In June of
2011, I met a few children who changed my life forever.
One child
was born as the product of a brutal rape, raised by a mother whose community
had disowned her, then abandoned at a radio station in Kampala at the age of six. I met her a few weeks into my internship; she was brought to Volset by Jjajja Bazira out of the never ending kindness of his heart.
Community
members found another child an inch from death in the home with the rotting
corpses of his parents and younger brother. He has since tested positive for
HIV.This little man and I shared the same first day in Nsumba--he has been special to me ever since.
A handful of
children stole my heart when I escorted them home from school one afternoon.
These children lived over two miles from the school, and the “walk” was more
like a hike up a rocky hillside, across a wobbly log floating in a stream, and through
dense woods. We arrived at their mud homes and were greeted by their Jjajjas
(grandmothers) and the rest of their siblings or cousins who were not lucky
enough to attend school; each of these children was orphaned from either
abandonment or death and left to the aging grandmothers’ care.
It didn’t
take long for me to see a recurring problem in Nsumba. Many of these children
needed a place to live. Most of you know the story, so I will spare you the
recap (click here if you would like to re-visit the cause of the cause). As I
announced two weeks ago, we have finally finished the construction of Shirley’s
House—a dormitory to house 60 orphaned and vulnerable children of Future
Diplomats Education Centre. This dream could not have come to life without your
support!
As I also previously
announced, the dormitory cannot be complete without beds.
Sometime
today, my mom will complete a wire-transfer to Uganda. Generous family,
friends, and blog-followers raised this money in the last two weeks to furnish
the newly constructed dormitory.
This money
will secure six triple bunks; 18 children will have a place to lay their heads
when school resumes at the end of January. In just two weeks, you donated enough
money to sleep 18 children.
The orphaned
and vulnerable children of Future Diplomats finally have beds to rest their
heads upon...
…Well,
technically only 18 of the orphaned and vulnerable children of Future Diplomats
have beds; the dormitory can house 42 more children as soon as beds are made
available.
Let’s talk
numbers:
14 more triple bunks are needed.
That is $120.00 USD per bunk
The last
blog I posted had 60+ views.
If each of
those readers donated $2.00, we
could have bought a 19th bunk…
If each of
those readers donated $28.00, this
fundraising effort would end.
As the end
of the year 2012 approaches, many of you are looking for charities to support for end-of-year donations.
Whether for tax returns, holiday cheer, or the urge to do some good in this world,
I implore you to direct this year’s donation to Future Diplomats Education
Centre Foundation.
If you have already
donated your quota for the year, I ask that you please post a link to this blog
on your Facebook, Twitter, or any other social media site—if you see this post on Facebook, please click “Share” and
spread the word about this entirely attainable goal!
I am
searching for a happy ending to this year of emotional roller coasters. Once
again, I ask my family, friends, and blog-followers to show me—and the 42
bed-less children of Nsumba Village—what this holiday season is all about.
Two weeks 'till Christmas. What do you
say? Are you feelin' the holiday spirit?
If you would like to make a Christmas donation, you may:
Click the link and follow the instructions on PayPal:
OR
Write a check to FDEC Foundation and mail it to:
FDEC Foundation
PO Box 65141
Vancouver, WA 98663
With love
and holiday cheer,
Kristen
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