And today I am missing you all...

The wedding of Sam's daughter Rachel, and all the chaos that comes with a wedding has finally come to an end. We are reaping a few of the effects of after wedding shock but for the most part everything is going well. Today many of the boys are having stomach aches and Bosco may be coming down with the measles. It is our hope that in the near future we will get a water purifier here at the home. This investment will cut down tremendously on the sickness of the boys and girls here.

Speaking of water, our bore hole (or well) is in desperate need of repair. If we do not get the repair done soon, we are going to have a “crisis” as Sam has said. The nearest water hole is a pretty far distance away and would require a lot of time and energy to transport all the water needed for the home. Plus, some of the income needed for basis everyday things like firewood, transport, milk, and tomatoes will cease to exist if the bore hole is broken. In other, more positive news, a fence went up around St. Thomas, our Nursery and Primary School. Some fencing was left over from the wedding so the school was able to benefit from the festivities!

Joe Hedrick, a very dear friend of mine from Lipscomb, has just returned for school. His presence here with the boys and the support he provide me will be sorely missed. He was here for the last two months and helped out more than I can describe. He will be returning for his senior year of college and to pursue his music career. With all this going on in his life, he has still committed to the home and has agreed to begin a non-profit that will directly benefit Dorcas Children's Home. If you know anything about anything in regards to beginning a non-profit, please contact Joe and give him any advice you may have. Please refrain from sending any discouraging notes as we are not ready for ridicule and negativity. Joe's email address is: hedrickjd@mail.lipscomb.edu

Chris has returned in one piece and the boys were ecstatic. Thanks to the support of everyone back home, he was able to come with all of the supplies we have been needing for quite awhile now. A huge thanks to everyone who took the time out of their busy schedules to help us out. The kids have enjoyed all the letters, gifts, toys, clothes, school supplies, and medicine. You all have been such a great support to the work being done here.

This morning, our two visitors from Spain and Czech Republic taught the kids basic language lessons. Mikal and Dosha have been here a week now and will be continuing on towards South Africa soon. The kids really enjoyed the new vocabulary. This afternoon we plan on doing games focused on team work and of course gobs of fun. Laura, a friend of Chris, is here from Canada. She will be leaving on the 4th of September. She is a very talented artist and has been teaching many of the kids how to paint. Which they are loving by the way. Currently, she is redoing the library so it is more kid friendly. We are looking forward to this new addition to the home very much. Also, we have just had a meeting concerning a woman in New York who is putting on an art exhibit. She has requested that our children do art to showcase at the show. All of the money made from selling the art pieces will come back directly to the home! What a great fund raiser huh!?! Laura has begun to put together ideas that will be related to the culture here but will also be appealing to crowds in America.

Besides the non-profit, the art fund raiser, new language lessons, and the coming and going of volunteers here, we have been working on some new and exciting ideas as well. We are trying to put together enough funding to bring all the kids to America for a one to two month tour of traditional music and dance. We have a phenomenal teacher and just recently a professional drum set was donated to the home thanks to Joe. Also, we have been really praying about the need for school improvement. So we have been working with others to fund raise for school needs. And last but definitely not least, we have been brainstorming and beginning conversations with the board members and different organizations and individuals concerning Sam's retirement. He has agreed to stay on another year, but with just one year and so much work to be done, we need to be conscience about the change and working toward a positive new director. Lately we have been chatting with a great group of people with Cornerstone, a local NGO. I will keep you updated on how these conversations turn out.


Here is a recent letter that has been sent out regarding the latest project here at Dorcas:


To those with the best interest at heart for Dorcas Children's Home,


As we write this letter sounds flood our ears. The sounds consist of drum beats, dancing feet, clapping hands, and small voices raising in song. The boys have a dream of one day performing that which they have worked so hard for. What is it that they have been working on you may ask? Great question. We will be privileged to inform you.


The children at Dorcas Children's Home are training and putting together a beautiful performance of traditional dance, music, and song. These children were born to perform. More than that, they deserve to be heard and deserve to be seen. There is more than a good show to put on, but a powerful story to hear.


We are writing to you because we know that you know and care about the lives of Bosco, Meddy, Juliet, Reagan, Abudul and many others. We need you and want you to jump on board. Here is the plan we are concocting: Take the boys and girls to tour in America to share their talents and their story, get the word out about Dorcas Children's Home, and give the kids a rare opportunity to travel and learn.


Our intended tour goal is April and May. Currently we are getting help from Sessanga Juliet, a very talented and well-known musician, performer, and teacher. She has agreed to train the boys and girls to the best of her ability and prepare them for the demands of the performance lifestyle. By December, we will have passports, visas, costumes, and flight details worked out for all of the group to come to America. Kami will be returning to the states in January to organize the tour state side and arrange for transport, performance times, lodging, educational tours, etc.


Here is where you come in to the picture. We are somewhat handicapped geographically from here in Uganda. Since we are in a third-world country with no financial resources at our fingertips, we must branch out and request the assistance from those with resources. That is the beauty of differences in people. Without people from all walks of life and in different circumstances and situations, nothing could ever be accomplished effectively.


First, please think and pray about whether you would like to be involved in the process of fund raising for this exciting dream. We cannot do this without alternative funding due to the strain it would put on the home's ability to provide food and school fees. We also do not want to put any unnecessary inconvenience upon you. It is the hope that we allow this to fall into place as God allows it. We do not want to push something that is not in God's will.


Fund raising can take many shapes and forms, whether it is in the shape of a benefit dinner/concert or in the form of a percentage of proceeds from your personal business. Our support is behind you 100% and we want to work with you to see that you have all the information and documentation you need to make fund raising successful.


The amount of support you have given to Dorcas Children's Home already is phenomenal and we cannot thank you enough. Let us know if you have questions and feedback.


With love and joy,


All of us here at Dorcas Children's Home