From modest beginnings
Short-term mission with a long-term commitment; that’s what they wanted.
The congregation at Messiah Lutheran Church in Weldon Spring, Missouri, has a heart for helping others and in the fall of 2005 they found an incredible opportunity to serve and develop relationships with people halfway around the world.
The place that captured their heart was Uganda.
An exploratory team left St. Louis that year, traveling with the executive director of With Gods' Little Ones, an organization designed to help poor and vulnerable orphans and widows,. The team visited seven villages comprised of thousands of orphans and their caretakers.
The question quickly evolved from “do we want to get involved?” to “how can we get involved?” to “how soon can we start?”
Touched by so many beautiful children, the team members on that first trip would never be the same. It was decided that Messiah would partner with a village near Jinja, Uganda called Nakabango. Some of the villagers had started supporting over five hundred orphans at the time - and that number grew to 1,200 in two years. Most of the orphans had lost one or both parents due to HIV/AIDS and were cared for by grandmothers or aunts.
That Christmas, congregation members were encouraged to sacrifice one of their own gifts in order to give an equivalent amount of money to help someone in Nakabango. Over $26,000 was collected and gifts of sewing machines, goats, cows, bedding kits, school uniforms, and shoes were delivered in June of 2006 by a team of nine.
The congregation at Messiah Lutheran Church in Weldon Spring, Missouri, has a heart for helping others and in the fall of 2005 they found an incredible opportunity to serve and develop relationships with people halfway around the world.
The place that captured their heart was Uganda.
An exploratory team left St. Louis that year, traveling with the executive director of With Gods' Little Ones, an organization designed to help poor and vulnerable orphans and widows,. The team visited seven villages comprised of thousands of orphans and their caretakers.
The question quickly evolved from “do we want to get involved?” to “how can we get involved?” to “how soon can we start?”
Touched by so many beautiful children, the team members on that first trip would never be the same. It was decided that Messiah would partner with a village near Jinja, Uganda called Nakabango. Some of the villagers had started supporting over five hundred orphans at the time - and that number grew to 1,200 in two years. Most of the orphans had lost one or both parents due to HIV/AIDS and were cared for by grandmothers or aunts.
That Christmas, congregation members were encouraged to sacrifice one of their own gifts in order to give an equivalent amount of money to help someone in Nakabango. Over $26,000 was collected and gifts of sewing machines, goats, cows, bedding kits, school uniforms, and shoes were delivered in June of 2006 by a team of nine.
A trusting & transformational relationship
Over the next four years, over fifty people comprised four teams that visited Uganda each summer. A sewing center, carpentry shop, latrine, and a borehole well were built in Nakabango with donations from members, while long-range fundraising efforts for construction of a multi-purpose school building continued.
In addition, a child sponsorship program was established, starting with 50 children and growing to over 125 children in 2010.
Since the first trip in 2005, relationships between team members and friends in Uganda have deepened the commitment to strengthen the partnership between the two. Living conditions and the health of villagers in Nakabango have improved; a school has been started and new villages in the surrounding area are starting to also benefit from the partnership.
Developing relationships while at the same time providing assistance has proven to be a winning combination for those in the U.S. and those in Uganda.
In addition, a child sponsorship program was established, starting with 50 children and growing to over 125 children in 2010.
Since the first trip in 2005, relationships between team members and friends in Uganda have deepened the commitment to strengthen the partnership between the two. Living conditions and the health of villagers in Nakabango have improved; a school has been started and new villages in the surrounding area are starting to also benefit from the partnership.
Developing relationships while at the same time providing assistance has proven to be a winning combination for those in the U.S. and those in Uganda.
Sharing our experience with others
In January of 2011, a team from Lubbock, Texas joined on a trip to Uganda and have since partnered with the village of Bufuula.
In just one year, they have helped construct a school building, purchased land, and started a student sponsorship program with over fifty kids.
As others from other organizations joined on trips to Uganda, it became evident that a stand-alone nonprofit organization was needed that would allow others to partner with villages in Uganda and benefit from relationships similar to that developed between Messiah & Nakabango.
In just one year, they have helped construct a school building, purchased land, and started a student sponsorship program with over fifty kids.
As others from other organizations joined on trips to Uganda, it became evident that a stand-alone nonprofit organization was needed that would allow others to partner with villages in Uganda and benefit from relationships similar to that developed between Messiah & Nakabango.
Expanding our reach
After returning from a trip in January 2011, a small group of founders decided to formalize the operations of the past 6 years into Hearts & Hope for Uganda.
Helping each other realize our full potential - Hearts & Hope seeks to make that vision a reality.
- March 2011 - Non-profit company (unaffiliated with Messiah Lutheran Church) called Hearts & Hope, Inc. registered in the State of Missouri
- April 2011 - Relationship established with Waters Edge in Allen, Texas.
- October 2011 - Recognition as a 501c(3) nonprofit organization with the US Federal Government
- October 2011 - Hearts & Hope for Uganda website launched
- November 2011 - Hearts & Hope for Mbulamuti website launched
- January 2012 - Sponsorship program between Waters Edge-Allen and Mbulamuti launched
Helping each other realize our full potential - Hearts & Hope seeks to make that vision a reality.
