A new year has begun, and a new team has formed to embark upon another exciting mission trip to the school and orphanage in Ntandi, Uganda! Just like last year, the 2014 mission trip will take place for the first two weeks of February.
This year, the Uganda Mission Team plans to complete interviews with the orphans, so that we can learn more about their backgrounds, as well as how to best meet their needs. We are also taking all 52 orphans on a field trip to Fort Portal, a nearby village, so that they can go shopping and spend the Christmas money that their sponsors generously donated to them! Then, we will treat them all with a nice picnic dinner.
We are very excited that a dental hygienist is traveling with us! Chelsea plans to clean the orphans teeth, as long as sterilization needs can be met. She will teach the orphans, as well as all 650 students, how to properly brush and floss their teeth.
We are also delivering a tricycle to Marriam, the orphan girl that needs surgery in order to walk again (for more information about her, please see her story below). This special tricycle is pedaled by her arms, so that she can ride it between buildings at the school complex. We will build a bridge while there, so that she can travel along a smooth path. This amazing vehicle will do wonders to improve her mobility!
Finally, we plan to interview the teachers and headmaster, and observe in the classrooms, in order to learn more about specific educational needs that the school has. We are anxious to help improve classroom materials as best as we can, so that the students have more resources to develop literacy, as well as other creative skills. Previous teams have noted that books and art supplies are in short supply there, which likely creates challenges for the teachers to help students with crafts and reading.
Do you want to help the 2014 Mission Team, and the students in Ntandi? If so, between now and January 30th, please bring the following items to the weekend gathering at Epikos, and drop them off at Guest Services:
- TOOTHBRUSHES AND DENTAL FLOSS. If you want to take this a step further, please ask your dentist if she or he would be willing to donate some supplies to us!
- SPORTS BRAS, for teen girls
- LIGHTWEIGHT, PAPERBACK CHILDREN’S BOOKS. You can find some at the dollar store!
- MATCHBOX CARS. These will be gifts for the orphan boys, as someone has already made beautiful dolls for all of the girls..
- COLORED PENCILS & PADS OF PLAIN PAPER
- CALENDARS (please look for ones that have vibrant photos)
- MEN’S AND WOMEN’S WATCHES. Along with calendars, these will be gifts for the caregivers and teachers. Many of them work for nothing but room and board, in order to help this impoverished school.
Thank you so much for your willingness to team up with Epikos Church in order to help the Mission Catalyst Orphanage in Uganda!
