Introduction Today 1st December 2009, we mark five years of Lulwanda Children’s Home opening. It is God who has worked through different people to enable us reach this far. It has been your consistent generosity and prayer that we are what we are. You have blessed us materially and spiritually, comforted us and given us courage as each day we face a new hope and future.   Words may never be enough to thank you and show you our appreciation but every passing day we are indebted to men, women and children from the global village, whose hearts were never the same after learning about the plight of the children of Uganda.   We are indebted to those people, who took the first bold step into the un known driven by the desire to help, a desire to make a difference in the life of the children in Uganda whom they least knew about.  We are indebted to men, women and children who have taken it upon themselves to intercede, the Prayer warriors who pray for us with love everyday and for every thing that relates with Lulwanda Children’s Home.

We are indebted to all those people who have made our faces bless their fridges, sitting rooms, offices, screen savers and photo albums. It comforts beyond measure to know that you are loved and cherished. We are indebted to those people who out of sheer love decided to share regularly their income with some body across the global, whom they had never known before but driven by the desire to positively change their dire situation, when they learnt of it.   We are indebted to people who each year have fore gone their entitlement to leisure and spent their resource, time and money on flights to Uganda and endured the grilling environment to come to Lulwanda Children’s Home.  We are indebted to men, women and children across the global, who took it upon themselves to appreciate our predicament and decided to make a change in our lives.   We are indebted to people who have foregone their comfort zones in life to reach out to our current needs and assured us of a comfortable future.  We are indebted to those people across the global, who have made them selves available and accepted to be used in different ways to meet the needs and aspirations of the children of Lulwanda.

We are indebted to people who have been walking with us through the thick and thin of time, in need and sickness bringing a smile to a face that has never know one before.  We are indebted to different individuals and organizations who have made an effort to improve on the quality of life of the children at Lulwanda Children’s Home.  We are indebted to the Government of Uganda, GICF Board and the Local Management Committees for their sustained effort to ensure that we enjoy our stay and our work at Lulwanda Children’s Home.   Finally we are indebted to those people who saw us and not only told us that yes we can but also showed us that together we can.   Who could go out of the way to do what is being done at Lulwanda Children’s Home had it not been for God? Hope never runs dry.   Brethren, it is humbling particularly for some of us who have been here long enough to testify. God is at work and it is not a mistake that he has brought you on board. We praise Him for each one of you and every day we ask for a blessing upon you life as you go about your daily routines. May He continue to protect you.

Time to reflect When we look back, God has been gracious; we started with 15 children on 1st December 2004. We didn’t know what to do and we thank Him that we learnt on job. We had two mothers, a drive, a Gardener and a Cook.   Today the home has grown to care for 90 resident children with over 30 staff members. Our infrastructure has also grown to a level where today we are looking forward to see how to sustain what we already have. The children under our care have qualitatively grown and in these past 5 years, they have grown in stature, wisdom and knowledge. They continue to be a source of inspiration in what they do and have mastered the heart of service to all without discrimination. We are proud of each one of them and their different personalities that have evolved. It gives us hope that our impact on their young life is after all not in vain as they shapeup to maturity.   This has been your work and effort so far and as we look ahead, we have confidence and it is our prayer that together we shall continue on this journey to its conclusive end. A day we shall have to resettle some of the children as adults who have passed through our hands as responsible adults who shall stand on their own to give back to the society and communities that had once neglected them. A Day they shall stand as a testimony of what God can do shall be a day when together our joy shall come to completion.

Looking ahead As we look ahead, it is our humble appeal for your continued support so that Lulwanda Children’s Home’s desire for self sustenance may also come to pass. This requires some investment in those units that have been tested to have the potential to reduce our operational costs and ensure continuity of the home. Thus the need for solar panels, Teachers houses and mechanizing agriculture for increased food production.   Expanding our health facility and opening it to the public is some thing that could increase the home’s values to the children and increased relevance to the community we serve. Investing in a secondary school and a trade school shall also be beneficial to the children and the larger community, they things that we need to think of as we grow.   Building the hostels for both boys and girls is becoming critical every day since our children are growing towards adolescence. Preparing them for adulthood is therefore very important for us so that those who are beginning adolescence may not negatively affect those who are still young.   We are grateful to you all and be blessed as we cerebrate our fifth anniversary.   Edward Mukiibi Administrator