A MESSAGE FROM OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
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Dear Friends,
July is one of my most favorite times of year because it’s spent in Uganda with our sister organization, Bringing Hope to the Family Uganda. It’s a time to visit with the community of children and young adults who are under the care of the organization and to catch up on their many activities and accomplishments. We derive immense joy and satisfaction witnessing the positive impact our organizations have made over the last several decades.
The BHTFUSA team received a warm Ugandan welcome from our gracious hosts. Pictured along with the three young men of the welcoming committee are Christine Deschaine, BHTFUSA Executive Director; Laine Wagenseller, Building Men coordinator; Faith Kunihira, Founder of BHTF Uganda; and Gene Holetich, BHTFUSA advisor.
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During the first few days in the Village of Kaihura this year, our team had the chance be part of a scheduled medical outreach to villages that were in dire need of medical attention. The community members who were treated live in areas where travel logistics are filled with treacherous, mostly impassable roads, made even more impossible during the rainy season. As a result, nearly 90% of the residents of these communities had never received medical care. The medical team from BHTF Uganda’s Hope Medical Centre, aided by the availability of their new ambulance, provided treatment to approximately 1,000 children and adults who were suffering from malaria, typhoid, and various diseases and disabilities. This outreach was clearly much-needed and life-saving to some.
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The child on the left is suffering from a neglected medical condition and has never received medical care. Thanks to Bringing Hope to the Family, and the new community ambulance, this child’s future to better health is about to change.
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Click to watch our Hope Medical Center staff in action guided by BHTF Uganda Founder Faith Kunihira https://vimeo.com/734891090
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Our two-week visit also included the annual Building Men and Women conferences hosting 100 New Hope Vocational School students. This event is joyfully anticipated by the students who are currently learning a trade in hairdressing, sewing, farming, crafts, woodworking, and many other skills they’ll need for a self-sustaining future.
The three-day Building Women conference included guest speakers who talked about topics such as goal setting, family planning, business development, self-esteem, and health.
Upon arrival at camp, the girls each got their own mattress for the 3-day sleepover event. In addition to receiving counseling and mentorship from the organizers, they also enjoyed camaraderie and encouragement from each other.
Click to get a glimpse of the girls’ joyful arrival at the Building Women conference.
https://vimeo.com/734887954
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Laine Wagenseller’s Building Men conference included a road trip/field trip to Kabale and Lake Bunyonyi to visit farms and businesses. Topics of discussion included how to implement practices such as hard work, trustworthiness, and faith, including answering the question, “What does it take to become a great man?” Laine says it perfectly: “The boys agreed that it takes hard work, trustworthiness and faith. But it also requires a decision. We can’t drift through life hoping that greatness will find us. We have to commit ourselves. Success is our duty as men, not just a desire.”
Longtime BHTF supporter, Laine Wagenseller, is shown here with some of the boys he mentored during the annual Building Men conference. These young men are being equipped with the tools they need to become productive and self-sufficient citizens.
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The best part of the conferences for all of us is listening to the stories and dreams that are shared by the students during the late-night bonfires.
Despite our successes, and there are many to celebrate, there is more work to be done. Our focus for the rest of this year is on constructing more water wells in and/or nearer to these villages so as to allow people, especially children, more time for work, school and for a healthier environment overall. We invite you to continue with us on that quest.
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The children in the village are not exempt from having to share the burdens of daily living. These young children are tasked with fetching water from a stream about a half-mile from their homes and carrying it back. The containers weigh nearly as much as they do.
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I want to close by acknowledging you, dear donors. All of these transformative programs and outreaches were made possible by you! The procurement of the new ambulance was made possible by you! The medical staff of nurses and doctors were educated by you! I am simply the humble and grateful bearer of all of your generosity and goodwill. I thank you, the Bringing Hope to the Family organizations thank you, and most of all, the community of Kaihura and the surrounding areas thank you for making it all possible.
With deepest gratitude,
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The enthusiasm and excitement of these children is what motivates us to keep coming back.
See you next year!
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