141 Impact Spring 2015 ministry update
Current progress on the El Shaddai Home
I wanted to take a moment to first say “thank you” for your support of 141 Impact and our ongoing projects. Without your support, we cannot effectively move forward in our calling to help the widows and orphans of Uganda, and to impact our community, so thank you again! We are very excited to be partnering with two incredible ministries in Uganda, and wanted to update you on the impact your prayers and donations have had and continue to have on these two life-changing ministries. El Shaddai Village I would like to share some exciting news about El Shaddai Babies’ Home in Lugazi, Uganda; the pilot project for Acts 4 Uganda. While the events leading to our news are less than exciting, we are encouraged and amazed by the resourcefulness and innovative spirit of our partner there: Cuba Dalton. Many of you know that we have been working together to design and help fund the construction of the first structure in this model village project. What we have been referring to as the Babies’ Home will, in time, become the Missionary House on the property as more babies’ homes are constructed. In our recent trip to Uganda, we learned that the government is in the process of revoking all babies’ home certifications and actually removing children from these homes and relocating them to a temporary group setting selected by the government. This dramatic move by the government of Uganda is in response to the increase in occurrences of child theft and adoption for profit. As we are approaching the completion of the first home, originally slated to house abandoned babies until more homes are constructed, Dalton and the Board of Directors of Acts 4 Uganda have realized that this initial step would have to take place after the government has completed their process. In an effort to best serve the people of the surrounding community, Acts 4 Uganda will implement the El Shaddai Child Survival Project in the first home instead of immediately housing babies. The project will be a daily series of programs for families, focusing on spiritual, physical, educational and cognitive development, and exploration of economic strategies to best enable families to become self-sustaining. The program will educate and empower parents or caregivers to care for their children and nurture them as the gifts of God that they are. Imagine, a future home for abandoned babies that actually focuses on the families of the community and prevents children from being abandoned in the first place. Of course, once the Ugandan government moves forward in a restored system, El Shaddai Babies’ Home will once again set its sights on rescuing those abandoned in the community in addition to the programs they will have implemented. In the meantime, it is so exciting to see this potential obstacle become the impetus for groundbreaking family care in the Buikwe District, care that is and always has been part of the overall El Shaddai Village vision. As adults learn strategies to better care for their children, they will also be learning a trade through the vocational training portion of the program. This vocational training has always been an integral part of the overall multi-step plan for the village, but now moves to the forefront of structural and programmatic needs in order to provide shelter and security for teaching and materials. In addition, health education will create a greater awareness of the needs of the children and provide means for immunization against life-threatening diseases and promote HIV/AIDS awareness. This education has the potential to save many lives in the community and surrounding areas. The success of this ground-breaking program will be even more possible due to the very generous donation of a gentleman in Hanover, PA for a complete water system. The construction for this system will be commencing very soon, and will provide an essential resource to the future residents and all who come to El Shaddai Village. We are grateful to Mr. Miller, whose donation in honor of his son, Tyler Bennett Miller, will impact the lives of so many with this life-giving gift. As we all move forward in this endeavor, we ask that you please consider the following: 1. Please pray for Dalton, his Board, this project, and the community it will serve. 2. Please consider giving specifically to this project at www.141impact.org. We are currently raising funds for the following next steps:
Finish the electrical system for the house
Interior wood doors and frames
Fixtures and equipment for babies and offices
Salaries for Dalton and his staff
A van for the ministry
Construction of the Vocational Training Center
As always, 100% of your donation will go to El Shaddai if you designate this project or “Dalton” in the notes tab of our donation page.
Kwagala Baby House
We have had the honor of getting to know Emily Clough, a Columbia, SC native who has dedicated her life to the abandoned and neglected children of Iganga, Uganda. Emily courageously moved to Uganda when she was nineteen years old, with the hopes of working with and showing love to children who had been discarded by their families. Initially, Emily worked in Jinja, Uganda with a local Babies’ Home, but soon Emily felt the calling to open her own Baby
House in Iganga, and followed that calling at
twenty years old. We were introduced to Emily through mutual friends, and met her in Uganda in December of last year. Her heart for the children is only matched by her courage and obedience to the call she received. Emily and her house Mum, Phiona, care for five children. In addition to providing daily care and great love for the kids, ranging from one to fourteen years old, Emily is also pursuing adoption for Lilly, an energetic one year old sweetheart, and an amazing fourteen year old named Eva.In late 2014, Lilly’s health started declining, and through a series of meetings and miracles, she was diagnosed with Leukemia. Emily, through the grace of God, the prayers and generosity of so many of her supporters, and her maternal tenacity, has fought for and gained legal custody and a passport for Lilly so that she can get her to the United States for immediate treatment. As she is still engaged in this months-long red-tape battle to save her little girl’s life, we ask that you consider the following:
1. Pray
Complete healing for Lilly, and grace and peace for Emily
Provision for Kwagala Baby House, Phiona and the kids in Emily’s absence.
2. Join a Sponsorship Team
Each of the children at Kwagala has a sponsorship team, a group of individuals who support the work of Kwagala at $20/month. Sponsors have the opportunity to be a part of a group committed to assisting in meeting the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of these precious kids. Check our website for more information on how to sponsor a child.
3. Send Emily a note of prayer and encouragement
Join us in standing with Emily as she faces incredible challenges, and send her an encouraging email at salvationinuganda@gmail.com.
A big thank you to everyone who supported our Spaghetti Dinner Fundraiser for Lilly--it was a great success! We were able to raise over $1,000 to help with Lilly's care and travel expenses. In addition to the exciting developments in Uganda, we have formed our new 141 Impact Mobilization Team here in Summerville, SC. This incredible assemblage of volunteers, headed by Alanda Strutz, our Community Relations Coordinator, will serve to build community as it helps individuals identify their purpose and live it out. The team will also tackle fundraising efforts, organize community events and expand the impact of our mission throughout our community. It is our vision to develop mobilization teams around the country. If you would like more information on how you or your church/business can get involved, contact alandastrutz@141impact.org. Thanks, Alanda for heading this effort!
I would again like to express our gratitude for you, your generosity and support, and your prayers for this organization. Together, we can empower individuals to impact the lives of others by endeavoring to help meet the physical, emotional and spiritual needs of the poor, disabled, orphaned and widowed of the world. Together, we can continue to show love in tangible, practical ways to those in need in order to provide for their immediate needs, secure and strengthen their foundation and spread hope through opportunities for building a self-sustaining future. Please pray for 141 Impact, that we can continue to give what is needed, to go where we are called, and to use the gifts and abilities that we have been given to best serve those in need, and help others to do the same.
Finally, I’d like to publicly thank our Board of Directors, who selflessly volunteer their time and talents to make an impact in the world. Dawn Long, John Long, Carrie Brown, and Carl Brown, thank you for joining us on this journey and investing in this organization. We appreciate you! As we continue our fight against poverty and injustice, we thank you for leaving the bench behind and standing and fighting by our side. There are many challenges ahead, and we are grateful to a loving God for the calling He has for us and the team He has assembled follow that call. Thank you and God bless, Christopher Karpus CEO, 141 Impact, Inc.
