Henry, Lydia and Anthony

Christmas 2010 through 2011

"A Peaceful Christmas, A happy and prosperous New Year to you."

Reply from Henry Nkuubi, Sounds of Hope Youth Group, Uganda

Dear Anthony,

How is your 9th grade? Are you finding it easy or hard? I pray you find enjoyable. I have also started a new class this year but I find a bit interesting and tiresome with more notes and time for being in class. Is the Government order for your school not to teach about the Bible or is a principle of the school? Learning about things that will help you when you grow is the best according to me but when it comes to our teaching here, we see so many things we learn that will never be of any help to us but because that is what we are supposed to study, teachers keep us in class for that.

Without enough education, my future is to be very hard so I need to keep in school. We are waiting for C.U.T.S youth to visit us one day.

Bye to your family and friends.

Henry

Reply from Anthony Rizzuto, Christians Under the Stairs, Deer Park, New York, USA

April 2011

To Henry

9th grade has been easy the entire year or me. I can't believe how fast the year has gone. What class have u started? I hope you enjoy it. I have to take a lot of notes in all the classes in my school. Its really boring. I know you want the c.u.t.s youth group to visit you guys but you have to understand that it would cost a lot of money here. Not every body can afford it. A trip to Uganda would cost thousands of dollars. Hope to hear from you soon.

Your friend Anthony

Correspondence March 2010 through December 2010

My name is Henry Nkuubi. I am 13 years old and a member of the Sounds of Hope youth program in Uganda. I live with my parents, one sister, five brothers, pigs, cattle and poultry. We have a large family and I share a room with my brothers, ages nine to fifteen.

Sounds of Hope - seventh grade class

My chores at home include fetching water and firewood, cleaning our home and washing clothes and utensils. I love music and I am a member of our school choir. I am in the seventh grade and I walk three miles two and from school, five days a week. I hope to grow up to be a teacher.

I attend church regularly with my family and my favorite hymn is Ntambula ne Yezu (I Walk with Jesus).

Reply from Anthony Rizzuto, Christians Under the Stairs, Deer Park, New York, USA

" Dear Henry. I'm very glad to meet you. My name is Anthony. I'm fourteen years old and I am in the eighth grade. I can't believe that you have five brothers. I'm an only child. You have to walk three miles to school. I only have to take a school bus.

Anthony, Bill (seated); Daniel (back), Vicky (front)

I see that you want to be a teacher. So do I! Let me tell you what I really like about our youth group. Youth group has helped me make new friends and to learn new things - about faith, about the needs other people have and about how we can help. My favorite hymn is "Here I am, Lord" because it symbolizes a great time in history ... (the Lord came to earth 2,000 years ago but the song is about how we respond to him today ... here I am, Lord!)"

Reply from Henry Nkuubi, Sounds of Hope Youth Group, Uganda

Hi Anthony Rizzuto,

Am glad you chose me to be your friend. My dad is Christopher and mom is Sylvia. Am an orphan. My mom died. My dad is a typist and am living with grandma. Sharing about Jesus is what I learn from meeting other members.

My best subjects are social studies and English.

Your friend, Henry

Comment and Challenge from Lindsay Ullmann, United Kingdom

Hi ... my name is Lindsay Ullmann. I started to write poetry when I was your age and it helped me to learn more about myself as a person. I grew to understand that I had to search to just find myself . I am in my 20's and now am a professional songwriter and singer. So if we turn our thoughts around into something positive we can accomplish almost anything - through creativity and spirituality.

Henry and Anthony, do you feel that you have had a wake up call in life like I had through poetry, when I was your age? If so, would you care to share? Would you agree that creativity and spirituality can help us and also those around us?

Reply from Anthony Rizzuto, Christians Under the Stairs, Deer Park, New York, USA

Hello again Henry,

I feel so bad that your mother died. None of my parents have died yet. However, my parents have split up. I live with my mom and grandma. My best subjects are social studies and math. I hope to hear from you soon.

Our youth group takes some time off in the summer with only a mountain hike scheduled for August 7th. Then we start our weekly Sunday night meetings in September.

Your friend,

Anthony

Reply from Henry Nkuubi, Sounds of Hope Youth Group, Uganda

Dear Anthony,

I was glad to read from you again. Am happy for this pen pal program which has brought us together in this style. I missed my caring mother. It is great to see that you have all your parents. Thanks be to God and may they leave to blow a thousand candles though they are split. How old is the grandma? Mathematics seems to be very hard to learn but here it is compulsory for all school going people in low levels. When we get together as youth at Sounds of Hope, we do Bible reading, practicing memorizing bible verses, sports training like football, and discussion about the importance personal hygiene.

Greetings from my family to you and your family.

Henry

Reply from Anthony Rizzuto, Christians Under the Stairs, Deer Park, New York, USA

Hello again Henry

I'm very happy to hear from u again. I hope your summer was good. My grandma is 69 years old. But the thing that I am happy about is that my great grandma is still alive. She is 94 years old and still alive and strong. I've started 9th grade and that means a new school and at first it was hard to get used to the new teachers and requirements. I'm still doing well in math and social studies and have a fun time at the school with my friends. Your school is very different than mine. We don't learn about the bible. We mostly learn things that will help us when we get older. When u said you learned football did u mean the American sport or the European one which Americans call soccer. Just remember your education is the most important thing in life so embrace it.

Until next time

Anthony