Help Pr. Brian Byamukama support Bethany Orphans

Hi brethren, my name is Pastor Brian Byamukama, I want to thank each one of you for your generosity regarding my first call to setup a store and cafe. For clarification, my "mom" residing in the US, Marie Johnson, who is helping by transferring the go fund me funds raised for the orphanage through a special account set up for this purpose. That's why you see her as a beneficiary. The orphanage is the TRUE beneficiary of all of your donations. You bless us with your continued generosity. Thank you! 

I'm passionate about the orphanage because I grew up as an orphan after losing both parents to HIV early in my life. I suffered alot at the hands of relatives and I don't want other orphans to have the experience I had. I worked alot, ate little and was often hungry, barely had any clothes and I was discriminated against as though I was HIV positive too. I want these children to know they are God’s precious children, deserving of love and care. The orphanage cares for 92 children.

 

The store you helped me open is now in place and operating and slowly beginning to be able to address the needs of the Orphanage  (Bethany Nursery and Primary School)  but it's not sufficient. The store is still in its infancy but I believe I am doing the Lord’s work caring for these orphans and I have faith he will lead and guide me and the store will eventually cover the day to day costs of running the orphanage. I first learned how to run a store from my mom when I helped her run her store before she passed away. Now, I also talk to nearby store owners to gather additional information and advice. In addition to running the store to support the orphanage, I'm using this opportunity to train other church members with paid internships.  A young man named Junior recently joined me to help out in the store and in the process I am teaching him business skills. I intend to teach 3 more youths in business skills this year. 

A while ago, we used to sell firewood to support the Orphanage and this business collapsed because we didn't have sufficient capital, it will be good to revive this business because Pastor Solomon and Doreen who are currently on site running the church are good at this and have requested that we revive this business as another way to help support the orphanage.

Most recently, on Sunday night 27th March 2022 there was a very heavy rainy storm at the orphanage. The storm carried off the roof of two classrooms leaving the children with no indoor learning space. I thank God that there were no casualties as the children were already in their new Cherie Claire Wing Hostel sleeping. Crops at the Orphanage especially banana plants, maize and beans were destroyed. Some houses in the community too were not spared by the heavy storm. 






Church members have mobilized to provide labour and the classrooms have mostly been repaired. With your generous support we have already been able to repair the roof, and buy and install three doors. However, we still need four desks to replace those broken in the storm, a new wall blackboard made of cement because ours was cracked and broken in the storm. 

Some of the children have been having lessons under the shade of trees as you can see. Yet, it's a rainy season and it is dangerous for them to study outside because of the risk lightning brings along with the danger of snakes which breed in the wet ground. 

The orphanage suffers from almost continual food insecurity. In the storm we lost our supply of maize flour used for preparing posho, a staple food, because the roof of the storage room leaked and the flour got wet and ruined. (This roof still needs to be repaired.) This has left the children with no food. Prices for staples such as soap, cooking oil, sugar, etc continue to skyrocketing amidst these hard times. I am also aware that the prices of all essential commodities in Uganda have more than doubled (check link below),

 

https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/business/commodities/ugandans-brace-for-hard-times-as-commodity-prices-soar-3743242 

To illustrate the enormity of the food insecurity, about two months ago, we had two children of the orphanage fighting over a plate of food. The fight ended with one at the hospital because the other had bitten off his finger. You can imagine the kind of trauma they both experienced from this incident. They are just so desperately hungry. 

I thank my mom Marie Johnson, my Pastors; Pastor Jim and Pastor Allison for their support which enabled us to mostly repair the classrooms and have the doors fixed. We had to kill three snakes that got in while the rooms had no doors.  

As we talk now, Rachel a baby class orphan is hospitalised with malaria and typhoid. Her Medical bills have not been paid and I am worried her treatment might be discontinued without payment.  


Our albino orphans are having their skins cracking, they need balms to help soothe their skins.


Jiggers have attacked the feet of our children as you can see and we need to medically extract the jiggers from their feet and put them on treatment


I'm seeking your kind support to respond to the following emergencies, please any amount counts. These are emergencies which I can't afford to address immediately without your help. Sales are lower during this fasting period of Ramadan for Moslems and there is high political tension in Kenya as the country is preparing for presidential elections on 9th August 2022. I really need your support of a hand-up to help the children of our orphanage for now until elections are over and the store is firmly established. 

Since regular sales are lower during this Ramadan fasting period, it will be wise for me to change merchandise to suit the current period of Moslems , there's high demand for Moslem attire and all Islamic related items. If I can have the store replenished with these, I will surely make better sales hence, more profit to help support the orphanage. I need to be strategic because it's tough during this election atmosphere in Kenya. 

Here’s my Budget Summary to sustain the orphanage during this tough period:

 

1. Food for the children $1,500

 

2. Medical needs $700

 

3. Replace classroom items ruined in storm: 3 windows, 3 blackboards, and 4 desks $800

 

4. New store stock $700

 

5. Revive firewood business $400

 

Total $4,100 

 

You bless our work with your donations.

31 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory, … 34 Then the king will say to those at his right hand, ‘Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; 35 for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, 36 I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.’ 37 Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? 38 And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? 39 And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?’ 40 And the king will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family,[g] you did it to me.’ Matthew 25:31, 34-40

 

Thank you so much. Shalom.