News: Uganda

When we think about raising children who transform nations, often we think that will happen down the road, once the children grow up and get jobs.  But children like Fiona aren't waiting to grow up to share the love, growth, and transformation God has brought into their lives through partners like you. 

In Uganda, diseases and war have killed so many parents that child-headed households are not rare.  But Emmanuel's situation was especially bad.  Emmanuel's father died when Emmanuel was seven and left his mother with a nursing baby.  When one year later his mother also passed away, Emmanuel was left to care for the baby and a younger sister.  "I had to parent my siblings," Emmanuel shares.  "I had to go into the bush looking for wild fruits and vegetables to prepare as meals," he remembers.  "This would make me weep a lot."

It’s not hard to see the difference you make in the day-to-day lives of the children we serve together.  Through your partnership, you are providing food, education, and basic necessities for thousands of children. But underneath these outward signs of change and success, a deeper transformation is happening. In each of our countries, staff members are teaching children about God and His love for them. Though the children do not have to be Christians to receive care, they are encouraged to learn, ask questions, and discover their faith for themselves.  

This month, Janet will graduate from seventh grade and prepare to begin secondary school.  If you asked her five years ago if she could ever imagine graduating, Janet would have shaken her head in disbelief.  Her main focus back then was finding one meal each day.  She had no time or energy to dream about her goals—and graduating from primary school seemed nearly impossible.