shared by Cindy May

Did you know it’s possible to build and start a school in just two weeks’ time?!

I distinctly remember in May, 2005 when John Mugabi told me he would be starting a high school in Nkumba in February, 2006.  Inwardly, I confess I laughed.  I guess you could have called me Sarah in that moment.  I of course knew it was impossible to build a school in less than a years’ time.  Particularly with no money.

Well, God decided to show me up.  And I have learned not to laugh.  That school opened as planned in February of 2006.  It may have had dirt floors and no windows or electricity, but it opened and there were about 100 or more students attending.  Today there are more than 600 students in the high school, and it provides food, Christian education and shelter to more than 300 orphans.

So, when Experito wrote me a few weeks ago about a school that he and the community would like to start on May 24th, I decided not to laugh… or even crack a smile.  I have seen God do the impossible.

In fact, just this week we have again seen God provide what seemed impossible to us.  “Alfred’s well” (the first huge water storage tank in Kochgoma) will soon be under construction!  As soon as we have pictures, we’ll be sharing them here.

Jesus looked at them and said, “With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God.” Mark 10:27

Here’s the scoop on the school.  And then you get to see the cute little faces that will be going there!

Experito: We had an incredible meeting in which the community revealed their most pressing felt needs.  I have so far been working with the adults, including 85 single mothers (widows or women abandoned by their husbands). Amazingly, these people do not have a single bore hole (well) in the entire village of Ajwiya. They have to trek distances for water. What shocked me is that much as the need for water cannot be overemphasized, they cannot put up with a situation where their kids cannot receive helpful education!!!…

They went on to narrate that their kids cannot manage to walk the long distance (3 to 15 miles) to find a school.  They have to wait for their kids to be of mature age to manage the long distance. This is usually 14 or 15 years when they begin to go to school. At this age some of their girls are raped on the way by unscrupulous men. The boys also end up in unhelpful ventures, especially alcohol at such a tender age.  Some kids complain that even when they go to school the teachers are not available or are very drunk. This greatly demoralises both parents and kids.

The parents who were numbering to 100 and above strongly requested for an elementary school to begin as soon. Possibly next term (May 24, 2010). They have hope that since we are Christians, their kids will receive a better future. The village has about 300 kids (primary school age, under age 7) which they say we can rescue with an immediate plan of action as far as education is concerned. They requested me that we can start a school on our land. It is centrally located for other villages in that we could drill a borehole for the kids to obtain water and the rest of the village community could also use it.

The cost to start the entire project is just $15,000.  That includes classrooms, a water facility, teachers’ salaries, and a toilet facility (pit latrine).

Now, for the kiddos!  I can’t wait to see the transformation, after de-worming, clean water, decent food, school uniforms, shoes, medical care and education, and most importantly education about the Jesus who loves them.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.