Kannganda...

For the past week or so, Colin Bloom, the Mission Care Chief Executive, was visiting Kenya and Uganda to see the progress that we were able to make with our projects and initiate some new developments. The first part of the visit was to Uganda to see the Jack Fruit Project in Kannganda, where we are partnering with the World Trumpet Mission in Uganda, and Bromley Town Church in the UK, to bring transformation.

Most of the work so far has been to ensure that the planning and preparation has all been completed. Andrew Scott, Mission Care's architect, has designed the buildings, the land title deeds have been certified, and the Kannganda Development Program has been registered in Uganda. This week, however, has been very exciting as we have made the first transactio into the account to begin work of Phase 1 of the project.

This phase includes bringing sanitation to the village by building a block of pit latrines. This is a huge development for the villagers who currently have no toilet facilities. At the moment the waste disposal has a detrimental effect upon the environment and the health of the community, as water waste flows into the stream, where the community gathers water for drinking and cooking. The pit latrines will make a huge impact and something that we take very much for granted is something about which the villagers here can rejoice.

Phase 1 also includes the refurbishment of old school buildings into a church and community centre and a house for a pastoral support worker. This is a huge step forward in meeting the spiritual needs of the people in Kannganda. The pastor will initiate community care programmes, as well as seeing that the good news about Jesus is permeating every corner of the village. To share the message of hope, love and justice that we have is about far more than building a church however - it is about meeting the basic physical needs of the people. Zechariah 7:9-10 reads: Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another. Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the alien or the poor.

It is clear throughout the Bible that being a Christian is not just about being "good," going to church on a Sunday or singing some nice songs. It is not about praying long fancy prayers or undertaking rituals - it is about worship of God which then leads us to action (see Isaiah 58, Amos 5:23-24, Matthew 25, Luke 10:25-37 and James 1:27 for examples). The work of Mission Care is an act of worship - because we love and honour God, we are driven to bring justice, show mercy and care for the marginalised. So the message of hope and our faith in Jesus has a seamless connection to our desire to improve the welfare and health of people living in poverty.

When I visited the people of Kannganda this week I was given a reminder of the reasons that Mission Care International is working in this village. I met a widowed grandmother called Nalongo Doris, who cares for her seven grandchildren, who are all orphans. Her three daughters died of HIV/AIDS and her only son died in a car accident. She is desperately trying to look after the children, struggling to provide food each day. She explained to me that she can't meet their health needs, especially without a clinic nearby, and she can't afford their school fees. She is full of courage, but her problems seem insurmountable. True worship is about meeting the needs of women like this and following Jesus will often lead you to families like the Nalongos - moving you to administer justice, mercy and compassion in any way that you can.

If you would like to help us change the lives of families like the Nalongos, please do click here to find out more about invest in our work.