Four years ago in November, we lost a beloved colleague, Pastor Mike Chemonges after his battle with cancer. He and his wife, Phylis, worked tirelessly to bring hope to the villages of Kabachirya and Kaplobotwo (K&K). Mike grew up near K&K and his heart was for these people who had suffered decades of repeat famines, tribal conflict, oppression and extreme poverty.
When Mike and Phylis started meeting with people at K&K and sharing the Hope of Christ with them, a beautiful transformation happened. A church was planted, people started to learn that they are loved and are valued by God. Mike and Phylis started a small school to begin educating the children of K&K. Initially, they met under a tree for their lessons, sitting on rocks. Many of those first children have now graduated from Secondary School, amongst the first in their families to do so!
Then, in 2014, in partnership with Kingdomwork Ministries International and Powell Butte Church, a school was built for the education of these children. They received two meals a day, something which would have been nearly impossible at home for them. Hope Africa International started our second sponsorship program at K&K in 2014, helping to provide for teacher salaries, food and uniforms.
Today, 12 years later, nearly 600 children are being educated at Amazing Grace Primary and Secondary Schools at K&K. What used to be a desolate place is full of joyful children pursuing their dreams.
Since the passing of her husband, Phylis and the whole team at K&K have carried on with the vision of bringing change to this community. Hope Africa International continues to stand with them in helping to educate the next generation. Our heart is for children to be rooted in the love of God and to rise above their circumstances.
This Giving Tuesday, on December 1st, you can help Phylis and the K&K team to continue with their mission in reaching Uganda's next generation. As the cost for food, transportation and materials continue to rise, we need to bridge the gap between monthly sponsorship donations and the needs of the children. This season has been especially challenging as Eastern Uganda has suffered from extreme drought, which means crops were unsuccessful. This has made it impossible for most parents to pay their portion of school fees.
Our goal for Giving Tuesday is to raise $5200 to benefit the children at K&K Schools. Please watch the video posted here to learn more about K&K and pray about how you can help us reach our goal by December 1st.