Malaria, Jiggers, worms and HIV

It has been a tough week for many children at the Christian Mission Academy. I am praying for them all so hard. The jigger removal was scheduled for Monday Tuesday Thursday and Friday 6 children each day.   On Monday only 4  children went,  they are embarrassed and teased by other children for having jiggers.  Several children and teachers were also treated for malaria, high fevers, respiratory illness and infections.
The Staff at Show Mercy are so amazing, Thursday when they went to the school they brought teddy bears for the kids that had jiggers,  12 children came forward right away a teddy bear was worth the teasing!
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April a child that visited the clinic was identified as potentially having HIV. Her mother did not want her to be tested she did not want to know. We counciled her and convinced her it was the best thing to do.
The family of 4 were all tested, the mother and the young child are both HIV positive her sibling are negative.
This mother is devastated and filled with fear. Her already bleak situation in life just became unbearable.  They need transportation to go to a clinic for treatment they need support. I have no idea what the cost of treatment will be but I promised the mother that I would help her and her family through this.

The children will all be treated for worms again the end of June.

I need to raise money to cover these expenses if you are willing to host a jewelry sale or sell jewelry /crafts to help please let me know.  Any donation any support will help.

I know it seems like there is no end to the need and this is true. BUT we are making a difference, we have rescued many children from slavery, they are still in school. This month we rescued a young girl from being sold into marriage.  20 children are in secondary school ,4years ago  no child  at the school made it to the 7th grade. The first group of girls I met in 2008 are mothers at 15. This year our graduating class is 24 and we have  students graduating from middle school.  They attend a school they are proud to attend. They have been on a field trip, and we are planning another end of the year trip.  These children now have the ability to dream of a future with possibilities. 
Together We are Loving a Village one child at a Time.

Who is Sandy Gannon?

Many sponsors  and people in my email contact list have never met me and have no idea who I am.  I have received several  questions.   Here is my attempt  to give you a little background about me, and show you how God can use anyone to do his work. There are SO MANY GOD moments in my life this is just a  highlight of few that I thought would be helpful for you to understand who I am and how God is using me to answer prayers in Uganda. 

I am one of eight children  I am the third oldest. We grew up  very rich in love but money poor family.  We faced many struggles.  Including loosing our parents very young, my youngest sisters were still in high school.  At the end of my parents  lives we lived in a project that even the police did not like to go into.  My job was at a store outside the project,  I was held up by gun point 6 times, I  had  even had a sawed off shot gun held to my head  this all happened over a  2 month period.  A car was driven through the front door of the store  on Thanksgiving,a group of kids jumped out to steal cigarettes. I was at the cash register and just missed by the door.  I was 17 at the time.  Growing up we always knew we were loved deeply by our family and God, but we also felt we were never valued much by anyone else. I think this realization is where my passion for the kids in Bakka stems from.  They are beautiful human beings loved deeply by God but they are  viewed as disposable to the world around them.

Through out my life I always believed in God and prayed.  It is amazing to look back and see all the answered prayers.   Many situations I have no memory of how we got through but prayers were answered.  Most of my prayers started “Dear God,  Please”   In 1996 when both my husband and I were unemployed I spent  many hours praying.   During one of my prayer times I was filled with the Holy Spirit and told by God that I would be educating young black children.  At the time I thought it must be working with a friend in Roxbury.   This moment was so intense I called Pastor Chris to share.  I was as light as air and I felt like my feet did not touch the ground.

A few months I later was hired at Net Works OnLine  which later became BrassRing. The day I interviewed I knew I had the job and it was God’s will.  A part- time night job paying $8.00 an hour.  I was confident that this is what God wanted me to do. I came home from the interview and told my husband I had the job and it would take me as far as I wanted to go. ( No one had told me I was hired yet)  I was a little concerned that I needed to earn much more to provided for a family of 5; the pay was only a quarter of what I had been earning.   My prayer “Dear God, Please provide me with a job that will provide for my family”   This job lead to employment for my husband and sisters and many friends that became family.

The memory of educating young black children faded.  Several years later I was the Director or Operations and Recruitment Services managing a remote workforce of 1200 people plus a 3 shift  7 day a week operation.

In 2003 I changed my prayer style.  I started praying the Prayer of Jabez.

 1 Chronicles 4:10.   Jabez called on the God of Israel saying “O that you would bless me in deed and enlarge my territory, that your hand would be with me and that you would keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain!  So God granted him what he requested.

My friend Mary told me “Sandy stop praying this prayer it is too big.” LOL I had no idea!

In 2006 God answered this prayer  and showed me the plan he had for me in 1995, but I did not realize this until 2009.    Pastor Frank Mukiliza from Uganda found his way to my church Trinity Covenant Church in Lexington.    He talked about many things, but when he talked about children living in  the village  of Bakka that could not attend school because they were naked. God told me fix this!  I started right away gathering clothes to ship.  We sent 17 box filled with clothes, and  school supplies etc,  they were shipped by ocean liner and took 9 months to arrive. 

During this time 3 members of TCC church went to Uganda.  They came back when I saw the pictures and video of the children at Bakka I knew God wanted me to do more.   God told me to go to Uganda.   This was a real stretch, I never really desired to travel internationally, I did not have a passport, my husband was out of work again and we did not have the money. I had never left my children.  I told God all of these reasons, he told me to go.

In May of 2008 I went to Uganda  and the village of Bakka, my life will never be the same. It was the most intense experience, the Beauty of Gods Spirit among the disease filled hungry children that have no value to the world. Two very extreme emotions feeling God’s Glory and  at the same time feeling the depth of his sadness and pain.  If God showed me this, and I walked away and did nothing,  what would judgment day be like for me.  I promised  God and these children that I would do everything in my power to help them.

Easter morning 2009 when I was  praying while working on this project,  God told me "I answered your prayer." Yes he had expanded my territory and also my family.  The children at Bakka are now my children, that I  am committed to  work  for day and night.  Having 400 children that need to be fed, clothed and educated really stretches my comfort zone.  

The day in 1995 when God told me I would be educating young black children has come to fruition.  WOW I had no clue!  When I was filled with the Holy spirit it was so powerful it seemed so clear at the time but had faded as life happened.

 God  told me to do public speaking, ask for donations.  My response, “God   I am the quiet behind the scenes worker; I nearly faint when I have to speak in front of anyone. How can I do this?” I don’t like to ask for directions how can I ask for money   To  this day I still do not like public speaking, but when I talk about the children in Bakka I have no fear!  God is speaking through me, I have a hard time limiting my talks to the amount of time given.  Being used by God is powerful he has much to say.

The school budget is $3,000.00 a month.  This feeds the children, pays the teachers salaries,  and pays the secondary students school fees.  I have to ask for money or we won't  meet this budget.  Stretch Goal :)

My day job as an Implementation consultant for Human resource software takes a 10- 12 hours a day 5 days a week.  I have a husband and 3 children (now all three are in college) Before 2008 I had never been on a mission trip before not even in the US.  I have many excuses no time, no money, no talent.  But God uses me anyway.  

The trip  to Uganda is long and expensive ~24- 25 hours of travel, 10 days of vacation time. Personal cost is around $3,000.00 most of that being the plane ticket.   In the past I had a sponsor for my trip. He is no longer able to fund my trip so I need to fund raise to help cover some of  the expenses.  

My goal is to raise ~$5,000.00 this will cover a special meal  meat, rice , beans, soda and cake for the children of Bakka .  And a gift for every child- The gift is a nylon back pack with school supplies.

Any donation will help!  $3.00 will pay for one childs meal.  $10.00 will pay for a gift.

Checks can be made out to and mailed to Trinity Covenant Church 7 Clematis Road Lexington 02451 Attention

Sandy Gannon

Loving a Village One Child at a Time

Love, mom sandy Gwoyagala

CMA June Update

Christian Mission Academy

Update

June 2013

http://sandysugandaadventure.blogspot.com/

Our trip has been scheduled – we will be leaving early morning September 29^th returning on October 8^th

  During past visits it has been a joy bringing gifts and pictures for the sponsored children from their sponsors. The gifts have been passed out in a small group.   The other children are still aware this is happening; the disappointment in there eyes is overwhelming. They are wondering why they don’t have a sponsor. Why they have not been picked.

This week I received a letter to a sponsor the child wrote.  “My mom told me that you chosen me from the whole school”   This child feels very special; and she is;  but so are all the other children.

This year every child will receive a gift. A drawstring backpack with school supplies in it.  Donations of $10.00 per child would be greatly appreciated. Help make every child feeling special.

 

The sponsored children will also receive a drawstring backpack and in the back pack will a be any small gift and pictures  the sponsors want to send with me.   Please try to get them to me by the end of August. 

I am in the process of coordinating  every child  receiving  a letter with pictures. Some girl scouts boy scouts plus kids from Pilar Orphanage in Mexico have volunteered to write some.

Every child receiving a  Mosquito net project will be completed this month.

We  raised enough money for every child to receive a pair of shoes. Thank you to everyone that donated to make this happen.

 A follow-up evaluation of the hog project was conducted last week. Most families have benefited  from the project.  Many families are blessed and excited  that their hog is onto its second litter.  Many  hogs are expecting their first litter.  Many have  “good looking” healthy hogs.  A few families lost their hog during the rainy season; the result of  swine flue and other health related issues. Several piglets were eaten by dogs. Only 1 family was identify as not caring for their hog properly. The project is still giving!

In April we learned that Miracle, a 14 year old girl; was no longer allowed to attend school. Her guardian wanted her to get married. Miracle was not  happy about this and ran away a couple times. We were able to talk the guardian into letting Miracle return to  school and not get married.  If Miracle was not sponsored no one would be asking about her. She would now be married and probably pregnant.  

My schedule

July 10^th I will be speaking at Gathering For Hope at Grace Chapel in Lexington. Selling Amakula Products.

August 15^th -17^th Attending The women’s Triennial in San Diego California

 Amakula product will be sold at the Market Place)

September 1^st week 3 kids going back to college

September 14^th Hosting “A Taste of Uganda” .  This fund raiser will help cover some of the cost of the trip.  ~$3,000.00 per person. More information at the end of the update.

September 16th – 18^th- ECC Womens Retreat  Amakula product will be sold at the retreat.

September 17^th a volunteer will be selling Amakula at Arlington Town day.

September 29^th Leave for Uganda on an early morning flight leaving for the airport around 5am.

If you are willing to sell Amakula products at a Town day or craft fair please let me know! Or  you know of an opportunity for me to sell Amakula product or speak at an event let me know. 

We need 115 children sponsored to meet the monthly operating budget for the school.

 81 children  are now sponsored.  The Amakula jewelry sale and fund raising events are making up the gap.

Loving a Village One Child at a Time.

Donations can be mailed to

Trinity Covenant Church  7 Clematis Road Lexington MA   Attention Sandy Gannon.

Love,

Mom sandy Gwoyogala

The children have returned to school!

 Miracle returned to school.  She has been saved from an early marriage (shes only 14). She missed the entire first semester she was moved back to the 6th grade.  I am praying she continues to attend.
Another child in the7th grade will be going into a trade school instead of middle school.  

Second  pot for  the cook- (It is as big as she is)
The benches arriving
The baby class in their seats
New drain system for the school

We are in the process of planning our visit.  I have 3 suitcases packed!  Every child will receive a gift!  I am working on that.
I am also hoping that more children will be sponsored we are still at only 80. June is going to be a difficult month to meet the budget because I have no fund raisers set up which is how I usually meet the budget.