but will be in charge of this new home once it’s built. He will care for the older group of boys and those returning from secondary school on holiday break. With God’s help,  our young men like Jasper, who had no hope, are becoming mature, loving, capable Christians who contribute to their communities.

Please lift up this need for a new home in prayer. The cost for another home with furnishings and electricity hooked up, would be $16,000. Please contact us if you feel led by the Lord to invest in this boys’ home.

Welcome to Our New Site!

We want to welcome you to our new website! This launch is so exciting because we feel this site will be a vehicle to raise more awareness that will lead to change in lives of street children in Northern Uganda. Please read through the pages and learn about the incredible work the Lord is doing through this ministry. We have seen the Lord perform so many miracles in the town of Lira through Ugandans as well as Americans and we feel this site will better communicate those triumphs. There is also so much work to be done and so many street children still living on the streets of Uganda. It is our prayer that a new presence on the web will help us recruit more help to build God’s Kingdom through giving aid to the least of these. On this blog we will post updates of what is happening in the ministry, as well as prayer requests and general thoughts on SGU. Check back often, as our team plans on posting as much as we can!

For everyone who has been waiting for this website to be finished, we want to thank you for your patience. Building a website is a harder job than we realized. The SGU team would like to thank our web designer, Brian Shields, for the many hours he put into this job. His creativity and hard work really shows, and we can’t recommend him enough if you’re looking for a designer. We would also like to thank CrossTek for donating the initial design and server.

We hope you are enjoying the new SavingGraceinUganda.com and will share it with your friends and family. Please also use the links in the navigation bar to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter!

Sincerely,

The SGU Team