The Wood-Fired Oven

The Oven Project at Project Hope Worldwide in Uganda has been exciting from the start! Many people combined their efforts to make it possible. We are so happy we can now offer soft, flavorful, nutritious bread free of preservatives for the children at Calo Me Lare (Village of Redemption) where we serve a period of time each year.

The idea of homemade bread and cinnamon rolls probably did not cross the minds of the people in Calo Me Lare, but enjoying homemade baked goods like we do, Dennis and I thought of it often. When the Lord puts something on your mind long enough it is time to act!!!

Part of it is our granddaughter Emma’s fault.  (She is pictured here with her sister, Beth). She wanted to do a fundraiser on Facebook for her mission trip and asked me if I would bake cinnamon rolls. "And I’ll help you!” Now, who could refuse that! God really blessed it! We were blown away by friends’ quick responses and generosity!  

My friend Ursula and her husband had built a clay wood-fired oven and were using it quite successfully at another Children's Home in Lira. She kept encouraging me to build one so the kids could have baked goods. 

In the beginning of 2019 Emma wanted to do another Cinnamon Roll Fundraiser. The wood-fired oven idea began to take shape. Andy Flege provided financial and other information about the oven. It appeared that we could be one or two fundraisers away from a wood-fired oven! A metal oven was recommended to bake large quantities and conserve wood (fuel). As we distributed rolls we notified each person about an upcoming fundraiser for a wood-fired oven.

Again, people were so generous! But the communication I received the next morning was God’s confirmation to me that this was HIS idea and HE would provide for it. A lovely woman texted me saying, “How much is the oven they need?” In a phone call she told me, “I couldn’t sleep last night. I know God wants me to buy that oven.” :)

Fast forward a couple more Cinnamon Roll Fundraisers, a large donation for the remainder, money sent ahead for the oven and the shelter to house it, the oven was installed on September 18. This was shortly after our arrival for a three-month stay at the Project. You can see what a nice set-up we have. It is near the homes and very pleasant to bake in. Thanks for the design, Andy! 

Getting the oven from the truck bed to the shelter was quite an ordeal. It took six strong men to unload it and put it in place!

The manufacturer arrived with the oven and demonstrated how to use it. We made 4 loaves using bread dough I had prepared and it worked out perfectly!!! The small pieces we passed around were met with many nods of approval.

With bread pans and other equipment, along with several items we purchased in town we were set! Dennis organized the kids to hunt for broken tree limbs to use in the wood chamber. For the second batch, he bought an ax made in town and a large load of wood for the fire.

Now, it was time to involve the moms. What an exciting day for them and for us! We began the first session in the Guest House kitchen with ample space for hands-on training. 

Our goal was to bake 12 loaves of bread, one for each home. I mixed dough in one basin (6 loaf capacity) while the moms took turns measuring and mixing the dough in another. It really was quite entertaining! They work so well together!

Bread rises fast in Uganda climate.  . The moms had so much joy in seeing the bread rise in the pans!

The challenging part was controlling the temperature. With thermometers we brought from the states we learned by trial and error how to regulate the heat by adding wood, and opening or closing certain doors. It was not easy, but we were successful! Some of the Moms really enjoyed tending the fire. We call these Moms "Fire Chiefs"! Dennis was a great help streamlining this part of the process while I worked with the Moms!

Pastor Fred was so excited, he couldn't help being involved!

Using both shelves the oven is large enough to hold 12 loaves at a time. 

This is the finished project! Not bad for the first try! The moms were ecstatic!

Two of the Moms are now in charge of scheduling and baking. They take turns and have a good time! After a few weeks they were ready to be on their own. It has been very rewarding to see. They bake bread every Monday. Saturdays they alternate between baking bread and cinnamon rolls. The Moms and kids love them! This is yet another blessing from the Lord at Calo Me Lare.

A big "THANK YOU" goes out to everyone who helped with this project in any way! :) The Lord used you to provide yet another blessing at Calo Me Lare!

Being part of a team is also a great way to provide support for the Moms, the principal caregivers for these children, some of the most vulnerable children in the world. 

Being a Child Sponsor gives you the opportunity to connect in a significant, personal way with one of the children. 100% of Child Sponsor donations go directly to the care of the children. For more details go to projecthopeworldwide.org.