Authored by Mary Grace
Yup! I leave October 18 to spend about six weeks teaching and playing at UOCO’s Hand of Hope Community School in South Sudan, and I am excited!
Thanks to you who keep the school afloat, and those who have donated airline miles, extra funds and school supplies to make this visit feasible and successful. Note that 100% of donations to UOCO go directly to the school, and I am paying out-of-pocket for the trip.
Here is our new girls’ dorm, thanks to Doctor of Nursing, Gloria Ann Evans, who gave us a generous Grant! This simple structure is the first of sturdy, permanent buildings and should be ready by the time I get there.
Our residential school does not have electricity, screens, or water on site, but the kids are fed, taught, cared for, and given freedom to play and grow. We do have a couple of solar panels and a laptop donated by USAID, and Wi-Fi is being installed thanks to donors Tyler and Kara Coppage. We are growing slowly but surely, thanks to each of you!
I will be taking cash (not from UOCO) to purchase mosquito nets, bedding, and other supplies when I arrive in-country. Yet, our priority must be food and staffing, so we’d love it if you could squeeze your likely already-stretched budget, to send UOCO between $5 (runs this good effort for about an hour!) and $5000 (duh, lots more hours!). We also have opportunities to donate stock, or to volunteer. Please see our website for more photos and opportunities: www.uoco.org
May there be peace, for everyone, everywhere.
-Mary Grace, for the kids, staff and Unified UOCO Boards President and Liaison, UOCO (USA)