Doors August Update

August in Uganda means the beginning of the rainy season. It is a time to plant seeds and plan for the coming harvest of December and January. At Doors, August was the end of the second school term of the academic year. Our academic calendar runs from February to December with three 10-12 week long school terms. We pray that seeds planted in August will ripen and bring forth a fruitful harvest in God’s kingdom. Read below to see what has happened in each of the ministry arms of Doors during this August planting season.

DOORS PRIMARY SCHOOL

We praise God for the faithful weekly short-term volunteers that came to Doors Primary School for Term 2 in June and July. They helped our understaffed teachers by filling in to teach classes such as English, Bible and Math. They led games and fun activities for the pupils, and brought much enrichment to the curriculum. Through their time at Doors Primary School, they were able to raise money to provide food for the school through the end of the year. This is a huge answer to prayer as more than 100 of our 121 students at the school are still awaiting sponsors.

Nursery students enjoying lunch at Doors Primary School. 

SECONDARY SCHOOL SCHOLARSHIP STUDENTS

Longkok Augustine is one of the most promising young men enrolled in the Secondary School Scholarship program. He graduated from Doors Primary School as the top in his class. We had no doubts that he would thrive in secondary school (high school). Despite not being sponsored at the beginning of the school year in February, one high school offered to enroll him in faith that school fees would be paid in time. They recognized his potential and strong academic ability. His end of term report card came back just two weeks ago. Augustine was number 1 in his class out of 47 students! He is not only an exceptional student, but a wonderful young man and leader. He serves at his local church as an usher, leads class activities, and continues to demonstrate outstanding Christian character that others can’t help but recognize. We are thankful and praise God for the partner who has stepped forward to sponsor and support Augustine as he continues his education, and those that have volunteered to partner financially with the other promising secondary school scholarship students. We still have 8 young men and women in need of sponsors in order to enroll in school for Term 3 which begins at the end of September.

Augustine in class at his secondary school (high school). He was #1 out of 47 students last term!

  

VOCATIONAL TRAINING SCHOLARSHIP STUDENTS

Vocational Training Schools in Uganda follow the same academic calendar as primary and secondary schools. Our 2 sponsored students are enjoying the holiday and making the most of their time before beginning back for Term 3 at the end of September. One young man, who is studying to become an electrician, is utilizing his holiday to add to his skill repertoire by interning for a local NGO learning carpentry and welding. These added skills will help him to find a higher paying job upon his graduation from vocational school. 

At vocational training school learning how to become an electrician. 

  

STREET CHILD RECONCILIATION & RESETTLEMENT

August has brought us as a ministry to our knees in prayer over 3 boys who were in the Doors Boys Home for former street boys. We strongly desire to see these 3 placed in long-term foster families over this school holiday. Currently, we have 2 potential homes that our social worker is investigating before placing the boys in each. Pray for us as we continue to seek God’s guidance on homes for these 3 boys. May He guide us, and may godly Christian families step forward to open up their homes and raise these boys into the young men and leaders they are.

Praying for a home for this child who was formerly in the Doors Boys Home. 

SPONSORSHIP

Throughout the months of July and August, we launched a sponsorship campaign on Facebook aimed at Doors Primary School. We desired to match each of the 121 students with a monthly sponsor at $37 a month. This $37 per student goes directly towards paying for the operation of Doors Primary School to keep our doors open. Rent, teacher and staff salaries, utilities, curriculum costs, school food and more have been financial challenges for us at the school. Though this campaign was aimed at seeking sponsors for Doors Primary School, we had more people step forward interested in sponsoring children and young adults in other programs of Doors. We praise God for that. Currently, sponsorship at Doors is: 

• 8 of 121 students at Doors Primary School are now connected with a monthly partners of $37 a month. 
• 10 of 18 students who have graduated from Doors Primary School and are now enrolled in the Secondary School Scholarship program have a monthly sponsor of $80 a month in order to continue their educations.
• All of our students enrolled in the Vocational Training Scholarship program are sponsored!
• 4 of 6 former street children have been sponsored at $80 per month in the Street Child Reconciliation & Resettlement program.

Thank you to all of our continued and new monthly sponsors and partners. We praise God for you and the seeds you are planting. May God bring forth a bountiful harvest.

If you are interested in what sponsorship at Doors entails, please email Ashley at Ashley@doorsministries.org for more information.