There’s No Place Like Home
But Jesus called the children to him and said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.”
Let me be clear. This is a happy post. A post worth reading. A post that is birthed and grounded in HOPE. Hope for you. Hope for humanity. Hope for the world.
As you may know, I (Chris) took a quick trip to Uganda a couple of months ago. The purpose of the trip was quite specific and time sensitive as I only had a week in the country. If what I went to do didn’t get accomplished it would be a huge setback for our future goals and plans for a.k.a. HOPE. But before I get too ahead of myself, I should probably give some context.
Many of you may have seen our GoFundMe page in which we explained a lot of what’s happening and asked you for your financial help. If you haven’t, you can check it out HERE. Otherwise, let me explain.
a.k.a. HOPE Inc. was established to provide holistic care for street children, refugees, orphans, trafficking victims and otherwise vulnerable children living in one of the poorest slums in Uganda’s capital. For the last three years, this has been accomplished by finding foster families, providing free education and medical expenses as well as two meals a day to the children in the program.
However, recently the land on which the slum sits has been sold to developers. This means the 30,000 people living in this area of Naguru are about to be displaced once again. Because the majority of our children are living with foster families within the community who are also under the poverty line, these guardians will no longer be able to care for the kids. Thus, our children will be homeless once again.
Obviously, we have refused to accept this outcome! As a result, we hunted for a piece of property to be a home for all 80 children. Successfully, we located a campus-like building in Fort Portal, a beautiful part of the country, about three and a half hours away from the hustle and bustle of the capital city. It even has running water and electricity (a novelty for these children)! For almost all of the kids registered with the program, it will be the first time they will have a bed to call their own as well as guaranteed three meals a day.
So back to my trip… Along with Bill Howeth, head elder at our church The Gathering, we traveled to Fort Portal to inspect the premises of this new house and negotiate terms for leasing it.
Now, there’s something you must understand first and foremost. Working with landlords in Uganda is a headache - and that is a understatement. At this point, we had been working for months to come to terms on price and responsibilities and a host of other things. And it was still not complete. The week before we left, I had sent in a final draft with my notes with the expectation that it would not be seen, much less corrected before we arrived.
Praise God! When we reached the house, the contract was ready to go! It was a miracle - and we mean that in every sense of the word! All that needed to be done was a final reading and to sign our names. And we did it! As of the second week of August, a.k.a. HOPE is the proud tenant of a home for refugees, orphans, trafficking victims and other vulnerable children.
But wait. It doesn’t stop there.
As one might imagine, it takes a much larger budget to make sure this type of undertaking can succeed. We’re not just with these kids a few hours a day anymore. Starting in January, we will be the 24/7, one hundred percent, sole providers. So we needed lots of money to make it happen (as you saw in our GoFundMe campaign). Our goal was $50,000. That covered rent for the home, purchasing all the furniture, food, utensils and knick-knacks to fill it, and the operating costs for the first 6 months of 2016.
And as of this writing, we are fully funded!
You heard that right. Through the generous giving of you and many others, these 80+ kids will have their first real home, with their first real beds, and their first real peace of mind that comes with safety and security. YOU have made it happen. Bravo, my dear friends. Bravo.
But wait! That’s not all! (I feel like I’m starting to sound like an infomercial!)
Bill, the gentlemen who traveled with me for the signing of the papers, was so moved by the trip that he felt compelled to give back in some way. His heart was drawn to Uganda in ways he had never dreamed. Through a series of unexpected yet very exciting events, the Country Director position came available starting in early 2016. And after some hours of deliberation and prayers, Bill and his wife Debra have accepted our offer to be the new directors for a.k.a. HOPE!
So in just a few short months since being faced with our largest hurdle yet, God has come through in such a huge way that only God could. We not only have a new home to give to the children, but we have the finances to operate for the next eight months and a couple who are more capable and motivated than we could have asked for steering the ship. Isn’t it funny how when our problems seem so big, God proves himself bigger?!
As you have read, this is such good news! But by no means are we finished. One goal is met, another one begins. We don’t want to simply meet the bare minimum. We want to give the opportunity for these kids to thrive! With further donations we can provide vocational training. We can allow for creative outlets and extra-curricular activities. We can guarantee for years to come that these children will have every occasion to make the most of their lives. Let’s give them HOPE.
If you would like to partner with us in contributing to the efforts of a.k.a HOPE and donating to the kids please email us here, like and share our Facebook page here, follow us on Instagram here, and give your dollars here.
We are so encouraged and so grateful as we head into this new season at a.k.a. HOPE. We pray that you continue to follow us and pray for us as we provide the love and respect and HOPE that these children so desperately need and deserve. From the bottom of our hearts. Thank you.
Your friends at a.k.a. HOPE,
Chris & Courtney