NicolesLetters.org

Hi Everyone!

Today will be short and sweet. I’m exhausted and it’s already almost 2am. But I just wanted to check in and send a few pictures. I saw a lot of the kids today that have been sponsored by many of you! They are so excited and happy. I have to say that the difference that I have seen in some of the kids I met and interviewed last year is amazing! They are happy and running around. They are playing and have made good friends. It is easy to see they have more confidence. I just can’t believe the difference. I arrived today with Lynette, Robert’s wife, and we had quite the greeting committee. The kids were so excited. We couldn’t even get out of the van there were so many.

I saw Victoria Nabaterega, Kyla’s girl, right away. She was so cute, I had to follow her and get some pictures of her. I also saw Juliet Ajulu, I picked her out of the crowd right away. She ended up hanging around through different parts of the day. Norah was of course right there when I got out of the van, she follows me any place that I go. She is really sweet. Scovia is now part of the core. She is hanging out and has become a familiar face and loves to have her picture taken as you will see in the pictures! She may speak a different dialect but she sure makes friends easily.

When I made my way to the office, Jane was there and had just received a letter from Tera and Dave in the mail, included was another picture from their wedding and she was holding the picture in awe. Then I saw her many hours later still holding it in the school yard and rubbing her hand on it. I set it aside, it will get ruined because it’s so dirty here and their hands are wet and dirty a lot, so I need to find something to put it in, maybe I have a ziplock baggie to put it in to protect, otherwise it will last only a day.

I saw Paul and gave him the gift from Judy. He loved it! He was so happy. I also found out that both of his parents are no longer living and that his grandmother takes care of him along with six other children, not all of them blood related to her but that their parents have abandoned and now she cares for them. The three of them are up for sponsorship. The grandmother was so grateful for the sponsorship of Paul so he can attend school.

I also saw Marvin Ssewaga today. He is a boy that I met last year and I was so sad when I heard his story. When I asked him what his one wish was, he said to have friends. He had been living with his grandmother because his parents are gone and her shack burned down and her only means of income was a small section where she would sell items to earn money. So that was gone too. He was so sad. But he is now doing well and I saw him with friends so I am happy about that. Thanks Christine!

This afternoon I saw that there is a sign on the water well that I didn’t see before. It’s so great! Thanks everyone for participating in the fresh water well on-site at the school. The kids just love it they are so grateful! They use this water for everything..cooking, cleaning, laundry and drinking. Often times I see them grabbing a drink between classes. They just put their hands under it like a faucet. It’s the sweetest thing! The children come to me and say thank you all the time. They understand that it is my friends that supported them in this and they are so happy Thankfully this can prevent many water spread diseases. Hopefully there won’t be stories like little Mikey,from last year, that I met and three hours later he died of malaria. Thank you all for helping to prevent more illness and providing fresh water to a huge group of children that can have a better life now!!!!!!

I took many pictures of children that are in need of sponsors, many of them I couldn’t even get to smile. I was being so goofy and smiling at them, tickling them. Sometimes it just didn’t work. They are so sad. Last year someone said that when the kids are like that it’s because they have nothing to smile about. I can’t even imagine.

Really though, it’s really late and I have to get some sleep. Hope you enjoy the pictures!!!!