"Will you be my Valentine?"

I don't know about you, but we had a great Valentines Day around here! What a sweet opportunity to talk more about what love means, how we are called to love others and how deeply He loves us! Through out the week we talked with them about how Jesus chose to love people - no matter if they were kings or lepers, no matter if they seemed like they had it all together or if He met them in their most desperate moment, no matter if they we're steady and true or doubting. 

And we learned about John 15 and how Jesus talks about love :

"I've loved you the way My Father has loved me. Make yourselves at home in My love. If you keep My commands, you'll remain intimately at home in my love. I've told you these things for a purpose: that My joy might be your joy, and your joy wholly mature. This is My command: Love one another the way I loved you. This is the very best way to love. Put your life on the line for your friends." (John 15:9-15)

 We decided we wanted to make it a special day and celebrate with them what its all about - joyfully thanking God for His love for us and that we get to love our friends and family!  

So we had a party. Complete with each child receiving an invitation, asking for their presence (even though it was literally 10 steps from their bedroom so I don't think we could have kept them out of we tried!)! We got dressed up (pulled out a bag of fun necklaces and jewelry, the girls went wild!), we made and gave valentines to each other, we had ice cream which is something they never have  (EVERYONE WENT WILD!) and we danced! Let me tell you, there was some pretty amazing dancing happening! Put 12 kids and 8 staff in a small room dancing and you work up some serious sweat! Here are some fun pictures of our night together, hope you can join in our fun!

 Lots of dancing - mzungu and Ugandan style! Waka Waka was a favorite of the night and I believe played about 6 or 7 times! Throw in some slow dancing (something the kids asked for!) and some break dancing (complete with a few head bonks and stepped on toes) and you got yourselves a great mix!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 LOVE FROM OUR FAMILY TO YOURS!

The kids are getting really good at silly faces! Now its a struggle to get them to have "normal" smile in pictures, they like the ridiculous ones way better!

(All PHOTES ARE COURTESY OF KAILEY JENSEN)

Meet Emma!

Meet Emma!

Meet Emma!

When Emma came to us, he had an inguinal hernia but through surgery and lots of love, he is doing great! He has a very fun personality and even though he is small in size, he doesn’t let that stop him from trying to keep up with the big kids! He loves affection and is most definitely a cuddler. Emma loves reading books with Aunties, shading (coloring), playing outside with toy cars and watching Veggie Tales! He is inquisitive and is learning to recognize shapes and colors. He loves laughing and the joy Emma brings to our home is infectious!

 History

Emma (a common boy’s name in Uganda) came to us only days after Christmas this year (a fantastic present for us!)! Both his mother and father passed away from AIDS soon after he was born. His grandparents took him but because they were ill often and growing older, they weren’t able to give him the care he needed. A local government official made us aware of the situation and we felt that he should come to Rafiki and get the care and love that he desperately needed!

He was one of over 3 million destitute, orphaned children living in the streets and slums of Uganda. But Emma is NO longer one of these children because he is now part of our Rafiki Family where he receives all the love and care he needs!

 Funky Facts!

Favorite… 

 Color: Red   Animal: Giraffe

Food: Porridge

Game: Tag      Activity: Chalk

What do you want to be when you grow up?   Boda boda driver (motorcycle)

 Volunteer Corner     

 The kids have started picking flowers when we go on nature walks and giving them to all their aunties. Emma (3 years) is super small, and our youngest, so I carried him for most of the walk. On the way home, he picked a yellow flower for me and said, “Auntie Rachel, this is the flower (long pause)… of Jesus.” Wow. I cried a little, and of course I kept the flower.

                                                                                                         

                                  By Rachel Couch

                                  Resident Nurse/Child Welfare    

                         

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  For the next few weeks we will be posting stories of all the kids here at Rafiki Africa Ministries (RAM). We want to give these kids a voice. There are more struggling kids here in Uganda than anyone is able to count. Here are the stories of 13 kids who's lives were changed by God through the work of RAM. We want to make you a part of this work, there is so much love and joy overflowing out of the Rafiki Home and we want you to experience this through these stories. We hope you can get to know the kids through these updates and we pray that you will fall in love with them just as we have. Be a part of the changes God continues to make in the lives of these kids. Make a difference. Spread the word.

 Rafiki Africa Ministries

Back to School...

School here in Uganda is a little different then what some of us are used to. They have 3 terms each year, the first one begins in February and goes through April, the second is May through July and  the last term is August through November. Throughout the year, they have 2 short holidays lasting about 2 or 3 weeks and one long holiday extending from end of November through beginning of February. 

 

Each school has its own uniform with boys wearing shorts or pants and a button up shirt while the girls wear dresses or skirts and button up shirts. Everyone is required to wear long socks and black shoes. It makes it interesting getting the kids ready for school in the morning because everyone has the same clothes but different sizes, it can get a little crazy! 

 We are blessed with being able to send our kids to the local school that is just a few blocks from our home! Each morning the kids line up at the gate and we walk down the red dirt road to take them to school – sometimes it looks like a bunch of little ducks following there mama and other times it feels like an explosion of firecrackers with the amount of energy the kids have! This year we have 8 kids in kindergarten classes, they all go for the morning and then we pick them up at 12:30pm to bring them home. Our 3 oldest boys are in 1^st,2^nd and 3^rd grade and they remain at the school until 4pm, when we go and walk back with them.

 

The week before the new term begins we start getting everything ready – with 11 of our twelve kids here at the home in school it takes us a little time to get organized! We send each child to school with a bag filled with the following :

-        Pencils / Sharpener

-        Crayons

-       Notebooks

-       Ream of paper

-        4 rolls of toilet paper

-    Brooms

 

 Education is priceless and yet its also one of our largest expenses here at Rafiki. With our children’s committed sponsors, we are able to ensure that each of our children receives an education and an opportunity to change their lives forever. 

 Education is a key piece of empowerment. With the absence of a strong economy and stable social structures here in Uganda, a developed skill set and being able to think critically are invaluable for people attempting to thrive instead of simply survive in an unstable economy. We want to make sure that our children are able to work hard and be strong leaders of their country – be it in the home as mamas and papas or in the business sector as bankers, as doctors or lawyers, carpenters and mechanics, as business owners and government officials.  We want to stop the cycle of poverty and desperation, starting with our kids here at Rafiki and education is a vital piece of this. 

It’s one of my favorite parts of the day when the kids come running into the gate, all excited to share about what they have learned that day… Whether it be a new shape, counting to 30, reading a whole book or a difficult math problem, its amazing to watch their minds expand as they learn and share it with us! It brings to light how

 precious our minds are and how we have the joy and responsibility 

of raising our kids to respect knowledge, seek wisdom and develop creativity! 

By Kailey Jensen 

Assistant Administrator 

Our New Van!

EXCITING NEWS! We just purchased a new van for our ministry - allowing us to travel with all our kids, staff and short term volunteers to the many places we need to travel to each week! Between airport runs, weekly grocery shopping, trips to the clinic, 1 or 2 community outreaches weekly, church every Sunday as well as the multiple errands a week - we depend on our transportation to get us all the places we need to go!

BUT to get this new van on the road, we need to raise $2,500 for maintenance and repairs, purchasing 4 bench seats AND seat belts as well as registering the vehicle!

If you want to help with getting our van ready to go, you can donate through PAYPAL or send a check to our US office! ALL DONATIONS ARE TAX DEDUCTIBLE! http://www.rafikiministries.org/give/donate/

 

 Thank you for coming alongside us and helping to meet the needs that constantly arise! We are so thankful for your support and encouragement!

Meet Carol!

Meet Carol!

Carol is very tiny but that doesn’t stop her from trying to keep up with the big kids. What Carol is missing in height, she more than makes up for with her personality She’s overflowing with energy and constantly on the go, playing outside, helps washing dishes or folding laundry – she loves being around people! Last year she was learning colors and shapes with her Aunties at home but yesterday she started kindergarten! Inquisitive and bright she loves learning and is excited about reading books all by herself! Carol has a gentle heart and loves to cuddle and give kisses, she brings so much personality and joy to our home!

 History

Carol was abandoned by her mother and father at birth. She was living in poverty and was severely malnourished, at 2 ½ years old she barely weighed 17 pounds. She was living at an orphanage that was over maximum capacity and wasn’t receiving the care she needed before she came to us. She was one of over 3 million destitute, orphaned children living in the streets and slums of Uganda. But Carol is NO longer one of these children because she is now part of our Rafiki Family where she receives all the love and care she deserves!

 

Funky Facts!

Favorite…  Color: Blue    Animal: Lion

Food: Chicken and Rice

Game: Tag      Activity: Nature Walks

What do you want to be when you grow up?   I want to be a princess!

Volunteer Corner     

Little Carol loves to dance! Every night at devotions she dances for the Lord with such passion. She praises with such devotion. I love watching her getting everyone involved in the dancing; taking everybody’s hands, one by one, and jumping around with them for just a little while to spread her joy. Her little body was made for the Lord and anybody could tell you that by the way she lives! With Carol, everyday is a new experience, every hour a new story to tell, and every moment a chance to live!       

Carol is so full of life! Her smile is infectious and her laugh is contagious. She is so full of joy and love and I can’t help but try and experience her amazing world!  

                                             By Stephanie Madrid

                                                 Childcare Worker

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For the next few weeks we will be posting stories of all the kids here at Rafiki Africa Ministries (RAM). We want to give these kids a voice. There are more struggling kids here in Uganda than anyone is able to count. Here are the stories of 13 kids who's lives were changed by God through the work of RAM. We want to make you a part of this work, there is so much love and joy overflowing out of the Rafiki Home and we want you to experience this through these stories. We hope you can get to know the kids through these updates and we pray that you will fall in love with them just as we have. Be a part of the changes God continues to make in the lives of these kids. Make a difference. Spread the word.
 Rafiki Africa Ministries