As the year 2015 comes, this is a message for us

As the new year comes in, we bring to you our Christmas messages of hope and we pray that in 2015, we all- people of faiths, and of none, politicians and religious leaders, rich and poor alike-will allow the vision of a world transformed by love and hope to influence us in all we say and do.
We pray that we will look beyond selfish ambition and the scoring points, beyond the narrow interests of ethnicity, nationality, political party, denomination or religion and instead focus our world and the things that make peace and development.
During troubled times, families should cherish the importance of children. For some people, New Year is rather a sad time. It’s a time when we are conscious of the passing of time, of those who are no longer with us; a time to look back to happier times; a time to be nostalgic. But we must not remain locked in our memories, however bittersweet they may be.
Let New Year also be a time when we look forward with renewed hope. Coming just a week after Christmas, we still have the words of angels ringing in our ears, the promise of peace on earth and good will among the people of the earth.
In the past year, we have been blessed with very many things irrespective of challenges amidst us. Nothing is more important and more worthwhile, more socially and economically necessary to pray, cherish and love little children. All children of whatever ability are rich in unexplored promise. Strong, secure, loving families, wherein each member is loved and respected, are the given ideal within which children may grow and fulfill their potential.
So, let’s celebrate and support family life where it seeks to build children up and encourage each other to cherish and respect the gift of new life. Meanwhile, we encourage people and families to have hope, despite the disappointments, bad news about the economy and what note. It’s therefore vital to create structures and conditions that support and encourage wholesome family life. Let’s get our first priorities right- our first concern should be to nourish healthy family life.
In the current climate, it’s all easy to be pessimistic and to focus on the negative, but if we invest in strong bonds of family and friendship, if we build up communities that care, we will always have good reasons to hope.

Http://childrenshopeugand.blogspot.com
Restoring Hope to the Hopeless
By;
Levis Katwesigye
Managing Director
Children’s Hope Uganda
Mobile: +256 775158763
Email: katlevis2000@live.com


By supporting CHU, remember to click on the link below. By choosing the option for others on the list of where your donation could serve, add a message "For Children's Hope Uganda". All your support comes directly to the ministry.
 http;//plantaseed.org

Some of the recent pictures of Children's Hope Uganda

 It was an awesome day at the lake. Lord, take these children back.

 Kids having some fun.

 On our way  back from lake Bunyonyi

 Some more fun as kids enjoy games.

Kids pose for a photo standing on top of water...Haha!

 These are a few of the products produced by children under Children's Hope Uganda. You could support us by looking very smart with such items.

Here, we had Kellie Smith, senior coordinator of outreach teams Azusa Pacific University visit us this months.

“He is not here; he has risen” (Matthew 28:6)

“He is not here; he has risen” (Matthew 28:6)

On behalf of Children’s Hope Uganda, I would like to extend Easter wish to all that support us and the world at large.

"Christ our Light will scatter the darkness in our hearts, especially in times of trouble or challenge or burden, where we might feel hopeless or lifeless. He will scatter the darkness and bring us hope."

"My hope, prayer and wish are for us all. "That the Light of Christ will scatter the darkness that we see from murder and violence and racism, and that we will become a more peace-filled family, open to Christ being our light."

We liken this time, the period of three days including Good Friday through Easter Sunday, as a journey that individual Christians can all share in.

"Literally, an opportunity to spiritually walk from Calvary and the crucifixion, accompanying Jesus as He carries the cross to His death. And we wait at the tomb and see the light when the messenger from the Lord comes and says 'He is not here. He is risen.'"

"We really do have the opportunity to walk that journey from the Agony in the Garden, to Calvary, then to the tomb, and then to see the tomb, have the stone rolled back...and we are told that He has been raised from the dead."

While Christmas tends to be the Holy Day, or holiday that gets most of the public attention in the liturgical year it's actually Easter that is really central to Christianity.

"Easter really is the foundational feast of all that we believe in. Because, if Jesus had not died and been raised from the dead, we would not be His disciples, we would not claim Him as Messiah. So, this really is the core feast of our faith as Christians."
 

When there is no food in the store or granary, it is not good.  When our stomachs are empty, it is not good.

Most of the time we think when something is empty that it is not good.

Yet, the empty tomb of Jesus tells us that “empty” is not always bad. The resurrection of Jesus from the dead makes Jesus unique from all other people in history, especially other religious leaders. No one else has ever risen from the dead, except Jesus. Only Jesus has returned from the grave and he will never die again.

But, the fact that the disciples and many others saw Jesus after his resurrection, and we have eye-witness accounts of those experiences, proves that the empty tomb is more than just an empty space. Indeed, it is proof that Jesus was raised from the dead.

Yes, Jesus died. But, he overcame death. Death did not defeat him. Jesus’ resurrection demonstrates that he is more powerful than death, which is the most destructive force in the whole world.

So, my sisters and brothers, if you are “in Christ,” you, too, can defeat death and the many destructive forces working in the world today. In Christ, we have victory over dysfunctional relationships; victory over bad habits; victory over painful experiences; victory over sexual temptation;victory over greed; and victory over devastating circumstances.

If you are ‘in Christ,” you are not a victim. Jesus’ resurrection from the dead means you never have to be a victim again. The power that raised Jesus from the dead can transform you from being a victim to being a Conqueror.

And, my friends, it’s not just about conquering poverty. Resurrection power is so much more.  It is about overcoming greed, jealousy and revenge.

It is about overcoming sexual abuse, lust, addictions like pornography or alcohol, greed and corruption.

We are not powerless to address these challenges in our lives!  Jesus has conquered death; He is victorious.  And, in Christ, we too can be conquerors and victorious.

So, we ask you this Easter, if you are really in Christ” We are living in very interesting times in Uganda. We Ugandans are grateful to the President for signing into law the Anti-Homosexuality Act. We must assert our sovereignty and do what it takes to protect our children from being recruited into an immoral life and exploited by others.

Yet, as much as we are concerned about the vice of homosexuality, it is not our most pressing issue in Uganda. Our biggest challenge is greed.

Only a right relationship with God through Jesus Christ can put greed to death in our country and see generosity rise in its place.

The United States government and several European countries have decided to cut aid to Uganda because of our support for the Anti-Homosexuality Bill.  I urge our government not to back down.

At the same time, I urge every Ugandan who supported this Bill to lay down greed; to lay down corruption.  Put them to death, and let generosity rise up within you and flow out in abundance.

If employees stopped embezzling money and ghost teachers stopped being paid and the practice of giving and receiving bribes stopped, we could not only replace the aid that has been cut by these countries, but even rise above it and go beyond it.

My friends in Christ, we are not victims. We are more than conquerors because Jesus is not here – “he has risen.”

We send greetings to all leaders especially the President of Uganda, and the parliament, members of the Judiciary, our brothers and sisters in Christ, Clergy, and all Christians in the whole world

We wish you all a joyful Easter.  May this Easter be a turning point in your life and in our life as a family. May this Easter bring to you love, the love full of passion and compassion as we restore hope to the hopeless.

Your most

Levis Katwesigye

Director Children’s Hope Uganda

A guide to all people who may wish to volunteer with Children's Hope Uganda

Important

Please, follow our volunteer guidelines if you love to volunteer with us as follows

 Children’s Hope Uganda Network

Orphan Care Standards

Our goal is to help our network partners set a new, revolutionary standard for orphan care in third world countries.  Applying current, proven best practices in orphan care; working for the best interest of the children and orphanage staff in the context of the Christian gospel; and observing national laws, the cultural background and ethical values of our national partners. The following is an overview of our network standards of care for partner orphanages.

Children’s Hope Uganda Standards of Care are grounded in a Christian worldview, which affirms that:

• Year of the Lord (Isaiah 61)
• Each child is unique and created in the image of God (Genesis 1:26-27, 5:1)
• There is a tender place in God’s heart for orphans (Deuteronomy 10:18; Jeremiah 49:11; Psalm 146:9)
• God calls the church to care for and protect orphans (James 1:27; Exodus 22:21, Deuteronomy 24:17; Deuteronomy 24 – 26; Isaiah 1:17)
• Orphans are invited by God to enjoy a full and unhindered relationship with Him (Mark 10:13 – 16; Matthew 19:13 – 15; Luke 18: 15 – 17)
• Each child is born with inherent and unique gifts, abilities and callings
• Care and services are best provided in the context of God-honoring relationships with the ultimate goal of helping each child fully realize his or her God-given potential
• Orphanage staff are highly-valued and equal ministry partners, also created in the image of God with unique gifts, talents, abilities and callings

We believe that at its core, comprehensive orphan care:

• Affirms the dignity and worth of the child
• Provides equal, unhindered access to basic social services
• Advocates to protect the child and his or her inherent rights
• Meets a child’s core emotional, physical, cognitive and spiritual needs
• Helps children become hopeful, self-reliant, contributing members of society
• Is best delivered by God-ordained institutions such as churches, families and schools empowered to be the primary means of Biblical care
• Is rooted in the gospel’s mandate to “make disciples”/Christ-followers, or children who learn to fall in love with Christ and commit to following Him for a lifetime

Children’s Hope Uganda Network’s Standard of Orphan Care

Each orphanage should strive to establish and meet minimum, and then increasing, degrees of the following components of orphan care:

Staffing

Every orphanage should establish reasonable guidelines regarding:

• Low child : staff ratio
• Minimum and desired staff qualifications including:

ü  Education

ü  Background check

ü  Signed statement of faith

ü  Evidence of spiritual growth

Security

Children thrive in a safe, secure and loving environment, which for an orphanage means:

• Clearly communicated rules and responsibilities for a child’s role in the orphanage community
• Clearly explained daily schedule
• Clearly communicated and fairly administered methods of discipline
• Ability for a child to appeal to higher or other levels of authority
• Clearly explained staff positions and responsibilities (as would happen in a family)
• Physically secure buildings

Dignity and Self-Worth

To affirm their God-ordained dignity and worth, every orphan should be ensured:

• A birth certificate
• Celebration of personal special occasions (i.e. birthdays, graduations, etc.)
• Access to counseling to help heal from past issues regarding abuse, neglect, and other forms of emotional brokenness
• Appropriate privacy (i.e. that bedrooms and bathrooms would be age and gender-appropriate)
• Clean living areas
• Clean, fitting and appropriate clothing
• Privileged responsibility to take an active role in helping sustain the orphanage community (i.e. chores as in a family)

Childhood Expression and Development

To promote children’s physical, mental, social and emotional health each orphanage should provide:

• Adequate time for free play in a safe environment

• Opportunity for structured and unstructured sports and recreation
• Clean, safe recreational facilities such as playgrounds, gym equipment and play areas
• The means and opportunity for children to express themselves through art
• Ways to explain, affirm and celebrate the children’s cultural heritage
• Music, dance and drama

Education

In order to discover the world God created and how they were designed to operate within, and eventually contribute to the world, every child should receive:

• A high-quality preschool, nursery school, primary school, and  secondary school education taught by educated, trained, certified and fairly-compensated teachers within low ratio student : teacher classroom settings
• Skills and gifts assessments
• Vocational training opportunities
• Timely delivery of special needs education and services for children with disabilities
• Tutoring and peer assistance when needed
• Opportunities for vocational and/or college scholarship programs

Transition Assistance

Upon reaching the age of 18, every orphan who is transitioning out of the orphanage should be assured of:

• Assistance in securing employment
• Assistance in locating housing
• Regular follow-up by orphanage staff for 3-5 years to ensure successful transition
• An open, welcome invitation for orphans to keep in contact with friends and staff at orphanage during transition

Environmental Standards

To ensure a child’s physical well-being each orphanage should have:

• Adequate sanitation
• Clean drinking water
• Healthful food
• Structurally sound housing

Physical Needs and Health Care

To ensure a child’s optimal physical development and adequate access to health care means that an orphanage should provide children with:

• Annual physical evaluations
• All required immunizations
• Access to immediate first aid for minor illnesses or injuries
• Appropriate, timely medical treatment for illness or injury with local medical staff for moderate or major health issues
• Balanced, nutritious meals as prescribed by a certified dietitian
• Clean drinking water

Life skills

To become confident, capable adults every orphan should receive age-appropriate teaching, reinforcement and encouragement in:

• Personal hygiene
• Communication skills
• Conflict resolution
• Money management
• Dating
• Goal-setting and decision-making
• Civic responsibilities
• Community involvement

Orphanage Operations

We believe that in order to provide orphans and other vulnerable children with high-quality, scripturally-inspired care orphanages should:

• Be financially transparent and accountable to a local Board comprised of diverse members of the local community
• Be committed to integrating biblical principals in all aspects of orphan care
• Be encouraged, supported by, and accountable to, a local Christian church
• Have well-trained, supported and compensated staff
• Maintain and communicate clear lines of authority as a staff
• Maintain positive working relationships with local community, government and other orphanages to decrease the stigma of actual or social orphaning and to solicit local involvement in orphan care
• Establish and maintain well-documented procedures for orphan care and conflict resolution

Daily schedule

6:00 AM-7:00AM	Children take breakfast/bath
7:00 AM-5:00 PM	School Time
5:00 PM-7:00 PM	General cleanliness/games
7:00 PM-9:00 PM	Homework/revision
9:00 PM-10:00 PM	Suppertime/TV time/hang out
10:00 PM/beyond	Light off and sleep

Some Ideas for Helping Out

• Sponsoring a child/project activities
• Helping in feeding children. 
• Teaching English. This could be through reading books, singing songs, helping with English activity books, or any other creative idea that you might have
• Teaching Math/Art/Songs/Dance/Music (there is a guitar available to teach on)
• Help to clean the rooms
• Help to wash the laundry
• Help to feed the animals
• Help with ongoing construction and maintenance if any.
• Helping out at the farm if any
• Giving haircuts to the boys
• Meal preparation
• Gardening
• Interior/Exterior Painting

Some Gift Ideas for the Orphanage

Please check with Vincent before distributing any gifts for the children.

Please know that you are “NOT” required or expected to bring gifts of any kind.  However if you wish to bring gifts or donations, here is a list of helpful items to donate:

• Vitamins/proteins
• Stationary for school/project
• Clothing (for warm climate)
• Children’s shoes
• Playing materials

In many cases, it is most efficient to purchase items while in Uganda, and then donate them to the ministry.  Items such as fresh milk and eggs are always in need, and any donation of these items would be greatly appreciated.

HOW TO BECOME A VOLUNTEER

If you are interested in volunteering at Children’s Hope Uganda, please, contact Levis Katwesigye at katlevis2000@live.com

Please, give a brief introduction about yourself, and the date(s) that you would like to come. Briefly explain how best you think you could contribute to Children’s Hope Uganda as a volunteer to change lives of many. Are there any special talents, skills or something specific in mind you would like to share with the children? If coming with a group, how many volunteers are expected?

Please, do not forget to include your contact information. The scheduling process may take some time, so, endeavor to contact us at least two months before your tentative visit.

Volunteers at the ministry are requested to sign and abide by the volunteer guideline included below,

If you wish to stay for an extended period of time to volunteer, we ask that you fill out further paperwork that includes additional guidelines and agreements.  Please contact Levis Katwesigye for more information.

VOLUNTEER GUIDELINES AND AGREEMENT

Thank you for your support of Children’s Hope Uganda. We hope that your experience here will be mutually beneficial and rewarding for everyone involved.

Since the focus of Children’s Hope Uganda is the welfare, protection and hope restoration for our children, we ask that you follow the few guidelines during your stay. Be aware that at any time, your volunteering assignment may be terminated if you fail to comply with the volunteer guidelines set herein.

Our goal is to create a safe and loving environment for the children of our ministry that promotes their learning and spirit of togetherness. Be aware that your presence at Children’s Hope Uganda will have an impact on the children, the ministry itself and the community at large.

Volunteers shall not take or allow children or any other person from the ministry into their guestroom, or leave the home or school alone with a child or a group of children or any other worker/member of the ministry under any circumstance. Please, conduct yourself as a positive role model to the impressionable children around you.

Please, note that Children’s Hope Uganda shall not be responsible for your stay as a volunteer or for any illness, injuries incurred or any other medical advice. Children’s Hope Uganda shall not be responsible for the loss or damage of personal property.

We thank you for your time and effort spent in helping to enrich the lives of the children at Children’s Hope Uganda. We hope that it will be a fantastic experience for all involved and the Lord will be changed forever as our motto says “Restoring Hope”.

I have READ and AGREE to the guidelines set forth in the volunteer agreement and am aware that failure to adhere to it is a valid reason to terminate my volunteer assignment.

Print your name (as on the passport):

__________________________________________________________

Sign____________________________date_______________   

Arrival date______________________Departure date_________________


Witness Signature___________________________ date_______________

Witness name (printed)__________________________________________

Witness address________________________________________________

January, February and March report for Children's Hope Uganda

January/February/march REPORT

We would like to wish our family around the Globe a prosperous New Year 2014. We congratulate every reader and well-wisher always on our side and thank on behalf of Children’s Hope Uganda everybody who has spared a minute or two to say a word of prayer to our ministry or share it with a friend. The Lord has really heard your prayers and we would want to share the following with you.

School

We would first of all thank everybody behind the schooling of a few kids for the far you have taken them. I would like to express out that Breanne and Natalie have abducted the two boys they sponsor from our ministry to another home on 23^rd, March 2014. This has been a result of their kids thinking that whatever is eaten and all that we use at the ministry comes from their sponsors and that it belongs to them. After meeting their sponsors, they told them that they do not eat, they sleep outside, and we eat their money while they are getting nothing.  They added many things and their sponsors sheepishly changed their minds without reasoning and torching their hearts if they have sent any money for rent or the food they have been feeding on. It happened and those two boys sold 50kg of rice when I had gone to the hospital for treatment early January this year.

The rest of the kids in our ministry are doing well in the programs we have and very soon with your support and help, we could enroll them in different schools or in our own that we hope to start next year. The kids have been studying since early February and holidays start immediately after Easter and they will report back for a new term Early June 2014.

Sponsorship program

We are grateful to inform you that we have had people confirm to sponsor individual kids though not all of them have got yet, but 20% of them now have sponsors who have already started giving monthly support for them. This is very important and we need more people on board to support the kids in this way to be able to cover all of them. We ask for $35 monthly for each child. This caters for school fees, scholastic materials, lunch for the every weekend programs for all the kids, and as well feed the care taker and cooks who remain at the centre full time to protect our kids.   

Health

It’s on this note that we inform you that my health (vision bearer) at the beginning of this year was bad. I was ill for the whole of January and part of February. My sister has helped me a lot by staying with kids in the house up to now. She has been cooking, washing utensils, clothes for the young kids and making sure the young kids are clean. Very soon, we shall get a center mother and my sister would go back home.

We have also had one of a kid with Asthma. Every kid is well. No more worms because we ensue timely deworming every three months. With cleanliness, all kids are improving generally. We pray that everyone gets what to use like towels, tooth brush, tooth paste, bathing soap, sponge, sandals, a bed, beddings, a metallic bag to keep their belongings safely. With all these in place, we shall be at greater heights. On top of this, we need a first aid house kit for the care taker to attend to any emergencies just in case one arises.

 If anybody can support us with the above items to support 15 kids, it would be of a great help.

Sports

We love and wish to be active in sports to keep and strengthen talents of the kids. You could sponsor us with any kind of sports materials because our kids are passionate for sports but lack playing materials. With such playing materials, we would greatly be the best in sports.

Project                                                                                   

We thank everybody that has taken the interest in supporting our ministry through prayer, or help or letting a friend know about what we do. We have received $350 dollars that we used to acquire mattresses and provide food from Carly and her teammates students from APU. We have received another bunch of $370 that has provided rent for three months (November- January) all by Courtesy of our dad David Bixby. We have received $630 dollars again from David Bixby and Rhonda Thatcher. All this was to provide special meals this Christmas season and other supplies. . We received another bunch of $500 in February this year all from Dr. Dave. This was as well to pay for rent for months February, March, April and part of May but much of it was used for food supplies. We remain in need of your support to keep the ministry moving well.  We have by God’s Grace received a PAS through plant a seed organization where every support would pass through their organization to Children’s Hope Uganda with a negligible tax and hopefully very soon, we shall meet with plant a seed that  would get you with the accountability of your support both financial and material support.

We have so far acquired a few fixed assets that you may witness with your eyes and they include;

1.      7 beds for the kids

2.      15 pairs of bed sheets

3.      3 jerrycans

4.      2 dozens of cups

5.      2 dozens of plats

6.      A set of four dishes

7.      Swizzers and brooms

8.      3 charcoal stoves

9.      6 Learning charts and six novels

1.  2 buckets

1.  3 basins

1.  5 saucepans

1.  1 goat

1.  2 Knives

Our current needs for Children’s Hope Uganda include;

a.      Bigger fenced house with ample space for games and sports as well as projects

b.      Food for the kids

c.       1 Center mother

d.      More beds to cover all the 15 kids

e.      Bedcovers/blankets for 15 kids

f.        Clothes for kids

g.      More sponsors for the kids and projects for sustainability of the organization

h.      Health covers for the meantime

      Dinning tables

And the following are the challenges we face;

a.      Lack of income generating projects

b.      Feeding children with quality food

c.       Housing children (house rent, water and electricity bills)

d.      Lack of government hand

e.      Recruitment of the ones in need

f.        Increasing number of orphans and other vulnerable children into the project

g.      Indiscipline of the kids full of lies and other sorts of bad things

h.      Lack of income to address

                                I.            Beddings

                              II.            Clothes

                            III.            Shelter

i.        Assorted materials

j.        Medical care

k.      Lack of partners

We would like to inform you that we have applied for the certificate of incorporation with the government of Uganda. A visit was made by the government officials from the ministry of health and probation offices and we were tasked to review our standards as prescribed by the government and we have been accepted to work as a community based organization in Kabale district (Uganda). We have been allowed to operate as we wait for the certificate.

We are very much excited to inform that we have held the first board meeting that comprises of six members and the rest (3) members are directly from the health, probation office, and local councils 3, 2 and 1.

Two of the board members have met Breanne and Natalie whom we expected to be the visitors to our project and kept coming taking two boys out and finally took them out of our project without our knowledge. This is against Ugandan laws and is a case (abduction) answerable.

 On this note, allow me to inform everyone who is ready or willing to volunteer with us to follow our volunteer guidelines in order not to terminate our volunteer agreement before time.

We would like to inform you that we have 8 kids in the house we are in. Very soon, we will be joined by five other kids who urinate on beds. They are staying with one mum that is training them to stop the habit. The rest (2) kids are staying with my mum and they will as well join us very soon. Our next board meeting shall be focusing on opening a nonprofit dollar account where all your donations and support would be wired to. We shall have two signatories for any funds to be released from the bank

Pressing Needs

The kids having been resettled, there is a need to buy them a set of clothes, 2 pairs of bed sheets, beds and a pair of shoes.  These are really so much needed at the moment to supplement what we already gave them to complete our planned package for them.

Once again, individual sponsors are in our daily prayer requests.  Come up and be our answered prayer.

Continue to pray that we acquire income generating projects. This would support us in one way or the other in case of any emergency or at times when funds delay and above all for sustainability of our ministry. You could sponsor one or two projects for sustainability of our ministry.

There is still need for rent until the ministry acquires its own buildings. We urge you to support us generously with a house rent of $150 per months, $50 water and electricity bills, and $15 dollars per day to provide meals to 15 kids. And with this, we shall be enabled to reach the next phase we are looking forward to achieve. 

Conclusion

Its on this special that we thank all those who pray for us and support us financially, especially Dr. David Bixby, Rhonda Thatcher, Berbera Moser, Dee and others plus plant a seed organization for giving us a PAS through to Children’s Hope Uganda. For it is the reason we are today. We very much appreciate your partnership and support, and we pray that you will be blessed the more so as to continue being a blessing to us.

Compile by Levis Katwesigye

                Project Director

                 katlevis2000@live.com