Dear Shining Hope Family,
A big THANK YOU to everyone who donated to our ministry this month! We are so excited to share with you the difference these gifts made.
For over four months, each of our children have been enjoying a special breakfast of black tea, sweet yellow bananas (called menvu in Luganda), bread—and hard-boiled eggs. This is the first time in these precious ones’ lives that they are having eggs every. single. day.
Rewind to just a few short years ago when having eggs was unheard of. That was when they had cassava for breakfast. Cassava is very readily available in poor countries such as Uganda, but it isn’t very nutritious and comes with some serious health concerns. For the kids, it caused them constipation from eating it so much. If you’d like to learn more about this starchy root vegetable, this easy-to-understand article is a good place to start: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/cassava.
Kalungi shares what this new well-balanced breakfast means to the kids: “Even when we still have needs, that won’t stop me from sharing the chapters that bring happiness in the lives of our children. It makes them feel so good with the presence of this every morning, and I pray for this to become a regular treat. Thank You, God, for our daily bread.”
May you be blessed by these cutie pies eating the breakfast you helped make possible:
Five of our kids are back to school!!! Ever since the schools in Uganda were closed in March 2020, they have remained closed until just this month, when they opened for the higher grade levels. The rest of the children will most likely resume class in May. Though we desired our children not to have this long break from their education, we trust it is part of God’s sovereign plan for their lives. And during this time, the bond between our kids has grown closer as they’ve spent so much more time together than they normally would have been able to do. We praise God for this beautiful and priceless blessing!
Here, Scovia and Mark are just about to leave for school. YOUR support helped provide this three-month term of school, and is making it possible for the world to be unlocked to them.
And here are our three other pupils, hungrily enjoying an after-school meal. From left to right: Junior, Edrine, and Wilber:
On Tuesday, March 16th, I (Rachel) dropped off the SECOND box of gifts for the kids at the post office!!! I couldn’t be more excited. Please pray that through these gifts our dear friends gave, God would reveal to the kids His great love for them.
Me after just dropping off the package!
Though it had been my hope for the box to arrive and be opened around Easter, Kalungi just tested positive for COVID-19. He’s currently experiencing constant abdominal pain, headache, and trouble sleeping—but praise the Lord he isn’t having any respiratory issues or fever. Right now, he’s staying in Kampala in his rented room as he self isolates. We would both so appreciate your prayers for God’s merciful healing to him.
Last, but certainly not least, God brought a special opportunity to help someone along Kalungi’s path! Literally.
It all happened when Kalungi was in Kampala on business. He had borrowed his friend’s vehicle for the day, and it was now evening as he was driving back to the little room he rents. But just as he was going through an intersection, a middle-aged man stepped from out of nowhere in front of Kalungi’s car. God mercifully allowed him to immediately brake, but even then, he knocked the man to the ground.
Right away a crowd gathered around. People started yelling at the man for crossing the street in the wrong place and for not looking where he was going. But Kalungi ran out of the vehicle, and without any accusation, he helped the man up and into his car. He then drove him (Reagan) to a nearby hospital where he was scanned to ensure he didn’t have any broken bones or internal injuries. Praise God that Reagan’s only injuries were some scrapes, bruises, and swelling around one eye! Not only did Kalungi pay for this man’s hospital bills, but he also gave him about 30,000 Ugandan shillings (about ten US dollars) so he could take a few days off work to rest and heal.
The next day, Kalungi received a call from Reagan! This dear man wanted to let him know that he was doing alright—AND he wanted to thank Kalungi for all that he had done for him and for not judging him.
“If it had been anyone other than you that knocked me down,” Reagan said, “they would have just left me lying on the road.”
Kalungi now has a new friend—and all because of a simple act of Christlike kindness. This kindness of paying Reagan’s hospital bills and giving him the gift of money was made possible from a previous kindness—YOURS. You were the instruments Christ used to showcase His love to this man!
Again, we so deeply appreciate your sacrificial gifts. We also want to express our gratitude to all who faithfully prayed for our ministry this month and who spread the word about Shining Hope by sharing our social media posts. May the One who rewards, richly reward you for your kindness. Wishing you and your loved ones a most blessed Easter reflecting on and celebrating all that Jesus has done for you on the Cross!
With much love,
Kalungi + Rachel
“And whoever gives one of these little ones even a cup of cold water because he is a disciple, truly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward.” ~Matthew 10:42
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