Help us to raise money; all proceeds from my photography help build ‘The Emily Collins School ‘
WHY OFHM?
Our Father’s House Ministries is a Christian Charity based in Rukungiri. It rescues children at risk; we and many of our friends sponsor children through him; we have raised funds for several projects for him from buying land to build a piggery to buying a vehicle to get children to school and a motorbike to get around the villages etc. The benefits from these projects are spreading out to many families, both in receiving piglets and in learning good farming practice; many people also very kindly donated at Emily Collins’ memorial service which bought, among other things, cows and land to graze them on, employment for a man to look after them and good, fresh milk for the children. Those who sponsor children through OFHM know that they are literally ‘raised from the dust and lifted out of the ash-heap’.
Go their website – https://our-fathers-house-ministries.org/our-story/
Martin’s charitable work is growing. He has great faith and energy and he dreams big dreams. Some time ago, he asked friends to pray about his idea for an early childhood development ministry centre to enable an early intervention in children’s lives, before they have suffered the spiralling damaging effects of extreme poverty.
Such centres are rare in Uganda and many very young children are homeless, roaming the villages. The OFHM centre will provide food, love, support, play, medical treatment and more for vulnerable children and babies suffering extreme poverty, children dumped and abandoned, double orphans and widowed mothers. A report in a Ugandan newspaper with a photo of the body of a baby boy found on a rubbish dump starkly highlights how desperate the need is.
Martin humbly says that our daughter was instrumental in encouraging him to follow his dreams to reach out to the children and youth of Uganda, to set up OFHM and to see his vision for a child ministry centre realised. He and his team have therefore asked if they might name the centre ‘the Emily Collins School’. Emily would have been delighted about the kindergarten, infirmary and community hall, but she would have argued vehemently against it being named after her! However, we see it as an honour and a lovely tribute to Emily’s love and compassion.
Where is the school?
The school is in Gatovu village, part of the district of Kisoro, 80 slow miles from Rukungiri, because of its remote location which makes it unfavourable for the activities of most development agencies in Uganda. Martin already has relationships with churches in Kisoro, who are continually referring desperate children to OFHM. In addition, in this area OFHM has provided roof rain water harvesting tanks and water filters to families, simple measures taken for maximum benefits at minimal cost.
How will this be?
A kind family donated the land, planning permission was granted, the first floor is built and open but we still have two more storeys to build. We have raised over £100,000 but have pledged to help him raise in excess of £350,000 in total; he and his team are putting in all the hard work to continue building and running the school..
Our Mission
Vision
To create communities where children enjoy abundant lives
Mission
To establish a centre of excellence in early childhood care and development
Our Values
To create a loving environment in a Christian community