A show of fatherly love
Mar 08, 2009
WHAT will you do for Love Ministry? I say listen to our cries and pay attention to Africa.†The boys and girls break into song and joyfully dance to the a tune they seem to know too well. The joy and excitement was visible on their faces.
By Stephen Ssenkaaba
WHAT will you do for Love Ministry? I say listen to our cries and pay attention to Africa.†The boys and girls break into song and joyfully dance to the a tune they seem to know too well. The joy and excitement was visible on their faces.
Five gentlemen watch and clap as the children perform. I later talk to one of the children; a thin, light-skinned girl called Christine Nyandoi.
“I am very happy, those men have brought us money, we are going to get school fees, clothes and food,†she says.
By now, I am surrounded by children who are eager to tell their story.
The men are representatives of Rajasthani Association, an organisation of Indians hailing from Rajasthani province of India.
Led by John Nagenda, the presidential adviser on media, the men are visiting to the children of Love Ministries. The ministry is a home to 39 orphaned and abandoned children in Kisimu, Nabweru in Kawempe Division.
The group, comprised of Rtd Brig Thakur Kalyan Singh (Brig. Kelly), the patron of the association; Sharad Singh, the current association chairman; Ashish Sighui, the secretary, and Dilip Bhandari, the former chairman.
They brought a cash donation of sh5m which they presented to Pastor Florence Athieno, the children’s caretaker. Brig Kelly also presented sh500,000 offered to the home by his wife Mrs. Thakur. In a show of emotions, the children smile and break into thunderous rounds of applause.
The visitors listen carefully and smile back at the young ones. At some point Brig. Kelly raises his hands and prays for the children. “You are our children, we love you,†he says.
Sharad Sigh says: “We feel very touched by what we have seen. We are grateful to John Nagenda who has brought us here. It is our pleasure to contribute to this home.
We wish that these children can study and become future leaders and responsible citizens.â€
Singh says that after consultations with other members, Rajasthani Association will identify ways of continuing to support love ministries home.
Hardly two months ago, Love Ministries home was not known. But through a wide publicity campaign led by Nagenda and other generous people, the plight of these young children has been brought to the public’s attention.
Founded eight years ago, this home is the brainchild of Pastor Florence Athieno. It brings together all kinds of abandoned and helpless children.
Brig. Kelly and his “sons†expressed joy to have had an opportunity to share the little they had with these children, many of whom would perhaps be dead by now if they had not been brought to this home.
“I am very happy that at a time like this, God has opened the door for my children. I am going to pay school fees for them and buy some land for expansion, may God bless these people abundantly,†Athieno said.
Since the campaign kicked off, the home has received 386 blankets, food, lots of clothes, including new uniforms for the children, and money.
The Rajasthani Association has been in existence since 2004. It is made up of about 130 families hailing from the Rajasthani province living in Uganda.
Since its establishment, the association has been donating funds to help needy communities in Uganda through some of its activities. “Every year, we organise a show as part of activities to celebrate the Indian Independence day.
We dedicate the proceeds from this show to helping the needy in Uganda,†says Singh. This time round, the association dedicated the proceeds of last year’s show to the support of Love Ministries.
The association donated funds to the flood victims in northeastern Uganda two years ago, and also sponsored the operation of a child who needed to undergo a heart surgery in India.
WHAT will you do for Love Ministry? I say listen to our cries and pay attention to Africa.†The boys and girls break into song and joyfully dance to the a tune they seem to know too well. The joy and excitement was visible on their faces.
Five gentlemen watch and clap as the children perform. I later talk to one of the children; a thin, light-skinned girl called Christine Nyandoi.
“I am very happy, those men have brought us money, we are going to get school fees, clothes and food,†she says.
By now, I am surrounded by children who are eager to tell their story.
The men are representatives of Rajasthani Association, an organisation of Indians hailing from Rajasthani province of India.
Led by John Nagenda, the presidential adviser on media, the men are visiting to the children of Love Ministries. The ministry is a home to 39 orphaned and abandoned children in Kisimu, Nabweru in Kawempe Division.
The group, comprised of Rtd Brig Thakur Kalyan Singh (Brig. Kelly), the patron of the association; Sharad Singh, the current association chairman; Ashish Sighui, the secretary, and Dilip Bhandari, the former chairman.
They brought a cash donation of sh5m which they presented to Pastor Florence Athieno, the children’s caretaker. Brig Kelly also presented sh500,000 offered to the home by his wife Mrs. Thakur. In a show of emotions, the children smile and break into thunderous rounds of applause.
The visitors listen carefully and smile back at the young ones. At some point Brig. Kelly raises his hands and prays for the children. “You are our children, we love you,†he says.
Sharad Sigh says: “We feel very touched by what we have seen. We are grateful to John Nagenda who has brought us here. It is our pleasure to contribute to this home.
We wish that these children can study and become future leaders and responsible citizens.â€
Singh says that after consultations with other members, Rajasthani Association will identify ways of continuing to support love ministries home.
Hardly two months ago, Love Ministries home was not known. But through a wide publicity campaign led by Nagenda and other generous people, the plight of these young children has been brought to the public’s attention.
Founded eight years ago, this home is the brainchild of Pastor Florence Athieno. It brings together all kinds of abandoned and helpless children.
Brig. Kelly and his “sons†expressed joy to have had an opportunity to share the little they had with these children, many of whom would perhaps be dead by now if they had not been brought to this home.
“I am very happy that at a time like this, God has opened the door for my children. I am going to pay school fees for them and buy some land for expansion, may God bless these people abundantly,†Athieno said.
Since the campaign kicked off, the home has received 386 blankets, food, lots of clothes, including new uniforms for the children, and money.
The Rajasthani Association has been in existence since 2004. It is made up of about 130 families hailing from the Rajasthani province living in Uganda.
Since its establishment, the association has been donating funds to help needy communities in Uganda through some of its activities. “Every year, we organise a show as part of activities to celebrate the Indian Independence day.
We dedicate the proceeds from this show to helping the needy in Uganda,†says Singh. This time round, the association dedicated the proceeds of last year’s show to the support of Love Ministries.
The association donated funds to the flood victims in northeastern Uganda two years ago, and also sponsored the operation of a child who needed to undergo a heart surgery in India.