Posted 11:22 pm Saturday, January 09, 2010
Ugandan Orphans Relish Support, Christmas Gifts
EDITORS NOTE: This is the third and final dispatch from Uganda by Tyler physician Dr. Mark Barret whose family has been assisting orphaned schoolchildren in rural Uganda through their nonprofit organization, Parental Care Ministries. For more information about PCM, visit the Web at www.parentalcareministries.org.
By Dr. MARK BARRET
Special To The Tyler Morning Telegraph
Special To The Tyler Morning Telegraph
What would you be hoping for or dreaming of in 2010 if you were an orphan child in Uganda? A bed to sleep in, a desk to sit in class, enough food to satisfy your hunger, clean water to drink, electricity to see at night, or even medicine for malaria?
These are a few of the basic needs being met by Parental Care Ministries.
Currently we are fully supporting 250 orphans and needy children in Mbarara, and have now started support of our second school site in another village called Rwemikoma where another 170 children are learning to read, write and study God's Word.
Parental Care Ministries started from the hearts of two Ugandan teachers, Pastor Emmanuel and Sarah Nnyanzi. God called them to take care of orphan children and watch over them as parents. Starting from a revelation from the Lord in a small mud hut in Uganda in 1997, the Nnyanzis now oversee this humble school sitting on sloped patch of land in rural Uganda.
On site are five classrooms, three dorms, a mud kitchen and a new well serving clean water since early 2009. Currently under construction are a boys and girls bath house and a new boys dorm. The ministry has grown to include 43 rural pastors and their congregations as well.
The construction itself is impressive as primitive building techniques are being implemented, such as hand-making all the bricks.
What is more impressive, though, are the children who walk these grounds. One third of them are true orphans, one third are needy children and one third are PCM pastor's children.
These children are so incredibly thankful that their school fees of $35 a month are paid by PCM sponsors. Every dollar of every donation is going straight to the work in Uganda led by us and the local Tyler PCM Board.
This Christmas Monica, Bailey, Libby and I were on site at the school for Christmas Day. The day started with a worship service that went well into the afternoon. Then it was time for a special meal, including some meat to go along with potatoes, beans, and bananas.
One of our PCM supporters from Longview, Annette Childress, made pillow cases for all 200 children with the help of her "Sewing Angels." They were presented to the children, along with a candy cane and a brand new outfit to wear. The children were beaming in joy with these gifts.
One request the children all had kind of surprised us on its simplicity: a desire for some fruit. It was a pleasure to meet this request as we gave a small green apple to every orphan child. Our gift was watching them hold it, listening to the joyful "mmms" and crunching noises, and finally seeing absolutely nothing left in their hands.
These children have taught us much these past two weeks. We were blessed to sit with them, worship next to them and pray alongside them. It was a very special Christmas for the Barret family.
