Dear friends and supporters!
There’s a sense of magic every year when springtime arrives and nature blossoms. Birds are returning. Plants strengthen their roots and raise their heads. And the first rays of sunshine put a smile into our faces and warm our hearts.
The natural cycles of growing up and developing roots also makes the most rewarding experience at Kids of Africa. We sometimes marvel at how fast our fosterlings develop. Only yesterday, it seems, they were toddlers. Then they became kids and today, many of them are adolescent. Tomorrow they’ll stand on their own feet. This is a formative period. We are preparing them to work. Vocational- or even academic training rank high on their agendas. We can see new opportunities and challenges every day. Luckily, Kids of Africa is a fertile ground. Our kids have developed their own sense of belonging. Most discovered their own talents. As much as our foster-mothers or teachers can support them in their abilities, we believe that they can develop them more or less independently. And we can see this happening everywhere. We are grateful for this good fortune.
What’s more, when there’s springtime in Europe, the rain-season starts in Uganda. Of course, we consider rain a blessing. This is a blessed time, not only in Europe, but also in Africa. A few everyday-snapshots from our village-life may capture this.
Here’s a heartening experience to share with you. It’s about Abbas, the oldest of Kids of Africa’s fosterlings. When he was a teenager he wasn’t the easiest of all boys. Sometimes he could be stubborn. At other times he seemed to be searching for where he belonged. But since recently, Abbas has really grown up in a big way. He’s beginning to take responsibility. Not only for himself. He also looks out for others. He spent several weeks at our current construction site, helping build a new school. The experience has made him a more mature person. He feels the rise in social status which results from setting an example. His brothers and sisters as much as fellow-pupils look up to him. I wouldn’t have expected such a big step a year ago. But life is full of surprises. This is one of them! It is also the nicest reward we get from the next generation. It’s a reason to be grateful – to our many supporters, above all!
In this spirit, I am extending the warmest greetings to you today.
Yours ever,
Burkhard Varnholt