Uganda - The Home of Champions Orphanage
I know 116 children who live at The Home of Champions Orphanage in Nabukalu, Uganda. I know their faces, smiles and hugs. I have seen how they worship the Lord. These children have hardly anything, but, in Jesus Christ, they have absolutely everything.
Nabukalu is located in East Africa. The people farm and raise animals on small acres of land for survival. But, because of HIV, AIDS, polygamy, domestic violence, and food shortage, many children in this area are forced to take care of themselves for food, shelter, clothing and education.
James 1:27 says, “Pure and undefiled religion before our God and Father is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself unstained by the world.”
Two years ago the Lord pressed on the heart of Summit Church to make a difference in the lives of the children at The Home of Champions. Through a partnership with Children’s HopeChest, Summit Church now has the privilege and honor of caring for these children. Last year the first team from Summit went over to Nabukalu, Uganda. We went to meet our kids! Our hearts were to bless the children by building relationships and sharing the love of Christ with them. When we arrived on the ground we quickly realized it was our lives that would be changed, our hearts that would be broken and we were the ones who were blessed. That time in Uganda became a beautiful time of family taking care of one another and worshiping the Lord.
Most of the children now have a sponsor, which has enabled us to provide 3 meals a day. However, we still have 30 orphans needing sponsorship. Our hope and prayer is to have these remaining children sponsored by the end of this month. When we traveled to Nabukalu last year we learned what the physical needs of the orphanage were and they are desperate. There is a need for a kitchen, four stall pit latrine, emergency food and medicine for HIV/AIDS sponsored children. The team came back with such love for these children and a better understanding to humbly serve the Lord through The Home of Champions Orphanage.
Our love for this orphanage, its children, and the community of Nabukalu has been shared throughout Summit Church and our community. The Lord has now stirred in many more hearts and it is time for us to go back!
In a couple of weeks, on June 20th, God is sending another team from Summit Church to Nabukalu. This time we go back in awe of all God has done over the last year.
We go back, as a bigger team and with more resources, to help the orphanage, to look after the orphans in their distress and assist them with becoming self-sufficient.
Because, of how the Lord stirred in the hearts of so many, we go back with: the ability to meet the practical needs such as: land, kitchen, pit latrine, and emergency food. We will give a Bible to every child at the Orphanage and there will be two community feedings with an outreach into the community as best we can. And, we are working to help provide the Orphanage with goats as a food and revenue source.
We are excited that we will have meetings with the area Tribal Leaders to better reach not only the orphanage but also its community.
God is doing so much at The Home of Champions and within the Nabukalu Community. More than anything, we go back, loving His people and humbled that He would allow us to serve Him and them. And, we go back, knowing God will once again break our hearts and change us.
James 1:27
The Message (MSG)
26-27Anyone who sets himself up as "religious" by talking a good game is self-deceived. This kind of religion is hot air and only hot air. Real religion, the kind that passes muster before God the Father, is this: Reach out to the homeless and loveless in their plight, and guard against corruption from the godless world.
Karen Barrows
Assimilation & Women's Ministry Director
Naples Campus
