Giving Tuesday

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Home Sweet Home

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Celebrate with Us!

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We’re Halfway There!

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Countdown To Thanksgiving

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Gem Village | One Month Later

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GEM VILLAGE

ONE MONTH LATER

Today marks one month since we moved our Gems home to Gem Village! We’ve had a very smooth transition and we are so thankful that our Gems are forever home.

 

Our Gems love spending the days strolling the sidewalks, playing in the sunshine and enjoying the village life!

The homes are spacious allowing our Gems to grow and thrive. Each of the three homes are fully wheelchair accessible.  Each room was designed with our little ones in mind including picture windows that give our Gems an opportunity to see the world around them.

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In each home we have 16 children. We are so incredibly thankful for these homes and all of the little details that make them special for our Gems. From pictures on the wall of each Gem in their home, to specialized bed signs to show them to their room, beautiful new blankets and sheets, towels and brand new clothes chosen especially for each Gem!  

 

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Before moving in our team worked tirelessly behind the scenes – cleaning, arranging furniture, and setting up the homes so that the transition would be as flawless as possible when moving 47 Gems!! Such excitement filled the air on moving day! We are so thankful for our team of videographers who captured the excitement and joy so perfectly! .

 

If you haven’t seen the video yet – then head on over to see it here:

 

 
  

 

To all of our donors, thank you again, we couldn’t have done it without you!

Love from Uganda,

Emma and Josh

Staff Spotlight: Meet Henry

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We thought it would be fun to share a wee glimpse behind the scenes into some of the daily activities and therapies happening at The Gem.

Did you realize that we have over 60+ staff who work around the clock in shifts to care for our most precious Gems? 

One of our incredible staff is Henry. Henry has cerebral palsy and has overcome great struggles because of God’s amazing love coupled with Henry’s mom believing Henry could do anything! Henry diligently studied, devoting long hours to his education and eventually graduated from university with a tech degree! He uses his talents to teach our Gem’s lessons on learning how to type and further their communication skills. 

Throughout the week our Gems take lessons from Henry. He is a patient, kind, encouraging teacher. Bethany has been working especially hard in her typing lessons and she is now able to type and can even write full sentences and stories! How cool is that?

We are so proud of Bethany for her diligence in studying with Henry and that together with our staff’s dedicated love and support our Gems know that their future is incredibly bright!

Helping the Community Around Us

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We want to thank everyone who gave to help us prepare for COVID-19. Uganda remains in total lockdown with all the borders closed and very strict guidelines. But because of your generosity it brings great comfort to know our Gems immediate needs have been provided for through your gifts! We are praising God for his protection over our Gems during this difficult season. During this lockdown not one of our Gems have fallen sick! This is truly a miracle, all glory to God!

   

Throughout Uganda, many families of children with special needs are struggling to put food on the table. With many families out of work due to the restrictions in place and the ban on public and private transport, all non-essential businesses have been closed! The result? Many families are going without food. We literally are seeing the need for vulnerable families of children with special needs going hungry and no idea where their next meal will come from.

   

We feel that we must act and do something! Let’s feed 100 families for the week of lockdown!
$20 = 1 week of food for a family of 4.

   

GEM SPECIAL NEEDS COMMUNITY OUTREACH

There are families like our precious Noah (see picture above) who was reunited with his mom this past summer need daily food. Also, remember our beautiful Leila who is thriving with her family. Our mission always has been to care of the disabled and help families with disabled children. Now is the time to act in our community. Would you consider joining us to help make sure children with special needs are not going hungry in our surrounding community? We are partnering with our friends at Special Children’s Trust to work together to accomplish this task.

$20 will provide food for a family of four for one week. We understand that things are hard for many of you, whether that’s job loss, cut hours, etc. so please don’t feel any guilt if you can’t give this time around! 🙂

We would love to be the hands and feet of Jesus in this season of uncertainty. Our goal is to raise $2,000 to provide food for 100 families for a week! Would you help us? Get involved today by giving to our community fund here:

GIVE TO THE COMMUNITY FUND

Please share this post with friends and family and help see vulnerable children with special needs celebrated and cared for in their communities! We will keep you updated on our Facebook page! From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for valuing children with special needs and stepping up to be the hands and feet of Jesus in this season!

COVID – 19 PREPAREDNESS UPDATE

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Dear Friends,

Thank you for your messages of concern and for praying for our precious Gems with Josh and me. Each message was such a comfort to our souls – we are encouraged knowing you are “with us”.

March 21st the first case of COVID-19 was confirmed in Uganda. Open-air markets have been closed and most have gone into a rush to stock up on supplies. As of March 22nd at midnight the airport in Entebbe was officially closed to all flights coming or going and all borders are sealed.

Two weeks ago, while watching the events unfold around the world we began preparing, with extra caution, to finalize our Emergency Plan for the safety of our Gems. Because of our Gem’s special needs and the reality that many of our Gems have weakened immune systems causing them to be medically fragile, we are very cautious and want to be sure we do everything possible to protect them. Our Emergency Plan consists of nannies and other staff members volunteering to quarantine with the Gems. Did I mention how much we love and adore our dedicated staff?!? Many have volunteered to be quarantined with them should it come to that.

We believe it is wise to have 3 months of medications and other items for all the various medical needs. We have already filled our oxygen cylinders in the event of an emergency and we have been working to stock the Gem’s bulk food. We want to be as ready as possible should the government call for a full lockdown. Due to the circumstances, we do have some financial needs to cover putting the Emergency Plan in place for our Gems medical needs as well as stored food. Would you be willing to give to help us protect our Gems?   Above all else, please know we are praying for you – that God’s arms will comfort and protect you and give you peace. If there is a need that we can be praying for you specifically about, please reach out to us so that we can, together with our team on the ground, be praying for you.
The 3 month supply of medications and food will cost $10,000. Will you help us?

“I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust. Surely he will save you from the fowler’s snare and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings, you will find refuge .”

– Psalm 91:2-4a.

Love from Uganda, Emma and Josh

No Caffeine Week?!

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Join us February 24th for something special! We’re giving up caffeine for a week and taking the money you would’ve spent and donating it to The Gem Foundation!

There is one simple rule: if you break down and drink caffeine, you double what you paid by donating another gift (voluntarily, of course).

Sign up here