Dear Friends,

I am so excited to tell you that we just received a new group of 7 children! It is a great day when we welcome new children into our V127 family. I know deep in my heart that when we match them with a sponsor, the trajectory of their life is about to change. They are no longer drifting on their own, but God is scooping them up and surrounding them with His love and His provision through all of you. 

The stories of these 7 are all heart wrenching. 

• Joram’s father abandoned the family & later died, leaving his wife with four children and no way to support them.
• Diana’s father burned himself to death in a pit latrine because of the desperation of his extreme poverty. Her mother left Diana with Joram’s mother, who is a relative, because it was all too much for her.
• Daniel’s father disappeared when he was in kindergarten, then his little brother passed away a short time later. He and his mother are struggling to survive, and there hasn’t been anything left for school fees.
• Jeremiah & Cyrus’s mother and father found out they were both HIV positive. They separated, and then left the boys with a grandfather, who took them to stay with an Aunt. They also have a brother who is HIV positive.
• Innocent & Daniel’s father was murdered last summer and discovered laying in a trench. Their mother has no income and no way to send the boys to school.

None of these children has a father, but I was thinking of them while reading this morning in Psalm 68:4-6 “Sing to God, sing praise to his name, extol him who rides on the clouds-his name is the Lord- and rejoice before him. A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling. God sets the lonely in families, he leads forth the prisoners with singing; but the rebellious live in a sun scorched land.”

Pray with me that God will provide the right sponsors to invest in the lives of each of these children. It’s always exciting to get new people involved in the ministry. The stories of these children are a stark reminder of why this ministry exists, and gives us renewed energy to work on their behalf.

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I shared with you in a prior email that we completed construction on the 3rd & 4th floors of Victory Covenant Primary School a few months ago. We are happy to share with you today a tour of the school, conducted by some of our student leaders (also called prefects). Each of the students in this video are V127 children! (To give you some context, we have 240 kids in our school this term, and around 80 are V127 children.**) You will see Faith Namataka, Issac Lucky, Davis Kabanda, Desire Najinda, Zaitun Nambulirwa, Derrick Akampulira, Alpha Ainebyona, and Maria Aliru. It’s so great to see our kiddos working hard, studying, growing, and developing into amazing young adults! You will also have a chance in this video to see our dining pavilion under construction. That is our current building project! If you have given to our construction fund or prayed for provision, thank you so much. I hope you will enjoy seeing the fruit of your labor!

You had a chance in the video to see our Teacher James…he is a favorite among the students as several of them have told me that math didn’t make sense until Teacher James arrived! He is just one of our hardworking teachers and we are so grateful for all of them and the sacrifices they make for our kids. I shared with you a few months ago that all teachers in Uganda are required to have a 4 year degree in education within the next 5 years in order to continue teaching. Most of our teachers have a 2 year certificate in education, so we have set up our Teacher Education fund to help them go back to school. Teacher James is one of 6 that we are currently helping to continue their education. If you would like to help provide scholarships for our teachers, you can do so here.

I know many of you are going through some tough times. Life can be difficult and it’s easy to get discouraged. Today, may we all fix our eyes on Jesus, our Savior and Redeemer, and trust Him to meet every need we have. He is so faithful!

“We wait in hope for the Lord; he is our help and shield. In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name. May your unfailing love rest upon us, O Lord, even as we put our hope in you.” Psalm 33:20-22

Much Love,

Jan

**Further information on the student numbers above: We currently have students in 34 different schools in the area; primary, secondary, vocational school & college.This is because of the difficulties of travel. There are no school buses, the roads are challenging at best and the traffic is mayhem. The children must be able to walk to school or take some form of public transportation. 

Today we are celebrating new graduates, a new construction project, and a new school year about to begin!

Joshua Alima, Zaake Sserunjogi, and Deborah Kirabo just graduated with their two year certificates from Buganda Royal Institute (similar to an associates degree in the US). Joshua studied accounting, Zaake studied building and construction, and Deborah studied journalism & media studies. All three of them are now applying for the diploma program, which will be an additional two years of study. Each of these kids have come from incredibly difficult home situations, with little hope for the future. Through the love and support of their sponsors, they are now poised for success. We are so proud of them!

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Construction Update

We recently completed two small construction projects. We built a security wall on the upper side of the school to make it much safer for our kids by dissuading people from cutting through the school property. We also gave our House of Hope (our very first construction project!) some much needed love. A new water trench, a security gate, bathroom upgrades, and a fresh coat of paint have made a world of difference!

Our next project is going to be an open air dining pavilion for our school. We recognized the need for this when we were in Uganda last year. Currently, the students just take their lunch and sit wherever they can, so it will be so great to give them a specific place to eat! The most amazing thing is that we received an estimate of $10,800 to complete the pavilion (excluding tables and chairs), and God had already provided that in our construction fund. That is the first time we have been able to fund a project from the start, and that is because of the generosity and support of many of you. Thank you so so much!

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School Term

I have been receiving letters, school reports and new photos of our children all throughout January. Rest assured that I send them to you as soon as I receive them, so if you haven’t heard from me, hopefully you will soon! Many of our kids travel to the villages to spend time with extended family during the two month break, so we may not hear from them until next week when the new school year begins and they are back in Kampala. Just a reminder to pray for your children, and ideally, try to write to them once a month. They love to hear from you! (Also, please don’t try to connect with anyone over social media. We can’t have the kids or their caregivers having direct access to their sponsors for your own safety. )

We have received the results of our P7 students national exams, and they all did great! They all achieved a first or second grade, which is a testament to the strength of our teaching staff and the hard work of our students. Pray for our students and teachers as they begin a new school year. Our children face so many challenges, but this is a year of new opportunity and we are excited about what’s ahead.

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As we look to the new year, we also want to take time to remember and thank God for his many blessings in 2023. We have compiled a “Year in Review” document that you can find on our website here. We are so grateful for all God has done and continues to do through this ministry. He is so faithful!

I close with these sweet words from our Esther Nabawanguzi to her sponsor:

“Thank you very much for your daily support through prayers and school fees. I have completed my Senior 4 and I am sure that the one that started a good job in me will surely accomplish it. It has been a long journey but through it all you have never given up on me. May God grant you an everlasting joy to all your generations. This time around I want to read all of the Bible during my (two month) vacation and complete all of the books as I write down the revelations and lessons I have learned. Have you ever attempted to read all the books of the Bible? What is your favorite book and scripture (verse)? I pray for a beautiful new year of prosperity and elevation for you.“

Much Love,
Jan

P.S. We’re expecting a new group of children soon, so if you have friends or family interested in sponsorship please ask them to fill out a sponsor form here!

“For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins”

Col 1:13-14

Christmas is all about rescue. God set His rescue plan in motion when he sent His only Son, Jesus, to this world as a tiny baby. Born in a humble stable, this little baby would grow up to be the Savior of the entire world. I’m so struck by how we all need to be rescued. For our friends in Uganda, December was a month of rescue from hunger, from discouragement, from the bondage of sin, and from the hopelessness that poverty brings.

You have all been so generous with our Christmas in Uganda project, and God has taken your gifts and multiplied them to accomplish way more than we could have asked or imagined. Thank you for giving and thank you for praying!

Here are some of highlights and photos from the month-long celebration!

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Discipleship Fridays

On the first Discipleship Friday in December it poured the rain and some of the students were still in school, so only around 50 kids came to the event. However, on the second Friday, 321 kids came to hear more about Jesus! There were teaching sessions throughout the day, a big lunch for all, and the younger ones had a chance to play on the new playground in the afternoon. All in all, we had 861 students that attended our Discipleship Friday initiative, with 73 of those giving their lives to Christ. Hallelujah!

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Gifts for our V127 Children

We were incredibly excited to be able to provide personalized gifts for all of our V127 students. For our newly sponsored children, this was most likely the first time they had ever received a Christmas gift. Our team did a fantastic job of making sure the kids received gifts that contained both necessities and fun items. All of our kids received personalized water bottles, and all of our primary school kids (and some secondary) received a new pair of shoes! (This is amazing because many don’t have shoes or share them with a sibling) This photo of all of the shoes is one of my favorites of the season! Our primary and secondary children received personalized backpacks, & our higher education students received personalized sweatshirts. Many of the kids received new undergarments, and they all were blessed with chocolates, cookies, etc. The joy on their faces says it all!

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Outreach to the Elderly & Police Officers

This year we ministered to a new group of 70 elderly women in the widows network, and delivered gifts of food to them. We also gave gifts of 6 lbs of beef, 10 lbs of rice, 4 lbs of sugar, 9 lbs of porridge, a 2 liter soda, and bars of soap to 130 elderly families who came to the church, and 12 elderly families that couldn’t travel. Herbert said it was emotional seeing some of the older ones riding a boda-boda (motorcycle taxi) to get to the church to receive their gifts of food. For many of them, that would provide food for them for an entire month! We also gifted around 90 police families with a similar food package. Senior police officers (and many others) also received a live chicken! FYI…we bought 100 live chickens for $750. So if you gave just $30, you bought 4 chickens that will continue to be a blessing!

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Children’s Christmas Celebration

Our very talented children prepared songs and dances and took charge of the entire service at Victory Covenant Church one Sunday. The whole community came out to see them, and a big lunch was served to all!

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Community Leaders Christmas Dinner

There has been a real spirit of disunity and unrest in the area, so our team invited the  political and community leaders to our new multipurpose room on the 4th floor of our school for a Christmas dinner. Here they were able to dialogue about many areas of concern, and made some good progress! (It turned into a 5 hour dinner!) At this dinner they agreed to meet again in January to continue to discuss security, maintenance and road issues, and to work together towards a more healthy community. 

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Christmas Eve Shower

We were able to purchase 10 cows this year, which gave us almost 6500 lbs of beef to gift to our community. What a blessing! I know we take it for granted, but beef is a real luxury there. On Christmas Eve, the members of the church invited their friends and neighbors who needed food to come to the church to see Christ’s love in action. They just kept coming, and by the end of the night, 835 families had been gifted 5 lbs of beef, 5 lbs of rice, and 2 liters of soda! They were all so grateful to have food for their families for Christmas, and 35 people made new professions of faith!

Gifts of food were also given to our V127 families, church workers, teachers, & staff. In total, we fed 1245 families this Christmas season! And even more importantly, 108 children and adults started a new relationship with Jesus because of your gifts. Praise God!

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Large Group Wedding

Finally, on Dec 26th, Victory Covenant Church hosted a wedding ceremony for 13 couples who had been living together, but had been growing in their faith and wanted to honor God with their relationships. A church in Boston bought wedding gowns for all the brides, and we hosted a large reception for all of the couples and their families. It was a great punctuation mark on an incredible season of giving.

As you can see, God has gone above and beyond yet again this Christmas. We are so humbled by how thousands were blessed in Jesus name and the way that God’s love was shared throughout the suburbs of Kampala this year. Thank you so very much for all you did to make it possible. I can’t wait to see all that God has planned for 2024!

Much Love,

Jan

We are so grateful to tell you that our team is putting the finishing touches on the interior of the third and fourth floors of our primary school. We started construction of these two floors in Feb 2022. Through the construction journey God has continually provided resources and guidance above what we expected, and by completing these two floors we are about to double the size of our facility!

Here’s a look at Victory Covenant Primary school by the numbers:

• Founded in 2006 with 3 students
• Current enrollment of 244 students!
• 77 children at the school are part of Victory 1:27
• 14 Teachers
• 10 Classrooms
• 12 Washrooms
• 3 Administrative Offices
• 75 lbs of porridge served each week
• 185 lbs of rice served each week
• Number of students who love the playground – ALL OF THEM!

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How it started:

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How it’s going:

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Thank you so much to all of you who have prayed and given and sacrificed to make this possible. We are so grateful for you!

“Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; his greatness no one can fathom. One generation commends your works to another; they tell of your mighty acts. They speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty— and I will meditate on your wonderful works. They tell of the power of your awesome works— and I will proclaim your great deeds. They celebrate your abundant goodness and joyfully sing of your righteousness.”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭145‬:‭3‬-‭7‬ ‭

There is so much power in your story. Where you were born, how you grew up, the challenges you overcame or the opportunities you had – these components of our story define who we are and shape our perspective of the world. Every child that needs sponsorship has a story, often of extreme adversity and heartbreaking circumstances. This week we wanted to share a couple of those stories with you, from some of our most recently sponsored children. Despite the hardships in their lives so far, their stories are about to change for the better – because of you.

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Lynn, Elsa, & Lesli

Lynn (10), Elsa (11), and Lesli (12) love to sing and dance, and Elsa loves to play sports. Both their mother and father were present in their lives, and their story included a happy family with sibling dance parties and a “normal” home. In 2015, their father died of HIV. In 2021, their mother died of HIV. These 3 precious, happy girls are now orphans. Lynn now lives with one of their aunts, Naomi, while Elsa and Lesli live with their Aunt Martha. This month, all 3 are now sponsored through V127 and able to attend school together.

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Joshua, Josiah, & Andra

Joshua (2), Josiah (14), and Andra (15) are children of a local pastor, Julius Omara. Omara provided for the family as well as pastoring the church while their mom, Prossy, took care of the 3 siblings as well as an adopted child. On June 1st of this year, their lives took a tragic turn. Pastor Omara was stabbed to death by a neighbor (news article here) who was upset about land boundaries. Prossy is now widowed, attempting to care for 4 children, and still grieving the loss of her husband. Josiah & Andra are now sponsored through V127, and we’re searching for other opportunities to support their family.

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These stories are just a sample of the challenges these children face, circumstances that are almost unimaginable and obstacles that seem insurmountable. But God didn’t write a story that ended at the cross. His story is one of new life, love, and hope. Because of you, each of these children has new hope. Hope for education, community, food, and shelter. Hope that even though today may be hard, tomorrow’s chapter will be better. Thank you, thank you, thank you for being a part of their story. And now they, and this ministry, are a part of yours! The impact you have on their lives will go far beyond what we can predict, and God will use your love and generosity to do amazing things for His kingdom.

“We wait in hope for the Lord; he is our help and our shield. In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name.”

Psalm 33:20-21

Here’s a quick overview of the latest happenings in Uganda!

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Our New Playground

I shared with you last month that we were able to purchase some quality playground equipment to give that area of the school a much needed makeover. The kids were so excited when the equipment was delivered! The work has been ongoing and our team is putting the finishing touches on the project. Here’s a short video tour from our friend Joshua, who is one of our V127 administrators!

Shortly after that video was recorded we received word that the final touches are complete! The children are now able to play in a safe space that is bringing so much joy to their hearts and smiles to their faces. Praise God for answered prayer!

There are so many great pictures and videos of the kids on the new playground, it’s tough to choose! There’s one more video of them playing at the end of this update, filled with wonderful laughter and so much fun!

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Higher Ed Students

At this time of year our Primary and Secondary students are finishing up their second term of school, but many of our Higher Ed students are just starting a new semester or term of college/vocational school. We currently have 16 students in vocational school or college, studying a wide array of subjects, including engineering, agribusiness, accounting, welding, journalism, education, etc. These kids are able to continue their education through our Scholarship Fund, which supplements the child sponsorship donations to meet the costs of higher education.

As an example, Judith is studying civil engineering at Ndejje University. The cost to pursue that degree is $3700 per year. Her sponsorship contributes $420 of that cost per year, so the remaining $3280 is provided through our Scholarship Fund thanks to the generosity of all of you!

Our Melvin Ssempa is studying petroleum engineering at Mbarara University at a cost of $2600 per year, so we must raise $2180/year for him to be able to continue to go to school. Watch this short video to get to know Melvin and hear his heart for helping his community!

For our students in vocational school most programs cost around $1000 per year, so our scholarship fund provides $580 to add to the sponsorship total of $420. The amazing thing is that every time a Higher Education bill has come due, there has been enough in our Scholarship Fund to cover it! To God be the glory for his faithful provision! He knows your need too, my friends…just keep trusting Him! “But my God shall supply all your needs according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus” Phil 4:19

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What is the General Fund, anyway?

I thought it might be interesting for you to see a snapshot of how our General Fund was used just this month. We use this fund to provide for needs that aren’t specifically covered by our other funds, and to take advantages of opportunities that God provides that we weren’t expecting! Just last week we sent $800 for 80 of our primary kids to go on an educational field trip (they call it a study site tour) where they visited a mattress factory, a bread factory, an ice cream company, a recreation center, and the source of the Nile river!

What an awesome experience for many of these children who had never been outside of the slums of Kampala! We also sent $330 to cover the medical expenses for a few of our kids who have been sick, and $300 to support our two V127 administrators, Noeline & Joshua.

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Teacher Education

I mentioned in a prior update that the Uganda Education system is now requiring all teachers to have bachelor degrees in education within the next five years in order to continue teaching. Most teachers, and all of ours, have either certificates or diplomas in education from vocational school instead of a degree from a university. On a salary of $150 a month it is almost impossible for our teachers to afford to continue their education. Pastor Herbert believes that many schools will close in the next few years because of the lack of teachers that meet the new qualifications. We are determined that this will not be the case for Victory Covenant Primary School! Just this month we were able to send $2400 for five of our teachers to go back to school this semester. What a blessing! Thank you so much to those of you who are supporting not only our children, but also our teachers. If you would like to help provide a scholarship for a teacher through our Teacher Education Fund, you can do so here!

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Construction

I hope to have a video for you soon of the completed third and fourth floors of our primary school! Our team is working day and night to get it ready for the third term of school which will begin in just a couple of weeks. So exciting!

We are also praising God for providing the funds to build a retaining wall at Victory House. Another answered prayer! That was a very dangerous situation with the road literally washing away right above our property. Our team at Jericho construction has been hard at work building the wall. As you can see, it looks great and will make a major difference in protecting the property during the rainy season ahead.

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School Encouragements!

Most of our students are finishing up their second term of school, and school reports will be coming in soon. If you haven’t written to your child recently, please do so! They are beyond excited when they hear from you, and your words of encouragement in their very challenging environment can feel like water for their thirsty souls. Some have been sick and others deal with unimaginable circumstances on a daily basis, all while trying to make the most of this opportunity for education that you have provided. Pray that God will give you the words they need, and then take 10 minutes of your day to write them down and send them on! The web form makes it so easy to to write a brief note, send some encouragement, and let them know that you’re praying for them.  

Your words matter. 

Your prayers matter. 

You matter in the lives of these children. <3

V127 only exists because of the love, generosity, and prayers of all of you.

Praying God’s richest blessings on you today!

Much Love,

Jan

P.S. Who knew this many kids could fit on a seesaw?!

“I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago. I will consider all your works and meditate on all your mighty deeds.” Psalm 77:11-12

I am rejoicing today as I meditate on the goodness of God and the mighty works He has done. Remembering strengthens our faith and gives us courage to keep moving forward. I am remembering this very first photo we received of Mathias Matovu up in a tree! Behind his sweet smile was a cautious and shy young man who was carrying the weight of losing his father when he was young, and was living in extreme poverty with his mother and 2 siblings. He was in our very first group of V127 children and it’s been amazing to watch his growth and development through the years. Mathias has worked hard in school to take full advantage of the opportunity that he has been given. He is incredibly kind, thoughtful, grateful and very artistic. He just graduated with a two year certificate in Building and Construction from Nakawa Vocational Institute. We are so proud of him! He has decided to study two more years in the diploma program, and he is working on the third and fourth floors of our Victory Primary School (you can see him in action here!) during his breaks from his studies. Mathias is remarkable and he is a beautiful picture of what V127 is all about.

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The students at Victory Primary School recently held elections for student leadership positions. (We have 230 kids in our school, and 80 of them are V127 children) Eighteen of our students were elected to these leadership roles!  Here’s a list of all of our students who were elected. The Head Prefect is the manager of all the student leaders. The Head Boy/Girl serve as “assistant managers” of the leaders underneath the Head Prefect. Each role has specific areas of responsibility so that each student leader can contribute meaningfully to the operation of the school. If you would like to know more about their duties, please reach out to me! It’s so encouraging that these kids, who are going to be the future leaders of Uganda, are leading right now, right where they are! I’m reminded how important it is for all of us to use the gifts and abilities that God has given us to make a difference today, wherever God has us. 

1. Zaituni Nambulirwa – Head Prefect

2. Marvin James Ssebagala – Head Boy

3. Faith Namataka – Head Girl

4. Gracious Nakyejwe – Head Monitor

5. Desire Naginda – Education Prefect

6. Evans Wandera – Assistant Education Prefect

7. Peterson Namansa – Games and Sports Prefect

8. Whitney Nansubuga – Assistant Prefect Games and Sports

9. Derick Akampulira – Entertainment Prefect

10. Isaac Afaayo – Assistant Entertainment Prefect

11. Alpha Ainebyona – Health Prefect

12. Sifa Nabunya – Assistant Health Prefect

13. Rihanna Nabanja – Assistant Timekeeper

14. Michael Opio – Furniture Prefect

15. Florence Nangoba – Dormitory Prefect

16. Josiah Kule – Assistant Dormitory Prefect

17. Margaret Kwagala – Religious Prefect

18. Luke Akugizibwe – Assistant Religious Prefect

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The workers of Jericho Construction have been working night and day to complete the third and fourth floors of Victory Primary School. The floors are almost done, painting is ongoing, doors are being hung, bathroom fixtures being installed. It’s all looking so good! Currently, we have different classes sharing classroom space, and administrators sharing offices, so doubling the size of our building will be a huge blessing to everyone. Thank you for your prayers and investment in this project! Our next construction projects will be a much needed retaining wall at Victory House,  renovations at our House of Hope, and a security wall at Victory Primary School. (We are still working on the playground…more details to come!)

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Finally, I have some exciting news to share. Noeline, our long time administrator, after two days of labor and a C-section, gave birth to a baby boy named Jadriel Moels Matende. Noeline shared with me that she was very nervous to become a mother, but I assured her that she has many years of experience being a mother to so many V127 children! She does an amazing job of encouraging and loving on our kids, and fights for them at every turn. Jadriel is one very blessed little boy to have Noeline & Joel as his parents, and we rejoice with them as we celebrate such a precious gift from God!

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Just a quick reminder to pray for your child. They live in a land of extreme challenges to their safety and their health. If you haven’t written to your child recently, please take a few minutes to do so. I love this picture of Fatuma with the letter she just received from her sponsor. She is so happy!  Here is a portion of her reply…

“Hoping the Lord God is keeping you safe in his arms. Back to me, I am doing well by grace. It is my pleasure for your cheerful words of encouragement that are pushing me both academically and spiritually.  It’s my pleasure to let you know that our teachers are doing very well and that makes me glad that our school has a firm foundation in Christ. I pray that through your prayers together with me, God sees me and my friends through all of our endeavors. Be blessed. Remain in Christ Jesus, and May God Almighty grant you all that your heart desires.”

It’s been a month filled with many exciting V127 activities, as Pastor Herbert and his son Joshua spend time in the USA for a few weeks. (This is Joshua’s first trip to the USA!) It’s been a great time discussing refinements and opportunities in all areas of the ministry, as well as celebrating our V127 10 year anniversary, visiting churches, and connecting one on one with friends and supporters. We’ve also been trying to splash in some fun, with a trip to DC, Joshua learning how to bottle feed a lamb, and a visit to Sandstone Falls in WV!

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Our students finished their first school term in the beginning of May and school reports have been trickling in. Be sure to write and encourage your child in response to their report. They are working hard & they need your words of wisdom and support. The second term begins this week!

Our Julius Tamale, who is studying Agribusiness at Busitema University, was recently featured in the school newsletter! His ginger coffee is being touted not only for its taste, but also for its health benefits. Both of Julius’s parents died of HIV and 10 years ago, life looked pretty hopeless from his perspective. However, he has taken the opportunity that V127 has given him, worked hard, and is thriving in his field of study. We are so proud of him! (Let me know if you would like some of his coffee!)

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Thank you to those of you who have given to our playground project! The old equipment has been removed and the new fence has been installed. We are still searching for quality equipment to purchase that will last for many years of playtime, so continue to pray for wisdom and direction. All of the equipment we’ve found in Uganda is metal, and we would like to find something that will better endure the weather conditions, so we are looking here in the US as well. If you have any connections, let us know, as we have a contact in Boston that can put it in a container to ship it to Uganda. We will keep you posted!

The terrazzo floors have just been installed in the 3rd & 4th floors of Victory Primary School. We are getting so close to completion. Hopefully in the next few months we will be able to put in the doors, wall tiling, bathroom fixtures, and give it all a fresh coat of paint. The goal is to have it ready for use by the third term of this year, which starts in early Sept. So exciting!

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It recently came to our attention that due to government regulation all teachers in Uganda have to have a degree in education in order to continue teaching after 2028. Our teachers all have teaching certificates, but will now have to continue their studies to acquire a degree in education. This is a positive step, but as you can imagine, it’s also costly and challenging, as they will be working on their weekends and on the breaks between terms. Our average teacher salary right now is $120 a month, comparable to salaries at other schools in the region. Because of this new regulation, we are setting up a teacher education fund to help with this pressing need. For each of our teachers $100 a month will cover the cost of tuition as they pursue their degree. We have 14 teachers who need to continue their education (our Head Teacher Jane already has her degree), so pray with us for wisdom as we try to come alongside and help them with this latest endeavor. Pastor Herbert shared that he thinks a lot of schools will close as a result of this requirement, because there will be such a shortage of qualified teachers. We are determined that the great work God is doing at Victory Primary School will continue for years to come. 

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God is continuing to do some amazing things, with a donor who just committed to funding our retaining wall at Victory House, the renovations at the House of Hope, and a corner section of a security wall at Victory Primary School. These were all immediate needs that we identified when we were in Uganda, and we are humbled and overwhelmed at God’s provision through his people. 

Be encouraged friends…God loves you so much! In all of your challenges, know that you are never alone. Just keep trusting him…he is always working, and it is always good.

“Oh Lord, you are my God; I will exalt you; I will praise your name, for you have done wonderful things, plans formed of old, faithful and sure.” Isaiah 25:1

Much Love,

Jan

“The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble. Those who know your name will trust in you, for you, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you.”
Psalm 9:9-10

This weekend we celebrate the incredible sacrifice of our Savior at Calvary and the blessed hope of the resurrection. In that moment, Jesus defeated death and made a way for us all to live forever with Him in heaven. The resurrection changes everything! It brings HOPE in the midst of all of our trials here on earth. This world is not our home, and our eternity is secured! Hallelujah!

I witnessed that hope firsthand in the eyes of our V127 kids while we were in Uganda just a few short weeks ago. I vividly remember the emptiness and desperation in so many of them when they first came to us, but what a privilege to watch God transform their lives, one by one. I was able to spend time with many of our students who have been with us for the last ten years, since the inception of the ministry, and I was so encouraged by their passion, intelligence, and vision for the future. They are beautiful, kind, talented, and determined to change the cycle of poverty that has trapped them for years.

Now I want you to meet him 10 years later, as he is starting Senior 5 on a track to attend university. We recently received some very exciting news about his S4 national exam scores! He told me he would love to be a biomedical engineer or a neurosurgeon. We have no doubt that he will accomplish whatever he sets his mind to, and we will be with him every step of the way.

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Thanks to the generous gifts of several friends and supporters, we were able to send the funds for a new playground at Victory Primary School a few weeks ago. Praise God! Our team has been gathering materials and the work is scheduled to begin this weekend. What an answer to prayer! Our current playground is broken and very sad, but the old is about to be demolished and the new is coming soon. I’ll keep you posted!

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We came home from Uganda with a list of twelve new children needing sponsorship and I’m very excited to tell you that 11 of them have been sponsored. If you are one of those new sponsors, welcome to the V127 family and thank you very much! Only our little Elisha still needs a sponsor, (pictured here) so if you know anyone interested in sponsorship, please send them to v127.org/sponsor to fill out the form. We currently have 167 sponsored children, and we have helped 203 since the beginning of the ministry. That is only God and His mercy and His gracious provision for His children!

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Here’s a quick update on our construction projects, including estimates of the costs for current needs:

• A large retaining wall at Victory House – $7,300
• Renovations at the House of Hope (paint, boundary wall and gate, new bathroom) – $2,120
• Boundary wall around the back of Victory Primary School for security – $5,375
• Completion of the third and fourth floors of Victory Primary School – $18,600

This will all come out of our construction fund as God provides. Thank you for your prayers for provision and wisdom as we seek to meet the most pressing needs before us.

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I’m so thankful for each one of you. Have a wonderful weekend of celebration with your families and be encouraged…the same power that raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you!

“Ever since I first heard of your strong faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for God’s people everywhere, I have not stopped thanking God for you. I pray for you constantly, asking God, the glorious Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, to give you spiritual wisdom and insight so that you might grow in your knowledge of God. I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope he has given to those he called—his holy people who are his rich and glorious inheritance. I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms. Now he is far above any ruler or authority or power or leader or anything else—not only in this world but also in the world to come. God has put all things under the authority of Christ and has made him head over all things for the benefit of the church. And the church is his body; it is made full and complete by Christ, who fills all things everywhere with himself.”

‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭1‬:‭15‬-‭23‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Much Love,

Jan

Thank you so very much for your prayers as we journeyed to Uganda for the first time in over three years. It was a great trip! God assembled an amazing team that worked, sacrificed, and persevered through some difficult situations to make a lasting impact on our community there. The trip was exciting, fulfilling, challenging, heart wrenching, and at times even a little sketchy with the challenges of a desperate, desolate country. Here are just a few of the things I wanted to make sure to share from the week.

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Victory House

One of the most emotional moments for me was when we walked through the gate at Victory House and saw the completed third and fourth floors where many of our kids are boarding. The dormitories are clean, welcoming, cozy, and an incredible place for our kids to stay who have come from very difficult living conditions. Each child has a trunk for all their belongings (they have pictures of their sponsors taped to the inside of the lid!) and a sturdy bunk bed with nice bedding and mosquito nets. These dorms were only a distant dream when we were there before, but to see how God has made it a reality was overwhelming. So, so grateful!!

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Victory Primary School

Victory Primary School, just like our ministry, continues to grow taller and stronger. It was amazing to see the third and fourth floors of our school rising on the horizon when we pulled up there for the first time on this trip. These levels still need flooring and finishes and paint, but it’s all looking so good. We have 235 students enrolled in our school this year (80 of them are V127 children), so the additional classrooms and bathrooms will be a huge blessing. The large multipurpose room on the top floor is critically needed. We actually used it in its current state for a women’s meeting on Thursday evening, and for children’s church on Sunday morning! It will be so much nicer once it has an actual floor! That project will be hopefully finishing soon, as God provides the funds.

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Our Scholarship Recipients

It was one of the greatest blessings of my life to spend time with some of our students who were in our very first group of V127 children, and who are now in vocational school and college. Angel was telling us that she is the only woman in her class studying electrical engineering, and she is loving every minute of it and so grateful for all she is learning! Judith shared that she is one of four women in her civil engineering class at Ndejje University, and they call her “Little Engineer” because she is so small. Judith has been telling me since our first trip there 6 years ago that she would be an engineer, and her hard work is making that dream a reality. I’m so proud of her! Also, Pius shared how he is very excited to start vocational school to study journalism. These kids have come from the depths of extreme poverty to be intelligent, kind, amazing young adults who are realizing their dreams. It’s such a privilege to watch it happen. Our scholarship fund is enabling over 30 kids to board at secondary school, and around 15 to attend vocational school and college. Thank you to those of you who are helping us with the scholarships needed to make that possible!

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Teachers and Supplies

Our teachers were so excited when we opened the six duffels of supplies that we brought with us! They were playing with the puppets and learning new board games, loving the crafts, balls, and educational materials we brought. They clapped at everything we showed them! Thank you so much for helping us to provide them with many new toys and games that will enhance their teaching. They were also very excited about new name tags and personalized bags to carry to and from school. We are so grateful for our hard working teachers!

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Playground

I was incredibly sad to see the condition of the playground at our school. The fence is falling down and the equipment inside is dilapidated and broken. It’s a safety hazard and I asked Pastor Herbert to please take the equipment out before someone gets seriously hurt. We are hoping to enlarge it and get new sturdy play equipment as one of our next projects. That will cost around $5000, a significant sum when we’re still working to fund finishing the third and fourth floors of the school, but elementary kids really need a safe place to play! Please pray with me for God’s provision.

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Our Children!

I spent a lot of time with our kids talking about you. They wanted to know everything I knew about you! Derrick was asking how Jesse’s leg was feeling, Aaron was proudly telling me the names of every family member in his new photo, and Anisha couldn’t wait to show me where she put Charity’s photo in her trunk in the dormitory. They were all so excited about the letters and photos you sent. Thank you so much! They love you, they pray for you, and they are incredibly grateful for all you do. (And they read your letters over and over again)

Here’s an excerpt of a letter that our Jemimah just wrote to her sponsors. I was so touched by her words.

“Thank you for the love you have given me. I never expected to be loved by anyone since I am an orphan. I used to see myself as useless and not needed, but when you came into my life, that chapter was closed. You are always in my heart.”

The needs are vast and what we are doing is only a small drop in a very big bucket, but we will continue to do all we can to help those that God puts in front of us. I hear the Holy Spirit whispering in my heart “Just be faithful, one day at a time, and trust God to lead and guide you.” I believe He is whispering that to each one of us.

Thank you for journeying with us, for your prayers, and for being such an integral part of this ministry.

Much Love,

Jan

P.S. Our team also put together this video recap of our trip to share even more!