Christmas dinner

Christmas Dinner-December 24^th

The estimate is the 280 children attended the Christmas Dinner. They had a Christmas Service filled with stories and prayer. They shared a cake  had soda and a meal of rice, meat, dried fish, matoke  and g-nut(ground nut or peanut) sauce.

2013 year in review

2013 has been a year of incredible joy and deep sorrow.

We met and exceeded most of our goals for this year. 

Medical Care

The year  started with great sadness Pastor Deo's  11 year old son died of malaria. It infected his brain before they could afford to have him treated.  In Uganda you must pay for treatment or they will not treat you. 

With this heavy on my heart and filling my daily prayers; God  answered providing another blessing and connection.  Show Mercy opened a medical center not too far from the school. All of our children and their families can go to Show Mercy and be treated at no cost to them, they send the bill to me. 

All children are de wormed every semester.  We provided treatment for jiggers (insects living in their feet)  To help prevent jiggers, we provided every child with a pair of shoes.  

The result is the children are healthier.  In 2008 these children did not own a ball, this year they won the district tournament. I could visibly see the difference during my visit their stomachs were not as swollen and their skin had a healthier glow.  

This connection was scary for me, how was I going to pay the bill when it comes in.   Since we started there was only one month that I had not raise enough funds when the bill came in.  So I prayed for 3 days, on the third day I sent one email.  In the email I asked for assistance paying the bill. The immediate response, they were going to pay the entire bill.

Another situation that brought me deep sadness a young child in the 1^st  grade was consistently sick.  The nurse at Show Mercy suggested that the child be tested for HIV.  The mom did not want to have her tested, she did not want to know.  We assured her that we would provide for her and care for her. The entire family was tested.  The mom and the young daughter are both HIV positive.  We are providing monthly food and transportation to the medical clinic where they receive their treatment.    Two other families have been identified as being HIV positive .  We are providing the same care.

To help prevent malaria we provided every child with a mosquito net

We also provided every child with a pair of shoes  to help prevent jiggers.

Piggery

We started the year  purchasing a going out of business piggery.  This included 48 pigs many were pregnant. We gave them to families that were prepared to care for them.  The condition was that they must give 4 from the first litter to 4 other families. The gift that keeps on giving.  This gift has been a blessing to so many families.  During our visit we saw and learned more about taking care of pigs than I ever imagined.  The 192 families have been  blessed by the gift.

In the past we had purchased some families goats .  When Cathy’s Grandfather heard we were in the village and looked  for us until he found us. He wanted  to let us know how grateful he was and thank us for the gift of a goat.  They now have 4 goats which are providing milk and income for the family. 

The Visit

When we visited every child received a gift,  a back pack with pens, pencils, pencil  sharpener eraser and other trinkets.

Another note area of sadness 2 young girls were sold into prostitution. During our visit we were able to rescue one, but later learned she is pregnant.   We are praying over how best to handle this situation. Winnie we are still trying to find.   This is heartbreaking.  We have rescued several girls over the years and the pattern is they are sold between Christmas and February.  I am planning on going in February this year to try and prevent this from happening.  Donations would be greatly appreciated to help support my  trip.  Cost $3,000.00 most of that is air fare.

School Changes

Working towards being a Government recognized school.  Every classroom has benches / chairs and the teachers all have desks with cabinets.  We hire a second cook and purchased very large pots.  We also hire 3 new teachers that are certified.  2014 we are hiring 3 more  qualified teachers and creating a new position for Esther.  Her new role will be overseeing all the children for health care and following up if they are not attending school. 

An end of year very generous donation was made to build a bore hole at the school.  This project should be completed by the end of 2013 early 2014.

The school year is ending with many celebrations for the children

1. Speech Day on December 6th, the children sing dance and perform for their parents and receive their report cards to find out if they are promoted.
2. The school field trip on December 13th 
3. Christmas Eve Dinner on December 24th.

I will be posting 2014 goals after spending time in prayer!

Loving a Village One Child at a Time!

Love,

Mom Sandy Gwoyagala  (my Ugandan name)

The story of the well at the Christian Mission Academy.

God's plan is perfect and he places people in the right place at the right time. 

  I am a member of Zontas, Women for advancing Women around the world.  The end of October I attended the convention in Bedford.  It was an amazing weekend.  Zontas women are doing amazing things locally and around the world!

One evening at dinner there was a gentleman at our table.   I was talking about this project,and through divine intervention he was seated at my table.  Five days before we met, his mom told him she wanted him to help her find a way to build a well in a third world country without a lot of administration fees.  

You will all see the rest of the story unfold.  

Show Mercy at work at the Christian Mission Acadamy!

Thumbs up for deworming!

Posted on November 22, 2013

This morning Kristy and I headed out to Bakka. I called up one of my trusted boda drivers, Hamsa. He came to pick us up and drive us to Christian Friends Academy. I love the boda ride to Bakka. Fresh air blows through my hair as I look up to see a beautiful view of eucalyptus forests amongst the hills and valleys. Fresh rain last night ensured it was lush and green! Villagers are out and about as we cruise by. We wave and respond to the chanting “Bye Mzungu!” (white person) with a Lugandan greeting “Muli Mutya!?” (Hi, how are you!?).

As we pull up to the school the teachers have already arranged the students in lines by class. The children here are getting to know us as we come every three months to deworm them and many of them have visited our clinic as well.
Today we were there for the deworming program. A majority of the population in third world countries is effected by intestinal worms. They get into the intestine through the mouth from uncooked or unwashed food, contaminated water or hands or by skin contact with infected soil. Parasitic worms can consume as much as 20% of what an infected child ingests!
The treatment is simple! One chewable tablet of a drug called Albendazole. This can be taken every three months to treat this specific intestinal worm.
Today there were 301 students at school. They all got dewormed!


We are so grateful for our partnership with Sandra Gannon and Trinity Covenant Church. This partnership enables use to provide health care to all students and their immediate families! What a blessing!

CMA November 2013

The end of the school year is fast approaching the children are taking there exams this week, plus being dewormed.  Next week they will be writing letters to their sponsors and creating crafts, baskets, mats, chairs and more. I asked for them to send pictures. I plan on purchasing some of their crafts to sell!

Their end of year field trip will be on the 13th of December. Please pray for good weather safe travels and peace for the chaperones.   Thank you to everyone that made this happen!

The children will be visiting

v     Coca cola,

v     Shumuk group of

v     Mukwano group of companies 

v     A polythene (plastic) bag recycling company.

The  Christmas eve the children will have their Christmas meal~ the cost is $1200.00 $3.00 per meal.  The meal consists of meat – rice – sauce- cake  and the special gift they all look forward to a soda.  Many children will save their soda or some of their soda to bring home to share with their family. While we have not raised all of the funds yet I am praying we will. Thank you to everyone who contributed.

Show Mercy  Medical Center Treated 70 children and family members for a wide variety of illnesses, abbesses, infections,  Chicken Pox and Measles  plus 41 malaria cases.   We will investigate vaccinating all of the children.  The  monthly bill $419.00.

They will all be dewormed in the next week or so before they leave for their holiday.(digging on the land)

89 children sponsored ! The children now receive a meal of rice every Friday.  When 114 children are sponsored we will be able to  improve the quality of their meals.  

I am forwarding the information for 15 children that need sponsors.  Please pass them on.

It would be an answer to a child’s prayer to know that someone  in the US cares about them!

love,  mom sandy  gwoyagala  (my Ugandan name)

SandysUgandaAdventure.blogspot.com

Face book  Sandra Gannon

Twitter @Gannon_sandra

In the News

            This article is in the Lexington Minuteman today.               

          Human Trafficking Victim Recovered by Trinity Covenant Members

A 14-year-old Ugandan girl named Rachel was rescued from forced prostitution and slavery through the efforts of Sandy Gannon, a member of Trinity Covenant Church in Lexington, during a recent trip Gannon made to Uganda.  Gannon was visiting the homes of children who attend a school in Bakka, and while at Rachel’s home, Rachel’s father received a phone call from her.  Gannon was able to convince the father to ask for Rachel’s return.  A day later, Rachel returned to her home. 

The definitions of “family” and of “orphan” differ greatly between the United States and Uganda, Gannon said.  In Uganda, an “uncle” may be any man who plays a role in a child’s life.  One of Rachel’s “uncles” had sold her for $25 to someone in the sex trade.  Rachel’s father saw this as a way to reduce the number of mouths to feed.

Gannon and Trinity’s Pastor, Christopher Haydon, and Todd Klipp, another Trinity member who traveled to Uganda in late September, decided that no money should exchange hands to reclaim Rachel, because doing so might encourage more children to be sold.  Instead, they offered to provide food for the family each month.  Gannon also reminded the family that Rachel would be able to help support her family for many years in the future if she got an education.  She also told them that free medical care is provided for the students and families that they live with, at a nearby medical clinic run by Show Mercy. 

In Uganda, families may agree to take an orphaned child, but there is no government money to help care for the child and no oversight of the home. Children that we regard as orphans are often given to families in the village, who may use them as servants or even sell them.  The prevalence of AIDS and extreme poverty has left many children with no loving families, Gannon related. 

Many children are taken in to be put to work or to be sold.  Rachel is one of the 90 children currently being sponsored by Trinity members and others in a program set up by Gannon.  A child can be sponsored for $25 a month.  A sponsorship gives the child a mosquito net, shoes, school fees and supplies, and a meal at school every day.  “Sponsored children have the added benefit of the oversight by The Christian Mission Sponsorship Program to keep them safe,” said Gannon.

Another sponsored girl, 14-year-old Winnie, is still missing, but Gannon is working with people from the Kampala church who run the school to try to locate her and bring her back.  A third 14-year-old girl, Miracle, who ran away several times to avoid being forced to marry, was brought back to her grandmother’s home through Gannon’s efforts.  Food and medical care were promised to the grandmother if she would keep the girl at home and in school. 

Anyone interested in sponsoring a child or making a donation to help prevent children being sold into slavery may contact Gannon at:  s-gannon@hotmail.com  or visit her blog sandysugandaadventure.blogspot.com

By Nancy E. Leskiw

Loving a Village One Child at a Time

A question I was asked not too long ago.  "Sandy is there going to be an end to the need at Bakka?   It is a bottomless pit with no end in site."
While the need in Bakka is overwhelming and very disturbing to witness.   We have made a change and we are providing hope. The families and children may be in a bottomless pit but when they look up now they see light.
We started working in Bakka in 2008.  No  Child had ever graduated from the school,  there were no children in the 7th grade.  The older children's eye's were dead, they had no hope, they did not even know how to dream.   In 2010 we had our first 3 students graduate from CMA. They now going in to the 11th grade.   We have a total of 15 children in secondary school.  This year our graduating class has 22 student in it.   Last week they were transported to another school to take an entrance exam.  A requirement  to determine if they would be qualified to go to middle school.

When I visited our secondary students this year they gave me this letter .

To Mummy Sandy

Letter of Appreciation

Dear Sandy, I greet you in the name of the almighty God and how is your Life? We are okay with our studies at school.

We humbly appreciate you for all things you do for us and we are very happy with you dear our mummy. Most especially in paying school fees and other school requirements like recam.  Definately  we all look a vibrant life because of what you have done for us.

To be precise, we are very glad to that and we are having nothing to do except excelling well in academics

May God bless you,

From your children

at Mwebeza High

It is my hearts desire to give every child the hope  and dreams of continuing their education after the Christian Mission Academy.   It takes a Village to Love a Village.   When the children start school in February every child will need a uniform and school supplies.  $100.00  each $2,200.00 

As always 100% of your donation goes support the children and their families.

 

Dear supporters friends,  

I thank you all for your the support provided!  2013  had been an amazing year filled with miracles, joy and hope. During my visit in 2012 God gave me a task that was incompressible to me. Improve the children’s health.    I prayed made the commitment tried setting things up, tried to raise funds to visit in February. None of the things I worked on were successful.  BUT  God was so faithful in answering my prayers. In the Spring of 2013 we connected with Show Mercy International.  

Show Mercy built a medical center in a village not to far from Bakka.  An arrangement was made.  The children from the Christian Mission Academy, their siblings, parents and guardians could all go to Show Mercy Medical Center and they would not be charged. I would receive the bill

All the children were treated for worms, any child with jiggers, malaria and any sickness could go to Show Mercy and  be treated.  We provided every child at the school with a mosquito net, every child received a pair of najina shoes.   This is wonderful all the easily treatable diseases taken care of.

Now the hard stuff started surfacing, I knew it was there but there were no faces connected with it yet, HIV.   A child 5 years old had been at Show Mercy very sick every week.  The nurse at Show Mercy told me she should be tested for HIV.    The Mom did not want to face the pain and the stigma having  HIV would add to the already desperate family. 3 young children and a  struggling mom.   After a commitment from me that we would provide, she took her family to be tested.  When the results came back she was devastated.  She was HIV positive and so was her young daughter just as suspect by the Nurse at Show Mercy.  She now knew what took her husbands life.   This family is now provided with food and transportation every month.   The cost of this care $60.00 per month. This provides food that they NEVER dreamed of being able to afford, but will help them from being ill from the treatment.

Fundraising for 400 children and all their family  receiving medical care is not a small task. Fundraising to providing food for the 3 families identified with HIV monthly is also not a small task.

In addition to medical treatment I am also working on protecting children from being sold traded or arranged marriages.  This is also not a small task. I feel very strongly that I need to go to Uganda in February when the children return to school.  This is when most children do not return and we have to spend a year trying to get them back.  I will be on the ground and working on it.  An American on the ground can make a difference, 3 out of 5 children have been returned during my visit.

100% of the funds raised go where they are dedicated. This project has NO OVER HEAD,NO ADMINISTATION.  100% of your money goes where it is designated!

My time is volunteered, my vacation time is used for my trips.  I need support for my airline ticket, the place I will stay.~ 2800.00

 Please consider sponsoring me in the work that I do or donating.   

If designated to a specific item pictures will be provided

Medical treatment $5.00

Mattress $25.00

Blanket $25.00

Food for a family $60

Sponsorship $300 per  year $25.00 per month

Sandy's visit any amount will help:)

 Loving a Village one Child at a Time!

Much love,

Mom sandy gwoyogala

Amazing Journey and the next steps

My trip to Uganda  in October was absolutely amazing.   Rescuing Rachel - confirmed she has returned to school.  HIGHLIGHT of the week!

Catherine's grandfather heard I was in the village, an looked for me.  He wanted to thank me for the goats our project provided for him. They now have 4 goats and one of them is pregnant.  The gift of the goats has blessed their family abundantly.  He is praising God for such a gift.

Farouq is doing well and preparing for his surgery in December.

During my visit and while attempting to rescue Winnie.(I have not given up)  finding out Hamila was taken by her uncle to work in his store, talking to Francises mom and getting him to return to school.
I have identified a pattern.  Kids are taken,sold and traded during the long holiday stretch from November to February.  I am planning a return trip in February.   This trip will be different from other trips.  (I will still be going in October)  this trip is to set the stage for the year and encourage the parents/guardians to allow the children to return to school.  Hopefully the trip will help prevent the need to try to rescue kids for an entire year. 
This is a very  aggressive plan as it  usually takes me a year to fund raise for the trip.    Air fair has dropped and is now around $1,300.00 reducing the cost by ~ $200.00so the amount I need to raise is ~$2,800
Any end of the year donation (tax deductible ) would be appreciated more than you could ever imagine.


 

Visit 2013

The week went by so fast!
We arrived Monday morning-running errands all day.  Exchanging money, picking up a shipment, shopping for the week.

Tuesday we delivered gifts to the Baby class,Top class and the 7th grade.
The students in the 7th grade are preparing to take their final exam.  They will leave for the exam on Friday boarding at the exam place from Friday - Tuesday.
Transportation and lodging fees have already been provided.  Keep the children in your prayers.  If they don't pass it will mean another year in 7th grade.
We also visited the homes of Winnie and Rachel.  Winnie's mom provided a cell number to contact her on. The phone has been turned off, we will continue to try but for now no rescue made.

Rachel's home visit amazing timing!   Rachel called her dad right when we arrived. She was returned based on our promise to care for the family. But the situation Rachel was in has broken her.  She was working in a hotel.  Prayers are needed.

We visited Miracles home too.Thanking her jaja (grandmother) for allowing her to attend school. 

4 More Days- :)

This month has been non-stop but filled to the brim with wonderful blessing.
450 pounds of luggage packed
A gift for every child.
Sponsored children gifts are still coming in
A Taste of Uganda fund raiser was more successful  than I imagined!
4 more children sponsored!  Total 88 children 16 more  and we will reach our goal!
Raised enough funds for a meal for the children $1,200.00

I am so blessed to be the representative for all the Guardian Angels that are sponsoring the children and supporting the project.
 

I am already planning the end of the year field trip for the children $2,000.00 they will be going to some businesses to see the opportunities that are available to them with an education.  Broadening their ability to dream!

love, mom sandy gwoyagala

Taste of Uganda!

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.   

Trinity Covenant Church
Saturday September 14th
6:00 –9:00
A Taste of Uganda
Dinner and Entertainment

Tickets  $20.00

Traditional Ugandan Meal

Entertainment

7:00

The Ugandan Children’s choir

From

New Life International

Songs- Poetry – Traditional Dancing

Update on 2013 trip to Uganda

Loving a Village One Child at a Time

Mission 2013

I start planning my return trip as soon as I get back.  My love for these children is more than I could ever imagine.   I wake up praying for them, I fall asleep praying for them.

The suffering the deal with on a daily basis is more than my mind can comprehend.
Yet their joy and celebration is also more than I can comprehend.
There relationship with God is so powerful. They have it right.  Any gift they receive the first thing they say is PRAISE GOD.    They know all gifts come from  God, their  faith and trust is in God.

300 pounds of luggage packed!   200 more to go!  Every child has a gift!  Thank you to everyone that helped to make this happen!

Another child sold

Another child had been sold into 'maid' service. It is not the business mothers in the US would ever want their daughter to be in.  While I can't imagine being so desperate that I would sell my child  or my self for food.   I  have also never had to eat dirt to fill my stomach during a drought.   I have never been without water for days, weeks,months.  I have never had to make life and death choices for the members of my family.  They survive on the food they grown  in a drought there is no food to eat or sell.  I feel nothing but deep compassion for the child and the mother. Their bodies are all they have to sell.  

Please Pray that we can get Rachel back.
Please pray that we can get Winnie back.

They need to be supported in prayer and these children and their familes needs alternatives to survival. 
Loving a Village One Child at a Time!

CMA August Update

Christian Mission Academy

August 2013

Gift For Every Child

Thank you to everyone that contributed to the gift for every child.  We have achieved the goal!  All 400 children will receive a gift of a nylon back pack with a pen, pencil, pencil sharpener and another small gift. 

The top performers in every class will receive a regular back pack.

Health Care

v     3 families tested HIV positive.  We are providing transportation and food so they don’t feel sick  taking the medication and they can get to the clinic for their treatment. 2 young children tested positive ages 4 and 5.

v     10 Cases of Malaria were treated

v     19 children treated for Jiggers

v     In total 48 children and family members were treated this month for a variety of illnesses.

Heart Breaking Facts 

v     70 children report their dads are dead

v     27 children report their moms are dead

v     44 children have no idea who their mom’s is

v     32 children have no idea who their dad is.

v     102 children are living without their dads   33% of the children

v     59 children are living without their moms   20% of the children

v      28 children list no one caring for them  9%

Children are traded and sold every day  to get money for food or basic needs.  The sponsorship program has helped to rescue several children. 

A sponsored child is less likely to be traded or sold. Only 1 sponsored child has been sold in  the 4 years I have been managing this project and we are still working to get her back.

Getting her back is my number one priority during my visit.

Please consider sponsoring a child or if you are sponsoring a child tell a friend, relative or coworker to consider sponsor a child.

100% of the sponsorship goes toward educating, providing health care for  the child and their family.

Hog Project

The final payment was sent.  The gift that keeps on giving.  An update on the project will be provided next month.

End of the year celebration-  We will transport the children in to Kampala where they will visit several business.  The trip is to make them aware of the opportunities that education will provide.  Coke is one of the factories they will be visiting.

Cost of trip for 400 children $2,000.00  providing lunch and transportation. Praying for better weather than last year!

Please send any gifts or letters to me no later than  September 15^th.  I will be bringing 6 27 gallon totes (I received a discount from British Air)

Sandy Gannon

48 Hibiscus Ave

Waltham MA 02451

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.   

Trinity Covenant Church
Saturday September 14th
6:00 –9:00
A Taste of Uganda
Dinner and Entertainment

Tickets  $20.00

Traditional Ugandan Meal

Entertainment

7:00

The Ugandan Children’s choir

From

New Life International

Songs- Poetry – Traditional Dancing

Update on 2013 trip to Uganda

Loving a Village One Child at a Time

Love,

Mom sandy Gwoyagala Nalongo

(The one you love mother of twins)

2 Months until I see to my Ugandan children and Family!

We will be leaving for Uganda in 2 months, I can hardly wait. I start planning my return trip as soon as I get back!   This year I am already planning my return trip before I leave!   I wish this is  what I did for a living.  Why did it take me until I was 50 years old to decide what I wanted to do when I grew up.
This year I am bringing totes instead of suit cases. They will be able to use the totes to store food to protect them from bugs.
1 tote is packed.   100 bag packs, (300 more needed) 200 malaria test kit, 200 typhoid test kits, 400 pens, 400 pencil sharpeners, 232 pencils  (168 more needed).  Knitted babies (I lost count).
Coloring books,colored pencils, folders, scissors.
We leave Sunday Morning at 8:00 am
7:00 Monday morning  September 30 we arrive- shopping day. Food and gifts for the children and home visits.
Tuesday -Friday we will go to   Bakka - This is the most intense joy anyone could imagine seeing  my 400 dearly loved children!  They are all in my heart and prayers every day!  School and home visits!  We will visit with Winnie's family my number one goal  during this visit is to get her back!  We will visit Justine's home and Nelco's and Steven Madadas.  Plus any home where the child is at risk of being sold!
We will end the week at Bakka with games and a  celebration lunch!Saturday Visiting my Ugandan Family!  Our outing is still being determined!
Sunday - Church
Monday morning heading back

A Taste of Uganda- Fund Raiser for Mission Trip

Trinity Covenant Church
Saturday September 14th
6:00 –9:00
A Taste of Uganda
Dinner and Entertainment

Traditional Ugandan Meal

Entertainment

 7:00

The Ugandan Children’s choir

From

 New Life International

Songs- Poetry – Traditional Dancing

Update on 2013 trip to Uganda

For tickets contact Sandy Gannon

S-gannon@hotmail.com

 

Tickets may be purchase by using the donate button on the blog.  

Please indicate how many!

Bakka Sports Day!

Christian Mission Academy participated in the village sports day last Friday. Our school came in first for both netball and soccer. There good health, shoes and uniforms made the difference. 15 children from our school will be representing the region!
The girls from the net ball  team selected for regional.     
Nakawesa Joyce  - sponsored
Nabatanzi Teo
Nankindu Violah
Nakito Teo
Nakalema Cabrini
Nalyeyiso Rachel-   sponsored
Nabuwembo Faith- sponsored
Nabukalu Doreen
Nakiguge Gertrude
Nanyombi Diana
Boys futeball team selected for regional.   
Mukumbya Judah
Senjona Paul
Walygembe Lawrence
Kyagulanyi Robert
Senoga Edward
Kimbugwe Steven-  sponsored
Kiwanuka Vincent

These kids make up 50% of the regional team!
Go BAKKA!

LOVING A VILLAGE ONE CHILD AT A TIME!

CMA July update

The year is half over, so much has been accomplished.

v     Free medical care for  every child and their family

v     Every child de-wormed- second treatment provided this month

v     Health care assembly

v     Every child  at CMA has a mosquito net

v     92 families received the gift of a hog- 12 more ready to be passed on soon.

v     Desks  for every class room completed

v     Chairs for the baby class

v     Teachers desks  and cabinets are being worked on

v     Stronger drain system for water tank

v     3 New teachers hired

v     1 new cook

v     2 industrial size pots for the cooks to prepare food for 400 children

v     Teachers were provided a small raise

v     We are in the process of providing shoes for every child

June Update

I had to start this review with what has been accomplished, the month of June has been tough.  The news I have received  this month made me very sad and helpless. When we provided free medical care I wondered what we would learn about the children’s health.  What lies beneath the surface.

 3 Families have been identify  HIV  positive. 2 young children ages 4 and 5 and 2 moms.   We suspect that it is 3 moms but one has refused to be tested.   The treatment is free, we will provide transportation to there appointments and food for the family~ $20.00 per month.  I am very afraid that this is just the beginning of what we will learn.

When the nurse at Show Mercy  suspected  a young child was HIV positive, we asked the mother to have her tested. Her Mom did not want to have her tested, she did not want to know. We counseled her and guided her to make the right decision.  When she learned she was HIV positive and her young daughter was too, she was inconsolable. A desperate situation has become unbearable.

I wish  I was there, to hold them and let them know that God loves them deeply and will see them through.

Children were  treated for jiggers, but it was more difficult than expected.  The children did not want to be identified as having jiggers, they would be teased. Show Mercy came to pick up the children on Tuesday, none of the children with jiggers would come out of class.   The staff at Show Mercy recognized the problem.  Thursday when they returned to CMA, they brought teddy bears to give the children that had jiggers.   12 children came forward, receiving a teddy bear was worth the teasing.

We also learned of a young girl  almost bleed to death  from a botched abortion,  her uterus was removed.  She will miss an entire year of school.  It is not uncommon practice to use young girls  to generate income.

 

Moving Day

Some things take time,  Steven Maddada and family will be moving into a new safer home.  We identified that the house they were living in was not safe during our visit.

We provided a first month and security deposit so they  could move last November.  A new home was found this week.

Our trip is planned for September 29 – October 7^th

Every child will receive a gift. ~110 gifts already  provided @$10.00 a piece. 

We will provide a special meal at the school $1,200 @$3.00 per child

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.   

Trinity Covenant Church
Saturday September 14th
6:00 –9:00
A Taste of Uganda
Dinner and Entertainment

Tickets  $20.00

Traditional Ugandan Meal

Entertainment

7:00

The Ugandan Children’s choir

From

New Life International

Songs- Poetry – Traditional Dancing

Update on 2013 trip to Uganda

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