The largest project we have going on state-side currently is our PenPal program. People from our U.S. churches and their surrounding communities correspond with students and teachers at Glory of Christ Primary School in Rakai, Uganda. Churches hold letter drives where attenders can select a picture of a PenPal and then write them a one to two page letter to their Ugandan friend. Letters can include stickers, pictures and other small, fun gifts (like plastic butterflies or rubber band airplanes). Letters are proof read and then packaged by OJM volunteers with a picture of the U.S. PenPal to be shipped to Uganda. The African PenPals then write letters with the help of their teachers (it's a great project for English class) and then ship them back to the States, where they are distributed. With over four hundred people currently involved, it's quite an ordeal!
The purpose of the program is to give people involved with OJM a safe way to connect. Writing letters is a little old school (some have asked why we don't run an email program), but we think there's something special about getting a physical letter in the mail. It shows a lot of personality and requires much less technology on the part of the Africans; email on this scale is just not a possibility at this point.
With the number of letters currently being shared, OJM has had to develop a tracking system.
It's still being refined (our current shipment has been delayed as we encountered a few glitches) but the program is getting refined daily and we hope to have a really smooth, effective system in place that can support the projected 2,400 letters a year!
It also takes a lot of help from volunteers. Without the help of Sheryl and Don, Ted and Kristie, Sandie, Rich and Debbie, Mike and Haley and others, we wouldn't be in business. And of course, we're thankful to everyone who takes the time to tell a student or teacher in Uganda that they are loved. We're excited to see the fruit of the relationships established through the PenPal program.
