News Archive 2010

OCA recently held a Child Rights Awareness discussion to provide training for the guardians and caregivers of local orphans. The event clearly explained that all children have equal rights and these rights must be honored by those who care for them. Feedback so far shows that this event has had a very positive impact in the community.

"Please continue supporting us in prayer so that we can be more effective and live exemplary lives among the children we are ministering to. Please also pray for the children in our community, especially those who have no place to live, and those who are living with cruel guardians that God will protect them."

Anthony Yakobo, Executive Director of OCA

Our partner in Sierra Leone, whose identity we keep confidential for security reasons, have been running a micro-enterprise business farming goats for a year and a half. The business has proved to be very successful and generates a consistent profit for our partner. This regular income stream pays for the orphans in their care to attend school and has even allowed some to enrol in university. This year our partner hopes to increase the number of goats they are able to sell. One of the challenges our partner's business faces is poor road conditions – please join us in prayer for repairs to be carried out.

An excerpt from an American volunteer currently helping at OCA's children's home in Tororo:

"The orphanage is located in a medium-sized, three bedroom house almost in the center of town. I've never been there at night, but I can imagine it's interesting trying to fit 24 children into the two dormitory rooms. They sleep on these mats that my host family has just told me are made of papyrus; they are pretty hard, but I'm told most African children (even in wealthier families) sleep on these, or sleep on a mattress on the floor, so they aren't the worst conditions. There is occasional running water in the house. What this means is that if there is water in their tank in the backyard, the toilet will flush, the sink will have water, etc. If there's no water they get it in buckets from a tap in the backyard.

The kids eat the exact same things every day: posho and cabbage. Posho is the kind of substance made by mixing maize flour with water and boiling it until it becomes the consistency of mashed potatoes, just a bit thicker. This is a staple food in Uganda and most people eat it at every meal. On a good day, the kids get beans. Otherwise it's posho and cabbage.

When is the last time you went out to eat? Where did you go? How much did you spend? Even if you went to McDonald's and bought something off of the dollar menu, you just spent enough money to feed 2 kids at the orphanage for a whole day. THAT is poverty. THAT is real need. Our car breaking down because it needs a tune up or a new part - getting upset because we didn't get a promotion at work – having a high electric bill – traffic taking too long and frustrating us – when's the last time you got upset by something like that? Most of us need a serious reality check, myself included. Which is one of the reasons, even though I have days that are incredibly challenging and gut-wrenching and I feel a bit of suffering, it is nothing compared to what these kids deal with daily. Or what 80% of the world deals with."

Cathi Geisler, Volunteer with Orphans for Christ in Africa

Last year OFA-USA and OFA-UK provided funding to open up a school for 60 children through our partner in Zambia, Shelter for Orphans Ministries. The school is continuing to provide free education for orphans in the Copperfield Province. The teachers, who initially volunteered their time and skills, are now paid by SOM and our partner is finding it difficult to meet this expense reliably. Please join us in prayer for God's complete provision for the school.

OFA-Canada has provided funding for James, an autistic orphan at Young People of Purpose Community Centre (Kenya), to begin attending Maranda Boarding School for the mentally handicapped. This opportunity will enable James to learn in an environment where he is given the specialist care and support that he needs. Please join us as we pray that the school fees will be paid on a regular basis.

Also this month, OFA-Canada provided funds for bibles and teachers' salaries at SOM's school in Zambia. OFA-UK transferred funds to cover six months rent for Orphans for Christ in Africa's children's home at Tororo (Uganda).

Angelbear, a small charity based in the UK, sent sixty bears to Shelter for Orphans Ministries, our partner in Zambia, this month. The bears were joyfully received by children in SOM's preschool class! "It was very exciting to see the children who received the bears express great joy" said Rev. Lewis Chiwaya, SOM's Executive Director. Thank you to Angelbear volunteers, who knit the bears by hand and have so far sent over 500 to disadvantaged children around the world.

Endless Hope for Children (EHFC) (Sierra Leone) recently experienced the destruction of the roof of their orphanage during heavy storms. Many other buildings in the area were damaged and temporary homes had to be found for the children as the orphanage was unusable. In an answer to prayer, OFA-USA was able to send a gift which allowed our partner to purchase materials to repair the corrugated metal roof. Thanks to God the roof has now been replaced and the children have now moved back into the orphanage.

OFA-Canada was recently able to provide funds for Shelter for Orphans Ministries to purchase exercise books and bibles for their school. The books are helping the children learn to write and the bibles are enabling them to grow in knowledge of the Word of God. Praise God for the kindness of a local organization who have provided material to make school uniforms for the children (photo: left).

SOM's school has recently expanded from 60 children to 79. Please pray with us for God's provision in meeting the additional needs that this brings. We are so thankful for the fruit that is being seen in the lives of the orphans attending the school. Lewis Chiwaya, Executive Director of SOM, writes "the childrens' guardians have reported that their children have become so literate that they are also speaking English and their general conduct has improved - they always pray before they eat their meals and when going to bed at night".

Earlier this month we received news that two young adults who grew up in the orphanage of our partner in Sierra Leone have been accepted to local universities. Lawrence's father died when he was just three years old and his mother was unable to take care of him. Fanta's mother died during the civil war and she has lived her entire life in the orphanage. She plans to become a missionary. After praying for God to provide the funding for their tuition, so they can enroll in October, we received a generous donation from a supporter in Canada which will cover their first year tuition costs and also pay for their accommodation and books etc. Join us in thanking God for His amazing provision.

Our partner, Orphans for Christ in Africa (Uganda) has moved their Kampala children's center to a larger building in the Kamwokya area of the city. The facility has been renamed the Kamwoyka Child Support Center and it also houses OCA's head office and IT Skills Training Center. Once beds and blankets etc. have been acquired, there are plans for the center to provide accommodation for 15 children. OCA has also recently started a Talents Development Program in Kamwokya aimed at helping young people to develop their talents in drama, music and sports. Join us in prayer for the 16 teenagers who are already involved in this exciting project!

As the year draws to a close and thoughts turn to celebrating God's arrival in our world as a baby, our African partners are also planning to celebrate! All of our partners are hosting Christmas parties this year, enabling disadvantaged children to share in the joy and blessing of Christmas.

OCA, our partner in Uganda, is holding the "Hope for Kids" Christmas Gift Party, where children receive tangible Christmas gifts and presents donated by friends and well-wishers from around the world. Anthony Yakobo, Executive Director of OCA, says "this annual event is part of our continuing efforts to bring hope and dignity to orphans and disadvantaged children and youth in our child support programs here in Uganda".

Join us in thanking God for His generous provision for us and our partners throughout 2010. We are regularly humbled by His faithful (and often last minute!) miracles of provision. As the new year approaches, OFA-USA is hoping to fund the completion of a temporary orphanage for our new partner in Zimbabwe, Community Orphan Care Ministries. The addition of piped water and a toilet will allow our partner to move in. We are able to fund this work thanks to a generous gift OFA-USA recently received, which will also allow provision of business grants to SOM in Zambia for a grocery business and to YPPCC in Kenya for a tailoring business.