WE WISH TO THANK YOU ALL FOR THE SUPPORT YOU HAVE GIVEN all of us here at Metro Kids Africa (MKA) this past year. We have had an exciting year of growth! We have seen the development of young leaders and we have loved seeing the children at all our programmes smile with happiness as they have fun and learn more about following Jesus in their lives.
For this Christmas Newsletter we want to focus on MKA in Uganda.
We started our programmes in Uganda in 2014, after James and I were invited to visit Africa with Love school by George and Rosemary Willard. In Uganda, the majority of schools are private and rely on parents paying school fees. As most people in Uganda live in rural areas, children stay at schools during term time as boarders. For this reason, MKA works within schools.
Staff members have repeatedly been told how our MKA teachings have changed the school communities. Teachers have said that by listening and observing MKA staff, they have learnt better ways to manage children’s behaviour and to use positive reinforcement, rather than using a stick to punish children, as is done in many Ugandan schools. Schools where our programmes are taught have also seen higher enrolment of pupils as children have told their families how their school is a happier and better place.
We have many personal stories from children on how their lives have changed after they hear the message of Jesus love and how to live their lives with Christian principles.
One boy, who is from a home where his parents are alcoholics and traditional witch doctors, has had a real change in attitude after taking the teaching he receives each week seriously. John was about to drop out of school, but became convinced this was not the best way forward. He has been working on local farms, digging the ground and carrying banana branches to lorries for sales at the markets, to pay his school fees. John is proud of himself for working hard and continuing to study.
Lydia’s father died in an accident. Her aunt also had an accident and sadly had her leg amputated. Lydia was full of despair and then became very ill herself. She felt hopeless and thought she would never get back to school. But she remembered how she had been taught that God is always with her. She was supported by the staff and began to feel loved and cared for. Now she is well again and back at school and thanks God for the care and love of those around her which encouraged her to have hope again.
Earlier this year James ran a marathon as a sponsored event and with the money raised we bought many children school uniforms. The stories from the children have been very moving. Children who have never had a school uniform due to difficult family circumstances were full of smiles as they proudly wore a school uniform for the first time. Imagine being the only child in the school without a uniform for 6 years – this was the reality for Jennifer. She says she feels proud of her uniform and keeps thanking MKA for providing her with one.
This Christmas we ask that you prayerfully give financially to the work in Uganda. 50,000 children are being impacted by the love of Jesus and we have many more schools who are wanting to have MKA start programmes in their school. £30 000 would help us reach an extra 15,000 children for the next two years. Please join us this Christmas in impacting lives of children in Uganda.
Thank you for all the support you give. We are always grateful for you.
May the love of Jesus be with you and your loved ones this Christmas,
James, Janet and all at MKA
