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4/30/2022 Be Inspired-A Day in the Life of Teacher Joan at Gateway Nursery and Primary School.Read NowA Day in the Life of Teacher Joan at Gateway Nursery and Primary School. She is the 7th grade teacher.
Joan wakes up at 4 or 4:30am yes AM and walks (Yes, I said walks!) around 30 minutes with her foster child to Gateway! This child goes to Gateway! The childrens/teachers school days are from, get this, 6am-5pm! Then once the children leave school, Joan and other teachers have to work after to prepare, remember they do not have printers and such so they copy all of the work, and so she stays at school til 6pm or 6:30pm and then walks home and gets home by 7pm. Then she makes dinner and does laundry. Dinner can take up to two hours as she has to put charcoal in the "stove" and then wait up to 2 HOURS for the beans to cook. She feeds her foster child and herself on the budget of an extremely small amount. Then she goes to bed at 11pm and wakes up at 4:30am. ALSO: Joan is a single foster mother! Joan has two children that she helps in Uganda! One child is in 4th grade and lives with her and she pays this child's food and school fees on the salary that she has, which is very little. She also has another child that she helps as the child's parents are very poor and this child lives with their parents but Joan pays for the child's school fees as the child's parents cannot....
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 Ava Weeks, is a missionary to Uganda and is a board member of His Love and SONSHINE. She shares, "Dear Friends of His Love and SonShine,
Thank you for being such an integral part of saving lives in Bwerenga, Uganda during the Covid lockdowns. When Uganda implemented lockdowns, the people were not allowed to drive their cars, or ride boda-bodas (Taxis) to go to work or to get food. Strict curfews were set in place and people actually lost their lives if they were out after curfew. Many businesses were closed and people lost their income. If you had money you could walk to get food, but Bwerenga is located a long walk from any grocery store. On February 20th, Gateway Bible Church in Bwerenga held a thanksgiving service. It was the first time that the church body had a meal together since 2019. There was great rejoicing and celebration! They gathered to thank the Lord for keeping them alive during the Covid lockdowns. The teachers from Gateway School shared that they were one of the very few schools in Uganda who continued to get paid during the lockdowns. Schools were closed, but our amazing teachers found ways to walk to children’s homes and continue to teach them. Frank, the principal, rode his bike for 8 hours in order to go to Kampala and buy toner for the copy machine so that the teachers could print homework for the students! He said he was so sore he couldn’t get out of bed the next day! Such dedication!!! Uganda had the longest school closure in the world, and most of the students lost two years of education. Because of the dedication of our teachers, our students all remain on track! Praise the Lord!! With schools being closed, our students weren’t getting fed at school and many of their families had no money and no food at home. The parents shared that they knew they were going to starve to death. Through a zoom call that Rachel set up, we found out about the dire need for food and people started to donate toward that cause. The money was sent to Pastor Ernest and he purchased food for the church and school families, and also gave to people in the village. Thank you so much for your participation in not only supporting the teachers, but in keeping our students and parents alive! Many families from the village have now started attending Gateway Bible Church and some have given their lives to Christ. We also have new students in the school as a result of the feeding program during lockdown. May God richly bless you because you gave. Blessings, Ava Weeks Teachers of Gateway School giving thanks!"
10/7/2021 Gateway Nursery and Primary School Update regarding Covid and the School and MoreRead NowThe latest His Love and SONshine update from Pastor Ernest and Mama Catherine sharing the following sent to Ava Weeks. Ava is known as "Grandma Eva" (Jaja means grandparent) and Ava is a missionary to Uganda with the organization Sixty Feet. The Gateway community and Pastor and Mama are truly family to her. Ava not only is passionate about pouring into in Uganda but she is one of the board members of His Love and SONshine. Pastor Ernest and Mama Catherine share with Ava, "Dear Jaja Eva,
a) The situation of Covid in Uganda is decreasing apart from some few area's still have Covid like 10/100 and the situation is not scaring now. b) Many people have been vaccinated and even the vaccination medicine has now reached atleast in most of the villages. c) Teachers are still doing their job of teaching children in their homes and they are doing a good job. Children are going to get their short holiday on 10th/10/2021 and come back on 18th/10/2021. d) The members of the church passed the through very well God helped us in every situation. The rest we are fine May the grace of God be with you. We miss you a lot Jaja. Love from PS Ernest and Catherine."
Hello His Love and SONshine family!:) See an update from Frank Bwakya, the Head of the School board of the Gateway Nursery and Primary School, regarding the lockdowns, horrible continual restrictions and lifting of other restrictions as Frank says in summary: Hello All
We all greet you at Gateway education service and thank God who has kept you safe through these tough times. These are times characterized by uncertainty but we know God has a good plan for our lives. We thank you so much for the continued support to the ministry and the provision of food funds to the students when at home during these tough times, your love and support is beyond our imagination. Following the presidential address on the partial lifting of the lockdown, schools were left closed not until half of the population is vaccinated then all schools can open and this means over 20million people. And only 2million people have taken the first vaccine and the second vaccine is not yet since the vaccine is not yet here. So as a school we can't wait seeing our children losing their future, we have therefore embarked on the earlier way of teaching from joined homes. This worked out for us when the national results were out, the school performed... We believe this will keep the students focused on learning without losing the sight of their future. We will keep you updated on every development at the school. We love all and wish the best. Ava Weeks, who is a missionary in Uganda with an amazing ministry and also a board member of Gateway Nursery and Primary School and His Love and SONshine board member shares this powerful update, “Dear Friends of His Love and SonShine, In Uganda, there are seven primary school years, from P.1 to P.7. At the end of P.7, students are required to sit for their first major national exams called the Primary Leaving Examinations (PLE). The PLE tests students on four main subjects – English language, mathematics, science and social studies. Results ultimately determine whether or not the student can advance to Secondary School. Because of Covid, Gateway Nursery and Primary School was locked down during most of the 2020 school year. However, our dedicated teachers went to the students’ homes and continued to instruct the students!! The PLE was given earlier this year and it is with grateful hearts we announce that all of our students passed with an A or B grade!! We cannot thank you enough for your support of these amazing teachers and students. May the Lord richly bless you for your faithfulness. Blessings in Christ, Ava Weeks Board Member of Gateway Nursery and Primary School Children studying from home. (Yes, these foster children all live in the same home!)"  |
Rachel GuyWhen Rachel Guy was in elementary school, she was fascinated by children in African countries; her heart was particularly drawn to children who had been orphaned. At the age of twelve, the country of Uganda became the focus of Rachel’s interest and concern when a close family friend, Nancy Wellham, invited her to join her on a mission’s trip there. It was on this trip that Rachel visited Gateway Nursery and Primary school and fell in love with the people there. Four years ago, Rachel was shocked when she was invited to start a ministry for the school. With humility and gratitude, she said, “Yes” to this unlikely adventure with God. Archives
September 2021
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