February Newsletter
Most of you have never been to Jinja, Uganda. You’ve never seen the reddish tint of the dirt that sticks to your shoes, coating them in a copper haze. You’ve never heard the beautifully nuanced harmonies of children as they so effortlessly sing and go about their daily tasks. You’ve never been to the Budondo Village and felt the heavy weight of oppression that poverty and injustice can bring. And you’ve never felt the dramatic shift from heaviness to peace as you’ve walked through the gates of The James Place. Yet you are the reason this place exists. Your giving has impacted real lives– names and faces of those who are loved, valued, safe, and building a better future for themselves and their families.
You bring hope through education.
The average child who grows up in the Budondo Village, where Heal is centered, will never receive an education. 7 out of 10 children in Uganda don’t finish primary school. Without an education, they’ll spend their days in desperation and hunger, looking for food and roaming the streets—lured into exploitation, drug dealing, and untold abuse.
English is the only language taught in Ugandan schools, yet most households speak various tribal dialects. When a child enters Kindergarten without speaking English, they fall behind, lose self-esteem, and struggle to succeed. Heal Ministries fills this gap by teaching English in our early childhood program. Over the last ten years, more than 1,000 children have graduated from our program and launched into primary school as fluent English speakers—just one example of the creative ways Heal intervenes in children’s lives to set them up for success and reorient their lives toward hope.
Today, the local community leaders have asked Heal to open a primary school to help transform this community further. Opening a primary school is our base leaders' dream and a goal we hope to accomplish soon.
Although you may not have visited The James Place in person, your fingerprints and love are on every meal served, every child given a uniform and welcomed into our classroom, and every woman taught a trade or given a job. You are the hands and feet of Jesus to His beloved Ugandan people, and we are grateful you are with us.
Thank you for your generosity, trust, and partnership.
One student impacted daily by our Heal Partners' generosity is Emmanuela, age 5.
Emmanuela joined our preschool this year and enrolled in the top class (Kindergarten). Sadly, her father abandoned their family and left Emmanuela’s mother to raise two children on her own. Fortunately, her mother has a stable job, but childcare is essential to maintain employment and keep her children safe while she is working. Emmanuela’s mother says the school has been a stabilizing place for her daughter to flourish. She loves coming because of the new friends she has made, and her favorite game is hide and seek. In her own words, she loves her new school “because her teachers love her and teach her.”
Emmanuela loves to learn. She enjoys writing, and her favorite subject is numbers (Math). She wants to become a doctor when she grows up.
Her mother says she has noticed a big difference in Emmanuela’s interaction with peers at home. She was somewhat shy before joining The James Place but is becoming more assertive, and her communication and confidence have improved, especially when playing with others and interacting with her mom.
The daily life-saving work at The James Place is only possible because of the generosity of partners who join our mission to be WITH Uganda’s most vulnerable. This partnership is integral to helping 180 children be safe, fed, and receive a quality education. It empowers abandoned women and widows to take job skills classes, leading to employment and providing for their families. Support from our partners means that “Farming God’s Way” training can educate ordinary farmers on techniques that will yield 10 times more than the average Ugandan farmer—ensuring food security and financial security for their families. Compassionate friends like you can provide this daily security for needy families at Heal Ministries. We hope you’ll join us in this beautiful mission.