WWW.WATOTO.COM | OCTOBER 2013 | ISSUE NO. 3

WHAT WE DO ORPHANED CHILDREN | VULNERABLE WOMEN | COMMUNITY TRANSFORMATION

continued on pg. 2

INTO THE FUTURE

When Sunday Okello decided to volunteer at the Lubbe Sustainability project, he had no idea how much he would learn by just offering his time. The 23-year-old former child soldier declares that his sole motivation for volunteering is to give back to, and appreciate Watoto for choosing to invest in his life. “My experience at the Lubbe farm has been amazing. I have learned so much, including how to grow a variety of crops and drive a tractor. It’s also given me the opportunity to learn all the skills I need to manage a successful agricultural project.”

continued from pg. 1Okello was 13 when he

first encountered the rebel soldiers in northern Uganda - an incident that scattered his family. His younger brother was abducted and the rest of the family relocated to Onyama Internally Displaced Camp in Gulu town. The rebels often targetted this camp to abduct boys and girls that they used as soldiers and wives.

The rampant attacks forced Okello and his family to commute every evening to Gulu town to seek shelter on verandas of buildings.

One day, Okello’s father suggested that they spend the night at home since the rebels hadn’t raided the camp for a while. The rebels struck with full force that evening.

Okello, his brother and about 70 children were abducted from the camp. They walked north for many hours and were eventually initiated into the rebel movement after experiencing 150 strikes from a wooden cane.

Well that was almost 4 years ago and the child has a memory like an elephant. So when I was putting together the Baby Watoto national team, my son asked again, or rather told me that he was going to be 7 and

Eight former Watoto children graduated from various universities around Uganda in July 2013.

Each of them excelled in their respective fields, including Business, Law, Finance, Fashion & Design, Development Studies, Science and Information Technology.

The Education Department of Watoto organized a joyous event to celebrate the achievements of the graduates.

Jane Nalwada, who graduated with a diploma in Fashion & Design wore a dress she personally designed. She was thankful to Watoto for the opportunity they had granted her. She

He spent two months in Uganda and was later forced to walk 500 km to Sudan where he came face to face with the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) rebel leader, Joseph Kony.

Two months later, the rebel leader commanded the regiment to return to Uganda to stock up on ammunition, food and soldiers. Ten kilometers from the Sudanese border, the rebels encountered a fire exchange with the Ugandan Government soldiers for over 7 hours. Many lives were lost, but they escaped.

Once in Uganda, their job was to abduct more children and loot for food. It was during this mission that Okello escaped. He was rescued by Ugandan Government soldiers who enrolled him for trauma counseling at the Gulu Support the Children Organization (GUSCO), now Watoto’s Living Hope Center for trauma rehabilitation of vulnerable women.

After four months of intensive counseling, Okello

decided to go to school, but didn’t have any money.

Just as he was about to give up, a team from Watoto led by co-founder Marilyn Skinner, visited the camp. Okello joined the Watoto family soon after. “I was amazed by the opportunities that opened up. I was enrolled into the best secondary school in Gulu because the Watoto School hadn’t opened up in northern Uganda at the time.”

After finishing high school, he completed a certificate in Crop Production and Animal Management. Okello also participated in the Watoto3600 discipleship program and offered to volunteer with the Watoto Sustainability project.

“I have learned so much by working at the Lubbe farm. It has literally opened the door to my dreams. I have already started a farmers’ association in partnership with some of my former college mates and I have dreams of running farming projects in northern Uganda and exporting product,” says Okello.

I have been blessed to have traveled to Uganda twice in the past few years, each time with my son asking me when he could come. I made the mistake of telling him when he turned 7, he could go to Africa with me.

Jackson — The Little Fundraiserthat he should be able to go to Africa.

We talked about his reasons for wanting to travel to Africa with me. His answer was that he wanted to help the babies that had no mommies or daddies and that he wanted to go and pray with them/for them and help make them laugh. My heart was overflowing with joy at his answer, so of course I said yes! If he could fundraise $2,000, I would cover the rest and he could go. The minimum age is 7 for a child to go on a team so I was starting to think God’s timing was perfect. Jackson was also excited about getting to meet his sponsor brother David who he refers to as ‘his brother from another mother’.

A few weeks after we decided he could go, a commercial came on the TV as he was headed for bed. It was about how for

only pennies a day you could help children around the world go to school, get clean water and food and most importantly save them from dying. Well the waterworks opened up from this young boy sitting on my lap. God gave me such a teaching moment as a parent that the next hour consisted of a lot of tears (both my son and I) and we worked through that God wants us to help the widows and the orphans according to James 1:27.

It says, “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.”

Jackson has since been busy selling chocolate bars, hosting lemonade stands, collecting recycling and his next project is a garage sale where he will be selling his toys to raise the funds! I have no doubt that this young man will be in Uganda in February 2014 and God will be continuing to work on his heart!

If you’d like to raise support for Watoto, explore www.watoto.com and feel free to contact us at ambassador@watoto.ca.

Embarking On A New Journey

was particularly grateful for her Watoto mother, sponsors and everyone else who contributed to her achievements.

Sarah Kigozi, Watoto’s Child Welfare team leader encouraged, urged and advised the graduates to exemplify the character of Christ in all they did.

Education Team Leader Dorcas Kibirige encouraged the hopeful graduates to continue in their pursuit of excellence.

Without the continuous support of sponsors and partners globally, none of these graduates would have had the opportunity to pursue an

education. Join the journey and sponsor a life today. For more information visit www.watoto.com/sponsorship.

We truly appreciate all our volunteers who travel to work with us in Uganda. Martina is a repeat volunteer who shares this story.

“I have always had a love for Africa and babies, so when I found out that I could mix those passions by volunteering with Baby Watoto, I jumped at the opportunity.

My first trip was 1 month; I fell in love with the babies, with Watoto, with the Ugandan people, and Uganda as a whole. I loved it so much that I went back a year later for 6 months. Uganda feels like my second home now and I treasure every moment that I’m there; it is so awe-inspiring to shower these babies with love every day and see it mirrored back in their smiles and cuddles.

During my last trip, my parents came to visit me for a week, and my mom loved it so much that she wants to

go back as a volunteer. So my mom and I are going back this November to volunteer in the baby’s home for a month. We are thrilled and can’t wait to see how much the babies have grown and to shower even more babies with God’s love.”

To volunteer in Africa, write to us at canada@watoto.com.

Martina’s StoryA Volunteer Spirit

Women who gathered in twelve different communities heard the dynamic story of Living Hope as Marilyn Skinner’s Return to Dignity tour touched down in Canada. In just sixteen days Marilyn made 24 appearances where she passionately shared stories of great restoration that has taken place in the lives of our Living Hope women. Those in attendance were both encouraged and challenged as Marilyn shared stories of women who had at one time felt completely abandoned, but who now live restored and in light of God’s amazing love and provision for them.

Marilyn’s tour included a number of gatherings in private homes and organizations as well as public church settings. She also

Return To Dignity Comes To Canada appeared and was interviewed on two international television broadcasts, based in Canada. Thousands of people were exposed to the ministry of Living Hope and to the news of God’s activity in the lives of many Ugandan women.

While in Victoria, Marilyn was also able to enjoy paying a visit to the Watoto Canada office. Staff members shared a meal with her and clung to every word as she shared about the early days of Watoto and the value of small beginnings.

Thank you Marilyn for including Canada in your Return to Dignity tour. To follow the rest of the tour, go to www.watoto.com/returntodignity.

Embarking On A New Journey HAVE YOU MOVED? Please help us keep our records up to date by sending us a quick email to Canada@watoto.ca or phone toll-free 1-888-992-8686 with your new address.

OUR REGISTERED CHARITY NUMBER: 86395 3618 RR0001Tax receipts for all donations and sponsorship funds are sent out once a year in February, for the previous year’s total giving.

WATOTO CANADAPO BOX 98VICTORIA, BC V8W 2M1 1-888-9WATOTO CANADA@WATOTO.COM

“I’m a pastor,” Junior tells his village mom every day. Junior knows his bible stories and uses every opportunity to ‘preach’ to his friends.

Junior’s biological mother passed away when he was only 2 weeks old. He was malnourished and sickly when he arrived at Baby Watoto, but God healed him and made his frail little body strong and healthy.

He is now 6 years old and attends primary school, where he relishes every learning experience. He loves playing ball, singing and dancing. His favourite food is rice and beans and he loves helping his mother around the house.

SPONSOR BABY WATOTO

BEFORE

AFTER

“I ’m a pastor,” Junior tells his village mom every day.