Uganda is home to over 26 million people, half of whom are under the age of 15. Over 60% of Uganda’s children are orphans. A 20-year civil war has devastated the northern half of the country, and thousands of children have been abducted and turned into child soldiers.
Over the past several years, our SCG family has demonstrated an
incredible heart of compassion for the people of Uganda, and over 100 SCG attenders have participated in short-term project teams to the country. Our teams have staffed, stocked and opened
xmedical clinics, offered medical and dental care to over 900 orphans, and led leadership seminars for local pastors and businessmen.
We’ve also raised funds to tackle several significant projects in the country. The money we’ve raised together as a church has gone to:
- provide clean water and electricity to the Good Samaritan Children’s Home and surrounding community,
- construct two church buildings,
- build and operate four Good Samaritan Children’s Centers in Northern Uganda, where former child soldiers are offered rehabilitation and education (including vocational training for teenagers).
This year, our project team to Uganda undertook something new that has had enormous success. Members of SCG’s Celebrate Recovery ministry stepped up in a remarkable way to help local churches in Kampala, Uganda reach out to those in their communities who struggle with life’s hurts and hang-ups. The team created a Christ-centered 12-step curriculum that incorporates Uganda’s cultural and social environment. They traveled to Uganda in March to begin training 40 men and women from ten local churches, and left them with a 30-week program to complete in anticipation of the summer trip.
During the July trip, the team was able to graduate the first class and officially launch the Back 2 the Bible Truth Recovery Program. They also began training an additional 40 new leaders, bringing the total number of churches offering the program to 20. Over the next several months, these new leaders will complete and graduate from the program. These first two “generations” of leaders will take over the program as it spreads to another 150 interested churches. Hundreds and thousands of people will experience transformation through this program, and hope through the person of Jesus Christ.
In Northern Uganda, over 30,000 children have been abducted by the rebel group the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA). They are forced to be soldiers or “wives” to army members until they are able to escape. Thousands more children have become orphans as a result of the LRA’s brutal attacks on villages, or are forced to flee their homes every night for safety in the towns.
Reverend Sam Childers has been rescuing and restoring war-affected children in Northern Uganda and the Sudan for nearly 10 years. He is a former biker-gang member whose life has been transformed by the power of Christ. His organization operates the largest orphanages in the Sudan, and it’s known for leading armed rescue missions directly into LRA territory.
He is also the founder of the Children’s Village, which currently houses and educates 185 orphans. Over 700 children have been rescued since its inception. Through the generosity of our SeaCoast Gracers, our church has been able to provide funds to build two dormitory buildings at his orphanage, along with a medical building to better treat the children who live there. We are offering hope to these children in a very real way.
To hear Reverend Sam Childers’ interview with Pastor Doyle, click here.
