St. John’s has been involved with the Grace International Children’s Home in Lluwanda, Uganda (http://www.ugandaorphans.org/about_lulwanda.htm/) for over 4 years. Representatives of Grace International have "manned" a booth at the St. John’s Living Gift Market since 2003. St. John’s members have partnered with Grace International by purchasing materials for construction and are sponsoring individual children who now reside there. Photographs of some of the children are on the Mission Ministry Team bulletin board in Building 2.
I stopped by the Lluwanda Children’s Home booth at the 2008 Living Gift Market. Poised to write my check, I asked a very simple question, "Is there something I can do for the teachers?" The response was, "Yes, they need someone to come and train them how to teach reading and writing."
When you read this I will be in Uganda. I am with a mission team from a church in Wimberly, Texas. We will focus on two major projects during our two-week stay:
· Organize a 4000 book library – In 2008 a library building was constructed at the Lulwanda Children’s Home. It will serve the teachers and children living in the home as well as the residents of the nearby village. 4000 books were collected in the U.S. and have already been shipped to Uganda. Upon arrival some of the mission team members will set about making bookshelves. The other mission team members will separate and organize the books. Once the books are organized on the shelves, the team will train the students and teachers on procedures to check the books out and in.
· Train teachers working with Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten students on strategies for teaching reading and writing to young children. I was given a budget with which to purchase materials for these two classrooms and will assist these teachers in making plans for their application for accreditation by the Ugandan government. Mission Team members and I will also teach a series of demonstration lessons.
