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The Grace Journal is a place where Rev. Wambugu, and perhaps occasionally others of the Grace Ministries staff, will summarize the work of the day or week. We want you to feel that you are an active part of our work and our lives, and hope that this on-going journal of our activities – our joys, our sorrows, and our day-to-day work – will help to bring you more closely into our world.
God bless you for your interest and your support!
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Author: Samuel Wambugu
Saturday, September 24, 2005 at 3:37 P.M. (Limuru time)
WEEK ENDING 24TH SEPTEMBER
The week began with a brief Staff meeting. The purpose was to do a quick evaluation of our teaching goals. Teachers are happy with their work. It was reported that two parents had expressed their joy at their children performance. They promised to buy a sheep for the teachers to eat during the School Christmas Party later in the term. There was a concern as to the possibility of doing the much anticipated Educational tour in the mid of October. Hiring of a bus is expensive and only a few children can afford the $10.
The School garden supplied enough green corn for the children to eat this week. The corn were boiled and they eat them with the mid morning tea break.
THURSDAY.
There was a meeting of all Private Schools in the District (County) called by the Education Officials. The aim was to give their findings on the inspection they did in May- July. There are 194 private Schools in the District making 50% of all Schools. This emphasized the importance of private schools as partners in education delivery. There was however a concern of education mediocrity in most of these schools. 50 Schools were recommended for immediate closure on health grounds. 30 were reprimanded for their high teacher turnover and lack adhering to the curriculum. 60 do not have adequate playing facility and Grace School is in this category.
FRIDAY:
Samuel paid a Pastoral visit to Kenyatta National Hospital to visit Grace School Land Lord. He was hospitalized Monday with sick Kidneys because of Diabetes. His health is stable and we are staying close to his family who are concerned about his status.
Monica went to buy food for the School. We are growing vegetables in the small school garden, but we buy the main bulk of food. We buy beans, rice, cooking fat, meat, and fruits. Kate supplies the needed milk.
Grace School is struggling financially to support the children and teachers. Our School motto Excelling by the grace of God is our pillar of hope. We shall have no food when the current supplies finishes.
Have a blessed weekend.
Samuel.
| Author: Samuel Wambugu
Saturday, September 17, 2005 at 09:27 A.M. (Limuru time)
WEEK ENDING AUGUST 14TH
Learning has resumed fully after the break. Children are arriving promptly at 7 am in the morning. The young ones go home at 4 pm and the rest at 5 pm. These are very long hours and teachers have to be creative to make learning enjoyable. We avoid rote type of learning by helping children apply the acquired knowledge in life setting. They do this through skits, songs and outings. The children are eagerly waiting for the annual tour that will take place next month. This is contingent to the availability of funds. The cost of this tour is $ 10 per child and is only 15 who have been able to pay.
MONDAY:
The School hosted a party to celebrate Mrs. Jane Njenga graduation. Jane graduated on Friday 9th with a Postgraduate Diploma in Education. We did this by having adding more bread, cookies and sweets to mid morning tea. The children enjoyed the occasion and admired Jane’s graduation attire. They promised to work hard in their learning until they will wear such gowns. We are proud of Jane for being a wonderful role modal.
TUESDAY:
We were worried about the health of Kate the Grace School heifer. It was not eating and the milk yield had become very little. We called a veterinary that treated it. It is now back to its health and giving enough milk for our needs.
THURSDAY:
I (Samuel) did two significant counseling sessions. The first one involved a very close friend whose wife died a year ago. This was the time that we were in the US. This friend wants to do one-year memorial service on Oct. 1 and requested me to officiate it. He is also considering remarriage and wanted me to assist him to understand the likely implications to his three grown daughters.
I had another session with a wife of my cousin. This one is contemplating divorce. The husband has functionally walked out of the family alleging economic constrains. The wife however sees infidelity in the saga and has physically kept her distance for fear of the HIV infections.
These two sessions drained my strength due to my close identifications with the emotion dynamics. We promised to continue with the sessions next week.
FRIDAY:
I had a frustrating day with my local bank. UTFCU had returned one check I wrote for lack of funds. The way I work is at the end of the month, I write a check to my local bank and get the money I require to pay the teachers salary. This check takes about a week to arrive at the UTFCU for clearance. This move is based on trust that by this time all our regular gifts will have arrived in the bank. It was not the case this time and a big gift had not arrived. The bank sent the check back and charged us a fine of $ 30. My local bank has asked me to replace the check with a fine of $ 50. We have been charged a total of $ 80 on this one returned draft. This kind of mistake has never happened and I hope it will never happen again. It is very expensive.
I pray that I will have an energy-revitalizing weekend. Enjoy your weekend too.
Samuel.
| Author: Samuel Wambugu
Saturday, September 10, 2005 at 09:30 A.M. (Limuru time)
WEEK ENDING 10TH AUGUST.
MONDAY
This was the second week of the third term. There are number of children who pays fees and they had not done it up to now. Some parents had given promises, which according to our past experience they do not keep. We had to take a difficult decision of ending the children home. Half of the children were back by the end of the day while others returned on Tuesday. We have to take tough stands for some parents to see the seriousness of our financial needs. This has given us enough money to buy the required supplies for this month.
Monday had another blessing event. Kate, the Grace School heifer that was donated to us by Kate Norrell (Now Mrs. Kate Purcell) gave birth to a very healthy bull. We are now having our own milk. The milk will be used as follows:
Evening Milk: Will be used in making the midmorning tea for the Grace School children. We shall also get some for our domestic use.
Morning Milk: Will be sold to generate some income, which will be used to buy feeding supplement to keep the animal healthy.
TUESDAY
Electricity people came and cut our much-adored trees. We had planted these trees on the little space by the gate and they were beautiful. We were told that they were under a live power line and they were dangerous. It was painful but it had to be done.
WEDNESDAY
I (Samuel) resumed the teaching of mathematics from 7am-8am and 4pm-5pm. This teaching is not part of prescribed timetable. It is our endeavor to make this much-feared subject in school understandable and likeable by our children. I think we have accomplished this. Children always look forward to this time and usually demand for it. I like teaching this because I see good results. Good Performance in Mathematics is becoming synonymous with Grace School.
FRIDAY
It was graduation day for Mrs. Jane Njenga the Head Teacher. Jane had previously a Bachelor of Arts in linguistics. She was studying part time (When the School was having a break) for Post Graduate Diploma in Education at Egerton University, which is one of our best Public Universities. The graduation was taking place 130 miles away and we could not travel to be with her. We shall celebrate Janes achievement during our mid-morning tea Monday 12th. This has again given Grace School a unique position. It is the only primary school with teachers who have University Diplomas (Jane and Samuel).
We give praise to God for the events of the week.
Samuel.
| Author: Samuel Wambugu
Saturday, September 03, 2005 at 08:28 A.M. (Limuru time)
BACK TO SCHOOL AFTER FOUR WEEKS BREAK.
The four weeks official break ended and Teachers and children resumed school at 8 am. Monday. Three new children joined the School. Both the teachers and children looked relaxed and ready to do the final 14 weeks to end the year 2005. We are pleased that Caroline whose mother died during the break is back in School. She is living with her grand mother and commutes every morning using public transport. We will do our best to help her continue with school. This is another who has been added to our large number of orphans.
Grace School opened with blessings. Bishop Karaya and his wife visited us. The Karayas are Kenyans pastoring a church in Boston Massachusetts. They brought a small financial gift from the church, which helped to buy the much-needed School supplies to begin the new school term. They were impressed by the Ministry of Grace School and gave words of encouragements to the teachers. They promised to share our needs with his church in Boston.
In our previous journal, I did mention of a sister of one of our workers who had been hospital for close to three weeks. She had a miscarriage and the baby died. It has been a sad week for the sister also died on Wednesday night. It was a great loss to Francis who loved the sister and cared for her. He could go everyday to feed and wash her. Our prayers are with Francis as he grieves the loss of his sister. She left a 10-year-old child under the care of Francis.
HIV/AIDS is hitting us hard. Our ministry to HIV patients and their families continues to grow by leaps and bounds every day. We are unable to minister effectively as pertains to tangible assistance. They require food, clothes, medicine and house rent. These people can be helped to support themselves by assisting them start an economic generating business and hence become less dependent on hand outs. We have helped two families in this way and they are doing great. We hope to assist more families in this way when we get funds.
The weather is getting comparatively warmer. We hope that that it will be warm enough not to wear the heavy jackets by the mid of the month.
We are saddened by the havoc caused by the hurricane Katerina in the Southern part of the USA. Our prayers are to all those who have lost their family members as well as the huge loss of property. We wish them well and the comfort of God.
Samuel.
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