CHILDREN HAVE GONE HOME FOR CHRISTMAS

Almost all the children have gone to their relatives to have Christmas with them. The first group left on Friday afternoon, and since then we are still taking more children to different parts of the country to be with their relatives. We believe that the last group will leave the mission station on Wednesday this week. CMU takes the responsibility of enabling that every child has reached where she/he is going and on that issue, Rev. Kalafa dropped two children to the Northern part of Uganda yesterday. These children's homeplace is the farthest of all the homes of our children.
However, as the other children were happy and excited that they were going home, three of our children do not have any relative to go to. We have tried and got them foster families where they can be staying until the rest come back. We pray that God will put his favour on them and they find peace, love and joy in those homes. We thank God for he has enabled us to care for these children well throughout this year. Thanks to our sponsors, partners, friends and well wishers for standing with us financially, spiritually, morally and in other ways. Your efforts have made CMU what it is. God bless you abundantly. We love you and pray for you.

CHILDREN'S CHRISTMAS PARTY

Children and the staff at CMU enjoyed the Thursday afternoon and evening when they had a Christmas party at the mission station. There was a lot of joy whereby people enjoyed a lot of sweets, a lot of delicious food and drinks, wonderful games, Christmas carols and more entertainment from our own children and the invited guests from Commission International.
We had a big pig slaughtered for the children on that day and they had to eat the pork even on Friday. Some of the children received gifts for hard work most especially getting good grades at school and those who did the best in entertaining the guests. It was such a joyful day for the entire CMU and the invited guests, whereby every one was blessed. The party ended at around 8:00pm then the staff and the children made a camp fire at the station up to 10:30pm when they all went to sleep. We thank God for making that day a success and providing for us. We also thank every one that participated in which ever way to make the day a success. May God bless you and provide for you always.
MERRY CHRISTMAS!

CMU children got their holidays

All the children have got their holiday and most of them have improved on their performance compared to their last terms performance. They are happy to be home again.

This time is good for the staff and the children. Many activities are going on such as counseling, gardening, cookery, music and drama, watching and many more others. All these activities have kept our children busy and enables them to learn more. The holiday has also helped us, the staff to find out how the children behave and discipline those with bad behaviours. Children have got more time to read the Bible and fellowship together as a family. This holiday most of the children are disciplined, we hope and pray that they will keep it up.

The CMU Staff

The CMU staff from left to right:
Barbara - Chief Cook
Carol - Girls Caretaker
Seerah - Assistant Administrator
Richard - Farm Worker
Joyce - Volunteer
Brian - Administrator
Ruth - Bookkeeper, Public Relations
Francis - Director

missing on the picture:
Henry - Boys Caretaker
Ochola - Night Watchman

These are our new children

This are our new children: 13 boys and 1 girl! The girls dorm is completely full, therefore we couldn't take in more girls.

We hope and pray that the new building can get ready soon, in order to have more room for girls as well.

One of our Children got an Accident

It was on Tuesday morning when Martin was going to school and he was knocked by a lorry.
Martin saw the lorry coming to knock him, he jumped off his bicycle fell into the bush but the lorry rolled off the road and found him where he was lying. He got a serious deep wound on his buttocks on which grafting had to be done to cover the wound. He also got small wounds on the head and on one leg. Other children had to bring him back home and the director rushed him to International Hospital Kampala, where he got treatment from. He was checked and it was found out that he only had wounds and the bones are okay. His bicycle was also damaged, most especially the front part. Martin cannot sit, though he can walk for a short distance. We pray that he will get well soon and begin schooling again.
We thank God for his hand of protection upon us and our children.
Thanks to every one who prays for us, God answers our prayer. Continue praying for us as we pray for you.

WE WISH YOU SUCCESS OUR CANDIDATES

Six of our children are in candidate classes and we pray that they will make it successfully through these levels of education. Benjamin, who is in form four has already begun his exams and he is to finish next week. Other children like Mercy, Olivia, Eliezer, Constance and Catherine are sitting their examinations for primary seven on 2nd and 3rd November. We are praying for the best grades because the success of our children is our pride. Thanks a lot for your support and prayers. God bless you.

Children's Medical Screening

Last week almost all the children were screened for different sicknesses, including HIV/AIDS, skin diseases, eyes, teeth and many other diseases. Five of the children have eye problems and they were given eye glasses, one has HIV/AIDS, while Malaria had the biggest number. All that were found with problems are getting treatment and we believe they will get fine.

We are Blessed with more Children

We thank God for we are growing day by day. The number of our children has increased by 7 and we thank God that he has enabled us to care for more children. It is always our desire to see more children reached by CMU and God is really answering our prayers.
Each child has a different story that is unique and so touching. Of all 7 children, only 2 were staying with their close relatives but the rest have been staying with distant relatives or well wishers. CMU is working hard to make sure that each one finds at least a close relative. On this same matter, the director went to the biggest prison with a lawyer and visited the father to Kasirye, one of the new boys. He was happy to know that his son got people to care for him after 2 years since he was imprisoned. The director and the lawyer are processing means in which Lugolobi will be bailed or be released by courts of law. Thanks to the director for such a heart and thanks to our sponsors for enabling us to do great work. Stay blessed!

SAD NEWS!

After rejoicing the birth of twin calves, their mother could not live to see them grow into cows. Our lovely cow died after one week of delivering twins and it was found out that it was killed by a polythene bag and metals that it ate. We feel much pain for the loss of our cow. However we thank God for the twins who are still alive and good looking. We pray that they will live and remain our pride in our farm.

New Staff

Since middle of September we have got a new staff, Seerah, who assists in administration of the project.

She is also our new "Blogger".

Building Site Progress

The ground floor plastering is done, staff room next to office is almost ready, sewage almost connected, painting in progress, sockets, switches fixed, etc.

Two out of One

Since we got a new staff, who is married, we needed to create more room for living. So the bigger flat on the downer part of the compound was changed into two self contained flats.

Group counseling of our children about HIV/AIDS

One of our staff, a trained counselor in HIV/AIDS gave a counseling session about the disease and the virus. Children were asked about what they were expecting in the session, and some of the answers were, how one can get infected, how to control the disease, when an infected person can die and many others. The session took one and a half hours and by the end of the session, the children had understood what the disease means and how one can get infected. The other things they learned were, signs and symptoms, prevention measures and discordance.
They asked questions like how come one may be positive while the partner is negative? How many years a person with HIV/AIDS can live? How safe is it to use a condom? All these questions were answered by the counselor. Finally most of the children voluntarily requested to be taken for testing. We have promised to do that in the holiday.
God bless you.

WHAT A DOUBLE BLESSING!

It was Saturday evening when one of the cows in the CMU farm gave birth to two calves and both females. Both calves are in good condition and they are looking so beautiful. Most of the people (most of the staff and children) were surprised, they never knew that cows also give birth to twins. In the central and western regions of Uganda, a mother of twins is called "Nalongo". Therefore we have a "Nalongo" cow in our farm. Thanks for your continuous support and prayers. We give the glory back to God for the great things he does.

WORK AS A BLESSING!

On Saturday i saw children enjoying work as a blessing from God. These boys got a mowing machine and they cleared the grass that had grown in one part of the compound, while others did the painting of the one of the staff quarters that was being repaired. It was amazing how these children were cooperative and did every work with love and happiness. We pray that they will keep the spirit of working hard. Thanks our boys.

ANOTHER DAY OF JOY AT CMU CENTRE

Sunday was a day of joy for all the children in the home. The children were happy to have two turkeys from the CMU farm slaughtered for their dinner. By the end of the meal almost every one was smiling. One of the girls (Sarah) was asked to pray in their evening devotion and she rely thanked God for the delicious dinner which was served that evening. We thank God for blessing our farm.

New Developments 2

Newcomers to the Home

This two lovely boys have never gone to school and so it's hard, especially for the older one (about 10 years) to adjust to this new life in the children's home and to going to school every day.

New Development on the Building Site

Update

Update on the project:
- Family Kalafa returned safely from their 2-months trip to Germany.
- 8 new children were recruited in the past few days, so that they can start 3rd term next week together with other children.
- Timbers for the remaining part of the roof have been ordered.
- On Monday the masons and carpenters will start the roofing.
- Praise the Lord!

Time for Games

CMU children enjoying their leisure time over the weekend. The girls playing netball. without the goal post, they managed to have a nice time. This pam tree acted as a goal post. mmmmm! creativity at work.

Our kids got some lessons in first aid and enjoyed the practice.

Small butcher with big knife...

The Easter Meal first had to be slaughtered.

Mmmh, good food from the ground and it's best when it's fresh....

White Ants! Sometimes they are being fried and salted and therefore a good snack. Children love it!

Here comes the bride....

as well as the groom, bestman and bestlady :-)

The kids enjoyed playing wedding!

Encouragment for today:
Psalms 103:2 "My soul, praise the Lord and never forget how kind he is!"
1. Thessalonians 5:18 "Whatever happens, always be thankful. This is how God wants you to live in Christ Jesus."

Roof - Part One - Complete!!! Praise the living God!!

.....while others have their fun digging out a stuck lorry!

Small kids enjoy swinging.....

More than half of the roof is almost finished. Praise God for that!

Samuel, who also joined us a few days ago, has had a very difficult, traumatizing past. As young as he is - about 4 or 5 years old. He was burnt severly in a fire and his right hand and arm needs to be operated on. Pray for him!

These wonderful kids have joined our home recently (apart from Victor - front right). They are so happy and jolly. Some had been here before and were able to return, thanks to new sponsors.

Masonry work has been completed. Carpentry work is almost done. Next will be putting iron sheets, probably next week.

New things even on the building side: the roofing continues... a big thanks to all the supporters!

The new year begun with new things. Our kids visited one of the slums around Mukono area for an open-air evangelistic meeting and Jesus-Film-Shows for 2 days.

Praise the Lord!

We are able to continue with the building. Walls, wallplate and columns are almost complete so that by next week the roofing can begin.

Belated happy new year to all our friends and God's blessings in 2009, too!
For 4 weeks the Home was very quiet since all the orphans had gone to their villages for holidays and visiting their relatives. On 15th January we conducted a parents/guardians day and most of the kids have come back by now. All are in good health and good moods, ready to go back to schools which are opening on 2nd Februar 2009.