Often times at HOOL we experience great highs and even greater lows. There isn’t an eloquent way to handle our way of life, never knowing when and from where the next bit of help may come from. Our days are filled with prayers that we can continue helping children and changing the lives and hearts of others around the globe. August proved nothing more than a miracle to us all! So many people sent support small and big and as always with GREAT love. Somehow, our dream to continue helping as many children as we can continues to persevere. We are BEYOND blessed to be connected with people who truly have the best of hearts, what more could we ever ask for?!
August kicked off with excitement for us as two of our sponsors helped to fund a game day for all of the children in the village (about 200 children). How amazing this was to inspire and spark joy in the lives of so many children who live day to day in poverty. It’s hard to even put this into words as most people cannot possibly understand. When we say poverty we do not just mean children who often times aren’t even able to attend school. We also mean children who go to bed hungry on a regular basis. Children who experience death and sickness of loved ones and accept this as a normal part of life. Children who do not have good clothes, food security, toys or even beds or mosquito nets for that matter. Children who have no choice but to drink unsafe water and sleep in the dark where poisonous snakes may enter. Children who may fall ill or become injured and have no means to travel to a doctor for help. Poverty is just a word that most people do not understand well enough to take seriously. Poverty is to blame for so much sadness we experience here. It is also to blame for families being torn apart, children being abandoned by parents who otherwise love them but fear they cannot provide for them.
But on this day we were able to take all of this burden and just for a moment lift it from the backs of all of these beautiful children. Perhaps if they feel what it means to enjoy life truly they will be inspired to do great things with their futures. And what better way to create a better tomorrow ~ a future to believe in… than this?!
(Pictured LtoR Rebecca and Rosemary ~ Rosemary is still in need of a sponsor)
Our little Fatina won at musical chairs, just look at that beautiful smile!!
We’d like to also say a special thank you to everyone who volunteered and helped with the game day, we were very lucky to have you!
And of course a huge thank you to Rachael and Ashley again for putting on this special day but also for celebrating birthdays for Gift, Rosemary and Annisha. We are so blessed to give these children this experience, it is a rare occasion here in our communities. As we’ve said before, many families don’t even have record of birth dates or view them as of any significance. Most children only dream of a day like this, how fortunate we are!!
And THANK THE LORD ~ packages from the US have made it safely and wonderfully to us!! How amazing is this!! Most people are turned away from shipping things to us because it is a long and risky journey for their packages. However, we have recently had packages arrive from Ashley, Lea and Sheri ~ WOW!! There is no better way than this to feel connected with each other, it is like a part of you is here with us. Just look at this beautiful display of love as Morgan and Cathy embrace their photos of their sponsor parents. Nothing could describe with this means to us, this is truly what we live for.
Gift and Annisha wearing their handmade photo necklaces from Ashley, so lovely!
“I sent my package via USPS, it cost about $12.00 per lb to ship and took four weeks to arrive. There are no words to express what it feels to have a small piece of me there with the children, it is like I am there with them.”
~Ashley Stratton
If you’d like to mail something please send to
Eddy Tumbya / Tonny Tumbya Hope For Orphans organization-Luuka
P.O. Box 613, Iganga Uganda AFRICA
Sheila and Morgan excited about the wonderful packages and gifts!!
Pictured LtoR Sheila, Peruth, Morgan and Jessy ~ SO excited!!
So much love all around!! Pictured LtoR Sheila & Cathy / Sheila, Salakiiya, Fatina & Annisha / Sisters Fatina & Annisha
After all of this excitement settled we found ourselves once again in a desperate situation for firewood, food and honestly ..a little bit of hope. As things were beginning to worsen our precious Cathy fell ill as well. We were looking for transport during late hours just to try to get her medical attention. She fell ill with typhoid and we are so grateful to her loving sponsor Sheri for being willing and able to help with her needs. Your gifts of love are lifesaving miracles to us all! Thankfully Cathy is feeling much better and after many many continued prayers our requests were answered in bountiful and unforeseen ways.
Many believe that there is no such thing as coincidence ….that destiny and fate are powerful forces in this world. Perhaps this is true. As our sponsor Mom Ashley had a child hospitalized and was experiencing difficulties in her life she called upon her friends and family to help our children and cause as she was unable to. This led to a donation big enough to provide food for the children and animals and also to resume completion of our security perimeter. It was hard to know how to process such a donation, one given by strangers (friends of Ashley’s) who took an absolute huge leap of FAITH in us and our cause. It is really special to us because Ashley’s son has become a nephew to us, and Everett had a passion to help HOOL from almost day one!! He took all his courage he had and asked for his school to help him raise funds for the children. His money purchased firewood for the orphanage that benefited us greatly. And his love and giving heart has been so special to us. Even when we are feeling down we can count on videos from Everett to cheer us up, he is so funny!! And Ashley has made it her mission to share the lives of our orphaned children and work tirelessly to inspire others to open their hearts to them. And while hospitalized with an infection Everett’s family asked for help for HOOL and God called upon a family who felt inspired to help us so greatly. We can never say thank you enough. Thank you for your financial support that will assure the safety of our children. But also, thank you for believing in us and loving these children right alongside us. Loving us so much, believing in us so much that you have now chosen to also sponsor TWO of our beautiful babies!! Nakato and Babirye are so blessed to have you, you will change their lives greatly and they too will change yours. Nakato and Babirye were unable to partake in the birthday party meant for them (shared above). They had yet to have an official birth date set, and now a very special date (August 18th -this is Eddy’s birthday as well!) has been chosen by you. It is a miracle to witness and be part of and from the bottom of our hearts we thank you so so much!! Your kindness will never be forgotten.
Pictured LtoR Esther, Mpala, Joy and Jessy
****Please Read ****
We are increasingly experiencing some dishonesty happening in the name of HOOL. Please be careful with new friend requests or pleas for help in our name. People here often become desperate for help because of the large amount of suffering and poverty. We cannot wish ill on these people because we know how hard life can be. But if you are unsure of a friend request or request for something you are receiving please don’t hesitate to check in with us. We are experiencing scam accounts opening and pretending to be members of HOOL. They are preying on friends lists and supporters of our HOOL Facebook. If you encounter anything that seems unusual please let us know. And we are so sorry this is happening. It makes it very difficult for us to maintain an honest and reputable organization when we are going through this. We would be so sad to have this get in the way of all the good we are trying to do for our children and communities.
