Welcome to our weekly news roundup! Here we share stories from each of our Villages about our Programs, celebrations, children, and staff. If you’d like to receive these updates via email, please subscribe to our newsletter.
This week we went on a field trip, got new uniforms, and enjoyed the final days of school break!
Don’t forget to scroll all the way to the bottom to see our photo of the week!
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- Kelowna: Friday, September 27
- Winnipeg: Friday, October 4th
- Ladner: Saturday, October 5
- Ottawa: Friday, October 11
- Toronto: Saturday, October 19
- Vancouver: Friday, October 25
- Langley: Saturday, October 26
- Comox: Friday, November 1
Latest Blog “Where Are They Now: Joyce”
Bulale (Tanzania): Field Trip!
Recently at VOH Mwanza, our children were very excited to go on a field trip!
Together with their teachers, all the kids took a trip to a nearby waterfront park. They were able to see Lake Victoria, play outside, and eat a special lunch. The kids loved going somewhere special.
We’re grateful to be able to give our children new experiences as part of their learning experience at our school. We know they will benefit from seeing new places, meeting new people, and being in new environments.
Bwiza (Burundi): Meet Mediatrice
Mediatrice is a widow who has two sons, Weask-Fils and Luckyman, both cared for by VOH Burundi.
Before her children joined VOH, Mediatrice was depressed and losing hope because life was so difficult. She was unable to care for her family and to provide their primary needs.
After her children joined VOH, Mediatrice found renewed hope through our VOH family and our sewing program, which she was able to join.
The program supports widows and women in need by training them and providing them with an income-generating skill.
We are so happy for Mediatrice! We admire her dedication to her family and proud of her hard work. Now, in preparation of the upcoming school year this September, she is busy by making uniforms for all of the VOH children!
Chongwe (Zambia): Meet Festus
Meet Festus one of the VOH Chongwe’s Science Teachers. Festus started school in 1999 at VOH Kitwe and our VOH Chongwe Director (Auntie Mwenya) was his grade 1 teacher. He completed High School in 2009 at VOH Kitwe and he graduated with excellent results, which allowed him to be accepted at Mukuba University, one of the four credible Zambian Government Universities.
At University he received a Bachelor’s in Natural Sciences with Education majoring in Biology and Chemistry. Upon graduation, he joined the VOH Chongwe team teaching science.
He is also part of our Discipleship Program where he leads the children in coming up with songs based on scripture. He loves singing and he enjoys it.
Festus is one of the many testimonies of children whose hope has been restored thanks to God, VOH, and our supporters!
Kitwe (Zambia): Enjoying the Break!
During school break at VOH Kitwe, there is a lot of activity around the Village!
Some of the kids love to play basketball and volleyball, while others have fun playing games on the playgrounds. Some of the kids enjoy drawing. One of the boys, in particular, is very good at drawing and likes to spend time teaching his friends how to draw.
There are no dull moments for the children over break as everyone has lots of time to do things they enjoy and to try new things, too.
Maramvya (Burundi): Singing and Sharing!
This week at VOH Maramvya during our special time of singing and sharing with the children. We taught them that as we learn about God, we should thank Him for all He has done for us!
We want them to learn how to talk to God through prayer, reading scripture, and singing.
Following our devotional time, we had fun playing sports.
We are happy that our children enjoy this time of singing and sharing and that we were also able to have fun together!
Mongu (Zambia): Meet Isaac
Isaac is one of the many amazing teenage boys at VOH Mongu. He is the biological son of our very first house mother, Mother Charity, and has been with us from the very start.
Isaac is 17 and in grade 11 at our school. He is a real leader among his peers and is a high achiever in school. He even received some of the top marks in the country on his grade 7 and grade 9 exams.
He is also incredibly creative and is a great artist and musician. He has been taking keyboard lessons for a few years now and has started composing his own songs. He also helps with the kids’ church worship team; they even started singing some of his songs there!
Mwanza (Tanzania): New School Uniforms!
At VOH Mwanza we are getting a head start on making all the school uniforms we will need for 2020! Two of our housemothers, Esther and Helena, have been learning and being trained to sew and one of their big projects is now sewing all our children’s school uniforms.
There will be close to 500 uniforms when they’re all done! They are working very hard to get all of these uniforms completed in the next few months so the children are ready for the new school year and will look smart!
With our housemothers making all the uniforms, we can save quite a bit of money and, of course, they are gaining work experience and improving their sewing skills.
Zimbabwe: Preparing for Practical Exams
Even though our students at VOH Zimbabwe have been on a break, they have still bee working hard to prepare for their upcoming practical exams.
In our building class, for example, the students need to get plenty of work done because the exams are not marked based on what students know theoretically; they are marked based on how they apply their knowledge.
It can be a challenge to put what you have learned to practice. This is why the new curriculum emphasizes that children need to know how to implement what they are being taught.
We know our students will be ready and will do well on their exams!