Final Update

Hello everyone! I want to start out by saying thank you so much for all of your support, I wouldn’t have been able to accomplish anything that I did without all of your prayers and support. It’s been a truly life-changing last 9 months. It hasn’t been easy, but it has definitely all been worth it. I truly believe that I’ve been able to make a lasting impact on the kids’ lives. The importance of the ability to speak English in Uganda is not to be underestimated, especially for children. Because of the fact that school costs money, a lot of the parents and orphanages who are impoverished don’t put their kids into school until after they turn 10/11, and because of the fact that school is taught in English, these children fall behind their classmates and don’t end up getting a proper education. While I only taught for three months, I believe that the tools I equipped the children with will help them to continue to learn English through conversation and curiosity over the coming years.

I am sad to say, that this will be my final update. Unfortunately, I ran into some trouble with my landlord after her housekeeper stole money from me. When I told the housekeeper, she completely refused to acknowledge it or right the wrong, despite the fact that I had proof. So I told her I would go to the police if I had to, and that’s when she told me that I had 12 hours to leave the apartment. This was absolutely and illegal request for multiple reasons: she had my deposit, she had the rest of my month’s rent, and we had also signed a lease agreement that clearly specified that 30 days notice were required before termination. I told her that she had to give me my money back and at least give me two weeks to find a new place or I would go to the courthouse. She refused.

So, come Monday morning I went to the courthouse and began filling out the paperwork to file a civil suit, but when I returned to my apartment that evening, she had locked me out of my apartment, with all of my belongings inside (which is clearly illegal under The Landlord and Tenant Act of 2022). I called the police, they came and instead of helping me, they extorted almost $400 USD out of me under threat of deportation because of the fact that I was helping children at the orphanage, which they said I needed a special visa for (I didn’t, because I wasn’t getting paid, living with them, and I was simply doing it out of the goodness of my heart, which is completely allowed). So, long story short, she had paid one of the highest ranking officers in the department to extort the money out of me and illegally evict me.

This is why I would like to ask for your help one last time. She and the cops stole about $1,100 USD from me, and then I had to book an emergency $1,900 ticket for the flight home. The problem was however, that I didn’t have any of that money, and had to borrow it all. So I’d like to please ask that you help me one last time to help repay the money that I borrowed. I would truly appreciate it so much.

Again, thank you so much for all of your help, and despite the fact that my mission ended on a sour, corrupt note, I am so grateful for the opportunity to help those children and to have the God-given ability to help set them up for a brighter future.

Thank you all,

and God bless,

Elijah Jacob