Being so far away from many of our friends and family back home we often feel like we are out of the loop. Yes, even with simple things like movies and who is the next big music group. However we can relate with many of you who have been experiencing the constant heat. Currently Kampala is the driest it has been for a very long time (since the 1970s) and even the locals are starting to tell us they can’t remember a time when it was this dry. However, the biggest thing we wonder is how and what our friends and family are up to. The thought was that you may feel the same about our family and even the students that leave our school. I know I often think about them and wonder how they are doing academically, behaviorally and spiritually… Well even if you are not wondering let me tell you.
Our story begins last year with some of our grade seven students. Last year our discipline committee found ourselves very challenged….in particular with a couple of students. With a constant effort and a measured level of discipline we continued to push forward and work with these children. As the year came to an end they were excited to be heading home on holidays. But soon the realization of a long holiday set in. Not so much food, not much to do and quite a bit of boredom. Tears were shed by many children as they said their goodbyes to fellow classmates, students, staff and even those tough discipline committee members of which I was the head of.
Christmas holidays passed and seven of 30 grade seven members were placed together in a secondary school. Here at Music for Life we started another year, welcomed another choir who had returned from touring in the west and got to work. To my surprise and joy one of those difficult students from last year showed up at my office one day and greeted me with a big hug. Yes, I remember the mean things this student had written in a diary about me and others who, were only trying to help her and correct her out of love with good intentions. As we chatted I was shocked to hear that she was one of the top student in her stream along with the six other students from our school (same grade but different classes). I was shocked as she stated who was first and followed through to number seven and how ‘we are the best and the rest begin after us’. All of the students had positions of leadership and were involved in leading praise and worship on Sunday mornings for the school. She made it clear that she had made many mistakes and deserved the firmness that was shown her during her time at our school. My heart jumped for joy as she continued to speak highly of how we had created a strong foundation for her academically and work-wise to be the best in her new school. Spiritually they had also been given what they needed to not just survive, but lead others at their new school. And they have been a testimony to much older students. We are thankful for the direction of these seven and many others year after year who move into secondary school and make us, the staff, the school and the organization proud. Thank you Ruth, Florence, Penny, Isaac, Dorothy, Susan and Gorret for your superb effort and dedication…We love you all still very much…
Well, I thought about going to the school for part of the afternoon and trying to get a picture of the above seven, but I decided that I would include a few pictures of my own children. Yes, these students leave and I always feel like they are in a way my own and I am sad to see them go, but very excited. Before I know it Seth and Jodie will be long gone from home and while they are here I am going to give it all I can just like I try at school. I am proud to be the headmaster of these seven and even more excited to be a dad to my two wonderful little ones. Take care everyone and let’s give all we have in whatever we do in the name of our Lord and Savior.
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