COVID-19 EMERGENCY FUND

COVID-19 NEWS
The Ugandan Government has extended the border closure indefinitely; however some businesses have been allowed to re-open. Just over 200 people have contracted the disease, and no one has died so far. Most of the sick are travelers to Uganda who have tested positive for the disease, and have been quarantined at the borders. Many experts believe that Uganda's experience with past epidemics have prepared them well to deal with the current Coronavirus pandemic - please view the recent story from PBS News Hour by clicking HERE. However, the shutdown of the country is interrupting food production and delivery, and our BPC partners have confirmed that they and those we serve are feeling the impact. We will continue to keep you updated.

SEAMSTRESS TRAINING UPDATE

The Seamstress Training Program was scheduled to start at the end of March, but has been postponed until schools have been re-opened in Uganda. Ten ladies have been accepted into the program and are eager to start their training. We would like to introduce you to the new instructor of the Seamstress Training Program, Jimmy Otim.

Jimmy is the third oldest in a family of twenty children, and comes from Northern Uganda. He is twenty-seven years old and is married to Beatrice Aneno. They have a six-year-old daughter, Fioncy Anyadwe, who currently attends Donela Bombo in Top Class. Jimmy has a diploma in secondary education. He worked at Kigumba Parents Secondary School as a chemistry teacher from 2015-2016. He joined Christian Counseling Fellowship as a tailor and a teacher in the Nuuoya district northern Uganda from 2016-2018. He was then a teacher in Ocher Campion Jesuit college in 2019. Jimmy says both his mother and late father were professional tailors, and they made sure all their children learned the skill. He was an accomplished seamstress at the age of ten, and now has over ten years experience in the field of professional tailoring.

Jimmy lives with his family in Bombo. Although a Catholic, he fellowships at Bombo Pentecostal
Church. He joined Bombo Pentecostal Church staff February 2020. He is currently working both as the head instructor in the Seamstress Training Program, as well as a teacher of Biology and Chemistry at Donela High School. He is very happy to be a part of what is happening in Bombo, and he cannot wait to work with the next class!

THE BLESSING OF SPONSORSHIP

Many of us know the impact sponsorship can have on a needy child. However, those who choose to sponsor can be greatly blessed too. Below is the story from a teenager named Jenna who visited Uganda in 2016 when she was thirteen years old. She met an albino girl named Catherine who was close to her age in Kakooge, one of the poorest areas we serve in Uganda. Albinos are at great risk in the rural parts of East Africa. Not only are they believed to be a curse to the family, their body parts are greatly coveted by witch doctors who sacrifice them to use in their potions. Read on to learn more of the meeting God divinely appointed to change the lives of both teenagers. I knew that Catherine was special from the day I first met her. As young as I was, I didn't really understand the true extent of just how difficult Catherine's life was. However, I was drawn to how nice she was to me and how she let me play with her. Hearing that she was in an exceptionally rough situation due to her skin tone saddened me. Catherine was a very sweet girl who I decided to call my friend, and if there was any way I could help her, I knew with all my heart and soul that I wanted to do it. Unfortunately, some of the nicest of people go through the most challenging situations. God's chosen us as the people to help them out. I strongly believe that being Christian means helping and loving others first and foremost, and I felt that God was calling me to sponsor Catherine which would end up being a decision I'd never regret.

Catherine 2019
Jenna 2019

THE GIFT OF SPONSORSHIP

Upon reading Catherine & Jenna's story, maybe you are feeling led to sponsor. Or perhaps you might want to give the gift of sponsorship to someone special in your life as a birthday gift? Below are the stories of the Life with Hope Children of the Month for May. After praying, if you feel led to sponsor, please click on their links to our website below their stories. Or you can check out the stories of all thirty children that are up for sponsorship by clicking HERE. Thank you for helping us bless those in Uganda!

Robert is a 12-year-old boy who unexpectedly lost his step father last year. He recently moved to Donela Bombo Primary's P-4 Class and into Boarding last year because his local school was
not providing him with his academic needs and he was falling behind. Since then, both his grades and his English fluency have greatly improved! A naturally shy boy, living with the other students in Boarding has brought about a social and emotional transformation in his life, because he is able to share with the other children who have similar family experiences. He continues to attend church at Bombo Pentecostal Church where his spiritual health is also growing. Because Robert now lives in Boarding, he is in need of an Ewange sponsor to cover his living expenses. Please bless Robert by becoming his Ewange sponsor and CLICK HERE.

Esther is nineteen years old, and in Secondary 2 class at Donela Bombo. She is HIV+, and needs both LIFE WITH HOPE and EWANGE sponsorship. Esther must receive regular AIDS medications and get the proper foods to ensure the medicine's effectiveness. Unfortunately her mother is too sick to support and care for her daughter. Despite Esther's health, she remains a diligent student at Donela High. She uses her free time to work on her studies and attends church regularly with her mom and two brothers. Esther has a strong personal relationship with Jesus and credits him for the transformation taking place in her life. Please CLICK HERE to become Esther's sponsor and give her renewed hope and safety.

One last thing...

Did you know Amazon delivers groceries too? And if you shop at smile.amazon.com, AmazonSmile donates to Align International at no cost to you. Just make sure to choose Align International as your charity of choice on AmazonSmile. This money helps to defer our Stripe and credit card fees, and are especially needed in this time of COVID-19 when every dollar counts.

Tax-deductible gifts can be made in two ways:

Send a check by mail to the address at the bottom of the email. Visit aligninternational.net/donate. Align International is a California non-profit corporation registered by the IRS under Internal Revenue Code 501c3. All gifts and donations are tax deductible as allowable by law.