May has been a challenging month for many at Touch the Slum. We’ve had:
- Multiple incidents of flooding in the area where the Congolese refugees live, including last night with Neema’s family, who wasn’t effected in the floods last week.
- A 14-year-old girl in our Literacy class being sexually abused by a relative.
- Our managing director, Ronald had a systemic rash of some kind, plus two days of migraine. (He’s fine now!)
- Both of our large charcoal stoves quit working properly and needed repairs at the same time, so Charity and Mama Santa had to start cooking lunch at 4am to feed everyone.
That’s not just TIA (This Is Africa) – life just comes at us all sometimes, and getting through every day is a big achievement.
But what is essential — and one of the most noticeable things about our program — is the JOY. Visitors universally comment on it. In the midst of lives that are at best challenging and at worst dangerous and terrifying, our girls laugh and dance and dive into creativity and hug enthusiastically.
Never underestimate the power of joy!
Thank you so much for your ongoing support and encouragement of our work at Touch the Slum. We couldn’t do it without you!
Mwebele nnyo!
Jennings
PS. We are spending some of the funds that have some in for the flood victims’ project (on and off the DonorSee platform) in the morning for another round of food, adding Neema’s family to our list of recipients after last night’s flooding. (Fortunately, they were able to move their mattresses and personal items higher, but unfortunately lost all their food.) To help these families, please click the button.
