Only 3 more sleeps in Canada!!!!

Wow!  Time sure does fly.  I'm finished Vacation Bible School ( the kids were awesome!!!).  Working a double shift (split shift) today and  working morning tomorrow. 
Packing?????
Well - not so good.  The weight restrictions of 50 pounds is really hard.... so I figure I'll bring stuff that I can leave for me in Uganda, this trip, and in January bring some of the stuff I had purchased to bring for the kids.
I hope they don't weigh the carry on ;-).
Plan on leaving the trailer in Sturgeon Woods on Monday to stay at Tricia's. 
Eve is being cared for by Laurie and Bernie at the campground.
Ivan is out of the hospital - Praise the Lord!!!!
Fred (Crew) is driving me to the airport on Tuesday - Thanks Fred
Probably the next time I write in this blog will be when in Africa!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Prayers are welcome.

Prayers for Ivan

10 more sleeps in Canada!!
Please send your thoughts and prayers to Ivan Nsera, the founder of Save African Child Uganda, who has malaria.  He was in hospital but is now resting at home.
I have decided to stay at a hotel for the first week to take some pressure off of him.  The name of the hotel is Florida Hotel.  Check it out at http://www.floridahotel.co.ug/about.htm
I teaching music at Vacation Bible School next week at Belle River United Church.
God bless.

Pasta Dinner Fundraiser - Sat. Aug. 14

Thank you to everyone who attended.  Your support is much appreciated.  I can't thank my friends enough for their support and help putting on this event - Linda & Joe, Laurie and Bernie, Gerry and Sue, Joan & Ray ;-), Sharon and Ken and of course my sister Meredith and niece Karen.  Thanks Lord for holding off the rain.  Thank you Mary for holding a special birthday party and donating the proceeds to us.
Many people have made donations and just in the last couple of days including the pasta dinner and the raffffffffffffflllllllllllle - lol-  we raised an additional $1000 - wow, including two who want to sponsor a particular child they saw in 'the book'.
I am so sorry I didn't even think of taking a picture of the pasta dinner. 
God bless you all!!!!!

My Profile from the SACU website

May 16, 2010




Education Program Coordinator
Geri Sutts
Belle River, Ontario
Canada
June 12, 1952
Personal - Christian

1 daughter, Trish (BJ) and 1 step daughter Tam (Rick) and 2 step sons, Tom (Lori) and Casey (Kristin). Total of 6 grand children ages 1 to 12 - Rya, Taylor, Brandyn, Emma, Katie and Braelin. Widowed in 2009. Live in Canada for the summer and have home in Florida for the winter. Proud Canadian.

Retired in 2004 after teaching for 31 ½ years. Taught Junior Kindergarten through Grade 8 (3 to 14 year olds). A member of RTO/ERO (Retired Teacher’s Of Ontario) and RWTO (Retired Women teachers of Ontario).

Since retirement I have been blessed with the opportunity to volunteer on four separate missions. Honduras to teach at a needy school teaching English through music. Twice to Guatemala volunteering at God’s Child Project, Safe Passage and most recently at a hospital - Hermano Pedro where I spent time with children confined to wheelchairs.

In October 2008, I lead a team of 12 (a fabulous group!) to Uganda to help build a classroom for the WATOTO Ministries. The team was called - Geri’s School of R.O.C.K. (Reaching Out in Christian Kindness). It was in Kampala where I first met Ivan.

I am a member of a wonderful little church called Belle River United Church (of Canada). They have supported me through all my volunteer endeavours. Some other United Churches in Windsor and Essex County were supportive with fundraising for the Watoto mission and I look forward to their continued support.

In March of 2010 I was blessed with the opportunity to go to the Holy Land (Israel) with McGregor Baptist Church (Fort Myers, Florida), lead by Pastor Richard Powell. I was baptized in The River Jordan - Praise the Lord.
The Heart of Essex Sweet Adelines, TOPS (Belle River), HeartT Hatters (Red Hatters of Stoney Point) have shown support in my previous fundraising activities.
I was asked by Ivan to become the Education Program Coordinator for SACU. After a lot of thought and prayer I accepted this position. I pray for guidance.
I pray for continued support from my church family, friends and family, and organizations both financially and physically. We need financial support for teaching materials (they have nothing!!!) as well as volunteers to teach and to ’build’ classrooms - desks, chairs…….

God Bless

What am I going to do in Uganda??

Good Question.
I am going in basically blind.
Here's what I think I might be doing.

• leave Detroit on Aug. 31 at 5:30 pm and arrive in Entebbee, Uganda Sept. 1 at 8:30 pm.  Ivan will pick me up at the airport and bring me to the place where I will sleep.
• I hope I will get up - lol- and perhaps travel to the village where the children are.  I gather from Ivan it is a 3 hour ride.  I want to get to know the village and the children and the surrounding area.  Hoping to see the possible school as well.  Since it is such a distance perhaps I will be staying at Ivan's grandmother's for a night or 2.  His sister lives there too.  (I'm bringing my own treated mosquito net.)
• Church on Sunday
• the next 2 weeks will probably be planning, getting some supplies (I don't have the money for a full year - just for 1/4 of the year so far - but I'm sure God will be watching.)
• I think I will be going back and forth to the village staying a night or 2 each time.
• When I leave I plan on keeping some of my personal items at Ivan's when I leave, such as my mosquito net, pillows, medicines....for my return trip in January which is already booked.
• I will not have access to my computer all the time.
• See - I'm rambling - but very excited
• sure wish I could bring stuff in my suitcases but weight restrictions really stifle that.
• I am bringing some of my own food sources such as peanut butter and snacks

Thanks for donations

Thank you to everyone who has given a donation towards the children, whether $5 or $125.  Every penny of your donations will go to Africa (after converting it to US funds- lol).  I will personally be purchasing some supplies for the children.

Pray that we can find an organization to help support the education for these children in the future.
Thank you to Belle River Lion's Club for your donation.  I pray for your continued support.

Beginning - Aug 9, 2010

Well I'm finally trying a blog to keep all my friends posted on my adventures.  This way those not on facebook can check out what I'm doing.  I'm sure the first few times this is going to be a hodge podge and I apologize for that.  I plan on putting pictures in this blog from Africa and perhaps let you know what's happenng in Uganda if I get connected while there.

Check out the website of Save African Child Uganda at http://www.sacuganda.com/

My friends at the campground are holding a pasta dinner this Saturday, August 14, 2010 to help raise some funds for the education of Ugandan Orphans.

This is a letter I sent out.  Perhaps you know of someone who is willing to help these children.


Geri Sutts


Education Project Coordinator

SAVE AFRICAN CHILD UGANDA

1571 Whitewood Dr.

Belle River, Ontario

N0R 1A0

519-982-9138

www.sacuganda.com

sutts@hotmail.com



Dear Sir/Madam



I am writing this letter to ask for your service club’s financial support.

Since my retirement from teaching in June of 2004 I have gone on 4 volunteer missions. My first 3 missions I taught underprivileged children in Honduras and twice in Guatemala. My 4th mission, in October 2008, I lead a team of 12 to build a classroom in Uganda, Africa for the WATOTO Child Care Ministries for orphaned children. You may have heard of the team - Geri’s School of R.O.C.K. (Reaching Out in Christian Kindness).

While in Uganda, I met a 21 year old Ugandan orphan named Ivan Nsera. He was telling me about the organization he was trying to start to help the orphaned children in his village and district. He asked me for help and guidance in getting it going, but the only thing I could do is give him some names of others I had met who started their own organizations in Guatemala. Due to family illness I was unable to spend the time to help him. I lost track of Ivan until he found me on Facebook.

Since October 2008, Ivan has continued to work on his organization. He has managed to get the organization registered with the African government. His organization is called SACU - Save African Child Uganda. You can check out the organization at wwwsacuganda.com

The past few months I have reading up on his organization. On May 7th I decided to go to Uganda to see what I could do to help, and booked my flight to leave Detroit on August 31 for 2 ½ weeks.

Ivan has since asked me to become the Education Project Coordinator. After much thought and prayers I accepted this position. It is a big step considering I have no funds to help these children and this is such a young organization. I am starting on the ground floor.

My plan is to start with 60 orphaned children. I am looking at the educational aspect only. Using the budget Ivan had started, I calculate it would cost approx. $6900 US to send 60 children to school for 1 year. This comes out to approx. $125 Canadian per child. ($7500 Can - depending on exchange)

Following is the proposed budget (US funds as this is the accepted currency in Africa) for 60 orphans.



2 Teachers Salary - $900 x 2 = $1800

Breakfast (including cook) $2160

School rental $900

Books, readers, etc $360

Soccer balls, nets, etc $360

Furniture $360

School uniforms $600

TOTAL $6900 US



There are hundreds of orphans in the villages but I can only start with a smaller number because of funding and initial organization. Perhaps in a year or two more children can benefit. For every $3500 US I can educate another 30 orphans. As a retired educator I cannot turn my back on these orphans.

I would be grateful for any financial contribution a club or organization could give. I would appreciate receiving any contributions before I leave so I can work on purchasing the supplies needed when I get there, if possible. If you are so inclined, cheques can be made out to me - Geri Sutts - with SACU in the memo line. If you need references to show I won’t abscond with the money I’ll gladly supply names. My expenses come out of my own pocket.

I do plan on continuing to go to Uganda myself 2 or 3 times a year out of my own pocket. My next trip is in January 2011.

Looking forward to hearing from you soon.

Thank you and blessings

Geri Sutts