Dear Shining Hope Family,
Meet Wasswa and Kato! Kalungi can’t tell them apart without asking. You see, these adorable six-year-olds are identical twins!
Wasswa and Kato happily join us for lunch each day along with the other neighborhood kids. Although they have other needs, like being able to attend school, we are grateful we can meet one of their most important necessities: a filling meal.
Let’s listen in to a conversation between Kalungi and these inseparable brothers!
“Who is your best friend?” Kalungi asks.
In unison the twins reply, “My brother is my best friend!
“We have the same friends,” they continue. “If my brother likes someone, I like him, too.”
“What do you like about being at the Shining Hope home, Wasswa and Kato?”
“We like the people around here because all the people here are happy. We enjoy the foods prepared by Madam Nakato and the games we sometimes play like taano ne taano (Tug of War)!
“What do you know about Jesus?”
“Yesu is our Savior who died on the cross for our sins,” they both answer. “We are His children and Jesus loves us. Jesus is the Son of God who is the Katonda (Creator).”
“Do you like school, boys?”
“Yes! We don’t like to stay home from school. We want to study and become rich. When you study, you get a job and then you start making money,” they state matter of factly.
“Do you have any words for our friends that help buy the food you eat?”
“Thank you for our food! Don’t stop, please!”
Awww, doesn’t that just tug on your heart strings?!
Every plate of food you give to these neighborhood youngsters is a priceless blessing to them and an answer to their prayers. Just look at the beautiful smile you put on this lunch guest!
Kalungi voices our appreciation, “We warmly thank all our dear donors for the great work accomplished through your continued support for monthly meals (both for the neighborhood kids and our 21!) and other ministry expenses. Thank you also for giving the gift of education to our young seeds that we are jointly watering to develop into fruitful trees.”
Our Ronald:
Speaking of school . . . on August 12th, OUR CHILDREN FINISHED THEIR SECOND TERM! Making new friends and learning a lot of new things made their time at school enjoyable.
Cedric was first in his class in the end-of-term exams! We’re SO PROUD of him!!!
Seven-year-old Desmond was the most stubborn student in his class throughout the term . . . and we expect him to hold this title a little longer! This playful, active guy has been known to talk a lot in class . . . and routinely end up in the principal’s office because of it.
Desmond is the one who wants to wear his crocs to school when everyone else is wearing their school shoes. He’s the one who, when asked a question, is eager to answer—no matter if he knows the answer or not! Kalungi affectionately refers to him as being “good chaos.” Oh, how we love this boy and his fun personality!
Here are a few other pictures of our happy scholars! From left to right: Gloria, Drake, and Maureen
During their four-week-long holiday, these boys and girls are spending lots of time with each other. They love singing local songs of worship together and playing soccer and board games. The girls also enjoy jumping rope and learning how to cook.
Their third and final term of school starts September 5th! How far the Lord has brought them!
Our Wilber, looking so grown up:
You may recall that last term, Kalungi and the team met with parents and guardians from several villages and encouraged them in the importance of an education for their children. They were very receptive and agreed to work hard to keep their kids in school. To show our support, we gave schoolbooks to about forty children.
To our greatest disappointment and sorrow, most of the kids, if not all, did not make it to the middle of the term. Their guardians couldn’t commit to keeping them in school, mainly because of extreme poverty.
This is Kalungi’s heart cry: “I pray more for God’s mercy to allow for the expansion of our ministry so that we are able to educate more children who have interest in education but have no capability to attend school.”
Will you join us in praying for God’s merciful provision in the lives of these precious children?
Best friends and brothers Wasswa and Kato reminded us of Proverbs 18:24: “There is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.” You have been such a faithful friend to us, our 21 children, and those our ministry serves. In good times and bad, you have been with us, supporting us financially and in prayer, and showing us God’s love. “Thank you” doesn’t come close to expressing how grateful we are for you and for all that you’ve done, but it is all we can say. So, THANK YOU! Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your generous support you showed us this month—and all the times previous!
We want to close with this encouragement. Though human friends and family may fail us, there is One who is even closer than a brother. One who is always with us. One whose love far exceeds that of any other. His name is Jesus Christ.
Soli Deo Gloria,
Kalungi + Rachel
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