Sandals Church in Riverside, CA will be hosting a blood drive July 12th from 10a – 5p

For every person that donates blood $25 will be donated to Favor of God Ministries.

If you are in the area and would like to participate you can email patty@favorofgod.org for more information.

At Favor of God our motto is “transforming a nation by transforming a heart”. This transformation requires prayer and assistance from a vast number of people, some we know and some we’ve yet to meet.

We want to get to know you. We want to communicate with you, pray with you, and do whatever we can to build a relationship with you.

We have created a questionnaire to help us get to know you better. Please take a moment to go to this form and let us know who you are and how we can communicate with you.

Thank you all for being a part of this transformation.

Click here to open the online questionnaire

Emmanuel was born in the Abok village in 1993. His parents were both killed when the rebels burned their hut with them inside. Emmanuel was ten years old at the time. He was taken to live with a paternal uncle who was also caring for five other orphans. Life was difficult for this family and food often scarce as the uncle worked tirelessly to provide school fees for all the children as well as the basic necessities of life.

Emmanuel came to the attention of Favor of God ministries through a tour given by one of our board members. He now attends our Christian school and is a thriving part of the House of Hope family. “Emmy” has grown to be a leader to the other children at the House of Hope. He loves to play soccer and he is doing well in his studies, particularly English and Mathematics.

If you are interested in sponsoring Emmanuel for $50/month, please email sponsorship@favorofgod.org. Please remember to include Emmanuel’s name in your email.

Find out more about Favor of God Ministries at www.favorofgod.org

Brian’s father was killed in 2001 after being arrested by government forces. His mother died of a sudden, undocumented illness in 2003. Brian and his brother, Denis, were then sent to live with their maternal grandmother in the Opit IDP camp. Denis was 4 years old and Brian was 2. Unfortunately, the boys’ grandmother was unable to care for them adequately and they were referred to House of Hope in March 2006.

When he first came to House of Hope, Brian ran away on a regular basis and wouldn’t look at people when they spoke to him. It took persistent tender loving care, but eventually he settled down and joined the House of Hope family as a happy, social little boy. Brian has grown to be a very adventurous young man, often bringing home the animals he meets on his adventures. He loves watching the Jesus film and he favors Math in school. Brian says that he wants to grow up to become a doctor.

If you are interested in sponsoring Brian for $50/month, please email sponsorship@favorofgod.org. Please remember to include Brian’s name in your email.

Find out more about Favor of God Ministries at www.favorofgod.org

Paul was born in 2002 in the Anaka IDP camp. His father was killed by LRA rebels in 2003 and his mother abandoned Paul and his three older siblings to their paternal grandmother, who was unable to care for them properly. The mother subsequently died of undocumented causes.

An older cousin, who had been abducted by the LRA and escaped, came to the World Vision Children of War Rehabilitation Program and made Paul and his older brother known to the workers there. After assessing the children, World Vision referred them to House of Hope where they have become healthy, laughing youngsters who love Jesus and love their House of Hope family.

Paul is one of the youngest children at the House of Hope right now. He is constantly happy and loves to assist the staff by helping to sweep, mop, and do other chores. Paul is a very bright young boy who was ranked 2nd out of the 100 children in his class. He is very active and very confident, often asking to play soccer with some of the bigger boys at the House.

If you are interested in sponsoring Paul for $50/month, please email sponsorship@favorofgod.org. Please remember to include Paul’s name in your email.

Find out more about Favor of God Ministries at www.favorofgod.org

Innocent was born in the Anaka IDP camp in 1999. His father was killed by LRA rebels in 2003 and his mother abandoned Innocent and his three siblings to their paternal grandmother, who was unable to care for them properly. The mother subsequently died of undocumented causes.

An older cousin, who had been abducted by the LRA and escaped, came to the World Vision Children of War Rehabilitation Program and made the children known to the workers there. After assessing the children, World Vision referred Innocent and his younger brother to House of Hope where they have become healthy, laughing youngsters who love Jesus and love their House of Hope family.

Innocent’s favorite subject in school in English, and he has developed a hobby of planting vegetables and flowers in the House of Hope garden. Innocent says that he wants to someday grow up and become a farmer.

If you are interested in sponsoring Innocent for $50/month, please email sponsorship@favorofgod.org. Please remember to include Innocent’s name in your email.

Find out more about Favor of God Ministries at www.favorofgod.org

Emmanuel was born in Koch village. Both his father and his mother passed away in 2005. When his parents died, Emmanuel, his three siblings, and his foster sister were left alone to fend for themselves for one month. The only food they had was the lunch provided by the school. Later his maternal uncle decided to take them in. However, due to a physical disability and a wife who abused them they had to be relocated.

House of Hope learned of Emmanuel and his siblings when his younger brother died. With tender loving care, good food, much prayer, Emmanuel has become an outgoing child who loves Jesus and his House of Hope family. He is particularly good at looking after his younger brothers in the home. He loves playing soccer. He also excels in social studies, and teachers praise his good attitude. He is a very smart boy getting the top scores in his school. He can draw a map of the world with all continents or a map of Africa with all countries from memory.

If you are interested in sponsoring Emmanuel for $50/month, please email sponsorship@favorofgod.org. Please remember to include Emmanuel’s name in your email.

Find out more about Favor of God Ministries at www.favorofgod.org

Denis’s father was killed in 2001 after being arrested by government forces. His mother died of a sudden, undocumented illness in 2003. Denis and his younger brother, Brian, were sent to live with their maternal grandmother in the Opit IDP camp. Denis was only 4 years old at this time, and his brother was 2. Unfortunately, the boys’ grandmother was unable to care for them adequately and they were referred to House of Hope in March 2006.

Since coming to House of Hope, Denis has made steady progress toward adjustment. He is a cheerful worker and finds many tasks to help keep the grounds and house in good condition. While he missed a lot of school staying in the IDP Camp, he is working diligently to catch up in the FOG primary school. Denis has grown to be a great mentor to the younger children in the House of Hope. Whenever he sees a little one sitting alone or crying, he goes over to them and attends to their needs. He also loves to play football and is a very fierce competitor of the sport.

If you are interested in sponsoring Denis for $50/month, please email sponsorship@favorofgod.org. Please remember to include Denis’s name in your email.

Find out more about Favor of God Ministries at www.favorofgod.org

Ambrose was born in the Atyak IDP camp. His mother was an evangelist who was martyred for Christ. She was poisoned for preaching the gospel to a witchdoctor’s son when Ambrose was about 2 years of age. A few years later his father was fatally shot in a land dispute. The relative Ambrose was entrusted to neglected his health. He was found wandering the streets of Gulu and was brought to House of Hope by a FOG night watchman that saw him on the street and noticed how thin and sickly he was.

With lots of tender loving care, good food, and much prayer, Ambrose has become a happy, healthy young boy. Though Ambrose is very quiet he is very loving to his brothers and sisters at the House of Hope. His favorite subjects in school are Mathematics and Science and he wants to be a pilot when he grows up. He looks up to the older boys at HOH and desperately wishes to grow up so that he can be more like them.

If you are interested in sponsoring Ambrose for $50/month, please email sponsorship@favorofgod.org. Please remember to include Ambrose’s name in your email.

Find out more about Favor of God Ministries at www.favorofgod.org

Patrick’s father died of cancer in 2002. Shortly after that, his mother abandoned him leaving Patrick and his younger brother to their paternal aunt. His aunt was then abducted by LRA rebels and her property looted, leaving Patrick and his brother to fend for themselves. House of Hope came to know Patrick through another aunt who, after reporting the boys, abducted the youngest and disappeared. Their whereabouts is still unknown.

Since coming to House of Hope, Patrick has bloomed into a fine young man. He loves Jesus and his House of Hope family. Patrick is the oldest boy and takes on the responsibility of being a role model for his younger brothers and sisters in the HOH. His best subject in school is Social Studies and he wants to grow up to become a pastor so that he can preach the word of God. Some of Patrick’s favorite things to do are playing soccer with the younger boys and playing on the drums. His smile is full of grace and joy as he shyly reaches out to take your hand.

If you are interested in sponsoring Patrick for $50/month, please email sponsorship@favorofgod.org. Please remember to include Patrick’s name in your email.

Find out more about Favor of God Ministries at www.favorofgod.org

Emmanuel was born in 1996 in the Lapete Unyama IDP Camp. His mother died soon after he was born leaving him in the care of his father, who died two years later. Emmanuel was then left with his elderly maternal grandmother. While living there, his grandmother’s hut was burned down three times, leaving her mentally distressed. Additionally, her age made it very difficult for her to care for a growing boy.

Emmanuel came to House of Hope after one of the Favor of God Ministries staff discovered him through Sunday School. He has thrived in the love-rich atmosphere and healthy environment of the House of Hope family. The other children have endearingly nicknamed him “Big Emmy.” He loves to play soccer, and you can usually find him playing whether or not the ball is inflated. Big Emmy is very protective of the other children at the House of Hope.

If you are interested in sponsoring Emmanual for $50/month, please email sponsorship@favorofgod.org. Please remember to include Emmanuel’s name in your email.

Find out more about Favor of God Ministries at www.favorofgod.org

Jimmy was born in the Lacekocot IDP camp where his mother died of tuberculosis that same year leaving him to the care of his father. His father also died of TB in 2001 leaving Jimmy to his paternal aunt’s care. This auntie has a severe heart condition necessitating frequent and extended hospitalizations. Jimmy was essentially living alone, foraging for food, and walking 10 miles round trip to visit his auntie in the hospital. He was referred to House of Hope by a student attending Favor of God’s New Life Bible College.

When Jimmy was first brought into HOH he was unable to talk due to complications with his tongue. However, since then he has had three surgeries, and he is now able to speak. Jimmy is an incredible leader to the children and is the head prefect of his school. He wants to grow up to become a pastor, a very suitable profession for a boy who is such an example to his peers.

Since being welcomed into the House of Hope family, Jimmy has become a healthy, thriving child who is happiest when he can visit his auntie. But these days he no longer has to walk to his visits!

If you are interested in sponsoring Jimmy for $50/month, please email sponsorship@favorofgod.org. Please remember to include Jimmy’s name in your email.

Find out more about Favor of God Ministries at www.favorofgod.org

Daniel was born in 2001 in the Amuru IDP camp. His father, a peasant farmer, was killed by LRA rebels at his home in 2002. Daniel’s heartbroken mother died in 2004 leaving him with his paternal grandmother. However, she could not sufficiently care for him due to her old age and blindness.

House of Hope found Daniel through his older sister who was struggling to survive and looking for assistance for the family. Since Daniel has joined the House of Hope, he has become a very mature and polite young boy. He is always respectful to the mamas that run the House and quick to do what they ask of him. He is very humble and kind to other people as well. His favorite thing to do with the other kids is play soccer. Daniel’s favorite subject in school is Math, and someday he hopes to grow up to become a pilot.

If you are interested in sponsoring Daniel for $50/month, please email sponsorship@favorofgod.org. Please remember to include Daniel’s name in your email.

Find out more about Favor of God Ministries at www.favorofgod.org

Molly was born in 1996 in the Amuru IDP camp. Her father, a peasant farmer, was killed by LRA rebels at his home in 2002. Molly’s heart-broken mother died in 2004 leaving Molly with her paternal grandmother. Her grandmother, however, could not sufficiently care for her due to her old age and blindness.

House of Hope learned of Molly through her older sister who was struggling to survive and looking for assistance for the family. Since being welcomed into the House of Hope family, Molly has become a happy, healthy young girl. Molly is a natural leader, often performing her cleaning and washing without being asked. She also helps the other kids complete their chores. She is the leader of the choir for House of Hope and often leads the worship time during the evening devotions.

Though Molly is behind in her schooling, she is working very hard to catch up. Molly is a very self-motivated young girl, and she does not need to be told to do her homework or to study for her exams. She will simply do it on her own.

If you are interested in sponsoring Molly for $50/month, please email sponsorship@favorofgod.org. Please remember to include Molly’s name in your email.

Find out more about Favor of God Ministries at www.favorofgod.org

Sharon’s birth parents were close relatives. Therefore, Sharon was considered a child of incest and was abandoned as an infant. A loving couple adopted her but subsequently died leaving Sharon an orphan again. She was welcomed into the House of Hope with open arms.

Since coming to House of Hope, Sharon has become an outgoing young girl who loves Jesus and helps care for her younger brothers and sisters. Sharon loves to act like a “little lady” and carries herself as such. She has a very peaceful and confident demeanor and enjoys helping the aunties in the house cook the meals. She also loves going to the school on the grounds and likes to study science.

If you are interested in sponsoring Sharon for $50/month, please email sponsorship@favorofgod.org. Please remember to include Sharon’s name in your email.

Find out more about Favor of God Ministries at www.favorofgod.org

Francis was born in 1996 in the Ongako IDP camp. His father, a former policeman, has been in prison since 2005. Francis’s mother died in 2000 in the Labora IDP camp so he was left with his uncle. The uncle had many children and responsibilities at the time and was unable to care for Francis adequately.

Francis was referred to House of Hope through a social worker at SOS Children’s Village, and he was welcomed into the family in late 2006. Francis has become a happy, healthy child with a very confident air about him. He gets along very well with the other boys, and his confidence makes him a leader for the children even though he is not the oldest among them. Francis’s favorite subject in school is social studies, and he wants to grow up to be an engineer. Like most of the other boys at the home, Francis loves to be active and plays a lot of soccer.

If you are interested in sponsoring Francis for $50/month, please email sponsorship@favorofgod.org. Please remember to include Francis’s name in your email.

Find out more about Favor of God Ministries at www.favorofgod.org

James was born in 1999 in Koch village. Both his father and his mother passed away in 2005. When his parents died, James, his three siblings, and his foster sister were left alone to fend for themselves. The only food they had to eat was the lunch provided by the school. Later, James’s maternal uncle decided to take them. But due to a physical disability, he was unable to meet their needs. Their aunt was also abusive and did not allow the children to eat.

House of Hope learned of James and his siblings when his younger brother died. With tender loving care, good food and much prayer, James has become an outgoing, happy child who loves to play volleyball and sing praises to Jesus. James is full of energy and is very comedic. He always puts a smile on the faces of the staff members and wants to become a pastor when he grows up so that can continue to put smiles on people’s faces in a different way.

If you are interested in sponsoring  James for $50/month, please email sponsorship@favorofgod.org. Please remember to include James’s name in your email.

Find out more about Favor of God Ministries at www.favorofgod.org

Both Prisca’s mother and father died of undocumented causes the year she was born in the Palaro IDP camp. Her maternal grandmother, who was already caring for several orphaned cousins, took on baby Prisca’s care. In Ugandan culture the youngest serves all the older children and is last to be given food and clothing. This made life very difficult for Prisca. She often went hungry and never went to school. She was brought to the attention of the House of Hope staff by a student attending Favor of God’s New Life Bible College. Since coming to House of Hope in 2006, Prisca has become healthy and happy and is now attending school.

Prisca can be very serious at times, which is good considering she looks out for her fellow brothers and sisters with this attitude. She is still learning how to let loose and how to have fun with other kids. This has been a struggle for her considering her past situation, but she is making a lot of progress cutting loose like a child her age should. She loves to play dodge ball with the other children. Although Prisca is 2 years behind in her schooling, she is working with perseverance to catch up.

If you are interested in sponsoring Prisca for $50/month, please email sponsorship@favorofgod.org. Please remember to include Prisca’s name in your email.

Find out more about Favor of God Ministries at www.favorofgod.org

Mercy was born in the village of Lii. Her father was a farmer who died of AIDS in 2003. Her mother also died of AIDS in 2006. Mercy and her sister, Linda, were left to the care of her maternal great-grandmother. When the great-grandmother died, Mercy and Linda were left with their 21 year-old uncle. They often only had one meal per day and sometimes went completely without food. Mercy and Linda were referred to House of Hope by a counselor at The AIDS Support Organization (TASO) who had worked with their mother before she died. Upon entering the House of Hope family, the sisters had only the clothing on their backs and appeared to be quite malnourished. However, with lots of tender loving care, nutritious food, and much prayer, they have become happy, healthy young girls.

Mercy is one of the younger children at the House of Hope. She looks up to her older sisters in the house and loves to mimic their behaviors. Despite her age and her disturbing circumstances, she has grown into a very social little girl. She is doing very well in school and even though she is behind, she is working very hard and will be caught up soon. She enjoys playing dodge ball with the other girls and is flourishing in House of Hope’s loving environment.

 If you are interested in sponsoring Mercy for $50/month, please email sponsorship@favorofgod.org. Please remember to include Mercy’s name in your email.

Find out more about Favor of God Ministries at www.favorofgod.org

Nancy was born in 1999 in the Anaka Hospital. Sadly, her mother died three days after giving birth to her. After three months in the hospital, Nancy was given to her maternal grandmother who cared for her until she was five. Her father disappeared one day while walking to town. It is assumed that he was abducted by the LRA. Nancy and her grandmother lived in the Alero IDP Camp. On two occasions their hut was burned down by the rebels and they were often left homeless having to hide in the bush until their huts were rebuilt. At 5 years old, Nancy was taken to town by her maternal uncle so that she could start going to school. However the care provided for her was minimal as her uncle was an unemployed alcoholic. Nancy came to House of Hope through a referral from the Church of Uganda.

Since coming to House of Hope, Nancy has become a happy young girl who loves Jesus and her House of Hope family. She is one of the hardest workers at the home and is always done with her tasks before she is asked to do them whether it be her homework or something as simple as brushing her teeth. Even though she has seen many of the darker aspects of the human character, Nancy has also felt the love of others and wants to become a nurse so that she can share this love. She enjoys playing jump rope and has a big beautiful smile.

 If you are interested in sponsoring Nancy for $50/month, please email sponsorship@favorofgod.org. Please remember to include Nancy’s name in your email.

Find out more about Favor of God Ministries at www.favorofgod.org

Gloria is the first-born of four sisters who were the first orphans to enter House of Hope. Their father died many years ago and their life with their widowed mother was one of hardship. When their mother died in 2004, the older sisters, Gloria and Judith, kept the family together by making and selling brooms out of wild grasses. The girls were only 11, 9, 6, and 4 years old when they started fending for themselves. On Saturdays the girls would go to weddings to try and come across leftover food and on Sundays they would all go to church together. The girls spent their nights at a ministry for “night commuters,” seeking safety from the LRA rebels.

When found and assessed by a World Vision Children of War program worker, the girls were in a desperate situation. Despite their best efforts, the youngest sister (age 2 at the time of assessment) was greatly malnourished and was the size and developmental age of a 9-month-old. Gloria and her sisters entered House of Hope in late 2005 and have thrived. Gloria now attends a Christian boarding school in Kampala where, for the first time in her young life, she is able to be a young girl who dreams of a wonderful future. Gloria wants to become a lawyer, and her favorite subject in school is Math. Her favorite book of the Bible is Genesis because she loves to read cultural stories.

Mercy was born in 1999 in the Amuru IDP camp. Her father, a peasant farmer, was killed by LRA rebels at his home in 2000. Mercy’s heart-broken mother died in 2004 leaving her with her paternal grandmother. Her grandmother can no longer care for her due to old age and blindness. House of Hope found Mercy through her elder sister who was struggling to survive and looking for assistance for the family. There are also three brothers, a sister, and a cousin.

Mercy is often smiling, and she has such a beautiful smile as well. She loves to do chores especially mopping the house. She is one of the choir leaders and is capable of leading evening worship music during devotion time. She likes to keep up with the boys and always plays soccer with them.

If you are interested in sponsoring Mercy for $50/month, please email sponsorship@favorofgod.org. Please remember to include Mercy’s name in your email.

Find out more about Favor of God Ministries at www.favorofgod.org

Monica is the youngest of four sisters who were the first orphans to enter House of Hope. Their father died many years ago, and their life with their widowed mother was one of surviving through hardship. When their mother died in 2004, Monica’s older sisters, Gloria and Judith, kept the family together by making and selling brooms made of wild grasses. The girls spent their nights at a ministry for “night commuters,” seeking safety from the LRA rebels. When their mother died, the girls were ages 11, 9, 4, and 6 months. When found and assessed by a World Vision Children of War program worker, the girls were in a desperate situation. Despite their best efforts to care for her, baby Monica (age 2 at the time of assessment) was greatly malnourished and was the size and developmental age of a 9 month old.

Referred by World Vision, Monica and her sisters entered House of Hope in late 2005 and are thriving! With lots of tender loving care and surgery on her legs to correct a deformity caused by malnutrition, Monica is a happy, healthy young girl with smile that lights up the world! Monica is the youngest of the children at the home and loves to be taken care of by her older sisters. She loves learning and going to school. She also loves to sing in the evening devotions with the other girls.

Linda was born in the village of Lii. Her father was a farmer who died of AIDS in 2003. Her mother also died of AIDS in 2006. Linda and her sister, Mercy, were left to the care of their maternal great-grandmother who was too old and feeble to care for them well. When the greatgrandmother died recently, Linda and Mercy were left in the care of their 21 yearold uncle. They sometimes had only one meal per day or had to go completely without food.

Linda and Mercy were referred to House of Hope by a counselor at The Aids Support Organization (TASO) who had worked with their mother before she died. Upon entering the House of Hope family, the sisters had only the clothing on their backs and appeared to be quite malnourished. However, with lots of tender loving care, nutritious food, and much prayer, they have grown into happy, healthy young girls.

Linda has a very light and bubbly nature about her. She is always giggling about something and loves to sing in the choir at House of Hope as well as anywhere else on the grounds. Although she is young, she can lead the evening worship devotions. Linda gets much praise from her teachers in school, and when she grows up she says she is going to be a pilot!

Monica was born in the Palenga IDP camp. Her father was abducted by the LRA rebels in 2003 and was killed that same year during a battle. Her mother was also abducted by the LRA in 2004 but was murdered by them almost immediately. Baby Monica was left with her paternal great-grandmother who was too old and feeble to care for her adequately. This grandmother recently died, and Monica was discovered by a Christian who brought her to House of Hope. At that time she was in a severely malnourished state. However, with loving care and nutritious food Monica is steadily gaining weight and strength and becoming healthy and happy.

Monica is a quiet little girl and likes to color and play with building blocks. She is very hygienic and spends a lot of time brushing her teeth. You would think it was her favorite thing to do if you saw how tediously she does it. Her time in the House of Hope has brought a much improvement with her English skills as well as her ability to socialize with the other children.

Evelyn was born in 1998 in the Wii Aworanga village. Her parents deserted her when they divorced because neither wanted the responsibility of raising a child. She was left in the care of her maternal grandmother. At the present time Evelyn’s father’s whereabouts is unknown, but it is known that her mother died when she was only 3 years old.

Relatives helped Evelyn’s grandmother care for several orphans including Evelyn. However, severe poverty of the entire family forced her grandmother to seek help from World Vision. Evelyn was introduced to House of Hope through her cousin, who was rehabilitated at World Vision after she escaped from LRA rebels. Paul, Innocent, Betty, Jennifer, and Evelyn have the same grandmother and all are thriving at House of Hope.

Evelyn has a quiet and thoughtful personality. Whenever someone asks her a question she always has the right answer. She does her chores quite cheerfully and without complaint. Despite missing several years of school, she is doing very well and working hard to catch up.

Miriam is the third born of four sisters who were the first orphans to enter House of Hope. Their father died many years ago, and their life with their widowed mother was one of surviving through hardship. When their mother died in 2004, older sisters, Gloria and Judith, kept the family together by making and selling brooms made of wild grasses. The girls spent their nights at a ministry for “night commuters” seeking safety from the LRA rebels. When their mother died, the girls were ages 11, 9, 4, and 6 months.

When found and assessed by a World Vision Children of War program worker, the girls were in a desperate situation. Despite the elder sisters’ best efforts to care for the small ones, Miriam’s younger sister (age 2 at the time of assessment) was greatly malnourished and was the size and developmental age of a 9 month old. Miriam and her sisters entered House of Hope in late 2005 and are thriving! Miriam is a happy, interactive child who loves Jesus and her family at House of Hope. She is constantly in prayer and has a passionate faith in God. She has an abundance of energy often being the last to sleep and first to wake.

Find out more about Favor of God Ministries at www.favorofgod.org

Samuel was born in the bush in 1999 to parents in the LRA. He spent his early years on his mother’s back while she fought in the LRA. She inevitably decided to leave and took Samuel with her. After the death of his father in 2002 and his mother in 2005, Samuel and a younger sibling who has since died were left in the care of their grandmother. With no means of support, they were forced to beg and look to organizations such as World Vision and the World Food Organization for basic needs. The grandmother was suicidal until she was born again through the ministry of the New Life Church in 2005.

Samuel arrived at House of Hope with his arm in plaster. It was broken when he fell while climbing a tree to forage for food. Samuel was severely under-nourished when we took over his care in September 2006. He continues to grow and enjoy his family at the House of Hope. Samuel is a very talkative and inquisitive. He excels at both English and art in the scholastic world, and he wants to grow up to become a pilot.

Sofia and her brother, Peter, were left in the care of their auntie when their mother died of AIDS in 2005. Their father died about two months later of the same cause. Both their mother and father were soldiers. The auntie, who had been caring for the children, was not well having been diagnosed with sickle cell anemia and asthma. Being unable to work because of health reasons, she was unable to provide for the family. They lacked many of the basic necessities of life. They ate only one meal per day and their hut was in great need of repair. House of Hope learned of these children through a local evangelist, and Sofia and Peter were welcomed into the House of Hope family in early May, 2007. They continue to grow and thrive.

Sofia is a very bright girl. She placed first in her kindergarten class of 70+ students. She even gave a speech in English during her class graduation. Sofia has the spirit of a performer. She likes to sing and dance and has performed with the House of Hope choir in front of church services and other functions. She also has the spirit of a lover and caretaker always helping out in the kitchen and cleaning around the compound.

Find out more about Favor of God Ministries at www.favorofgod.org

Peter and his sister, Sofia, were left in the care of their auntie when their mother died of AIDS in 2005. Their father died about two months later of the same cause. Both their mother and father were soldiers. The auntie, who was taking care of them, was diagnosed with sickle cell anemia and asthma. Being unable to work because of health reasons, she was also unable to provide for the family. They lacked many of the basic necessities of life. For example, they ate only one meal per day and their hut was in great need of repair.

House of Hope learned of these children through a local evangelist. Peter and Sofia were welcomed into the House of Hope family in early May 2007. Since then, Peter has grown into a very energetic young boy who constantly has the staff at the House of Hope on their toes.

As bad as the war in northern Uganda has been, AIDS has been equally devastating. It must not be forgotten that even if a peace accord is signed with the LRA, AIDS will continue to leave death and destruction in its wake.

Francis was born in Gulu to parents who were both teachers. He is one of a set of twins born to that couple. The family lived well until his father died of AIDS in 2004. His mother followed her husband in death from the same cause in 2006, leaving their 10 children and two grandchildren with no caretaker able to provide for their needs.

Francis and his siblings survived in the care of an older sister often eating only boiled cassava and drinking water. When assessed by World Vision, they were found to be thin and in need of basic necessities such as clothing. Francis, his twin sister Lucy, and their sister Irene, were welcomed into the House of Hope family in early May 2007. They now attend Favor of God’s Christian school and are joyful and thriving!

Francis is a very polite and thoughtful young boy. He loves to study science in school and often plays soccer with the other boys. He is a very talented goalie. Francis says his favorite book of the Bible is Matthew and that when he grows up he wants to be a pilot. Birthday: Feb/24/1998

Find out more about Favor of God Ministries at www.favorofgod.org

Kevin was born in 1999. She is one of ten children born to her father and his three wives. Her mother died in the year 2002, and her father, a businessman, died of AIDS in 2005. This left Kevin and her siblings with a paternal aunt. Her aunt was really struggling with all of these additional children. Moreover, her husband was not happy about the addition of these children. He took his displeasure out on his wife beating her many times and leaving her without food for her and the children. He finally abandoned the family.

Favor of God came to know of the plight of Kevin and her siblings through a community leader in the area where the family lived. Kevin and one of her half-sisters were welcomed into the House of Hope family in May of 2007. Since she joined the House of Hope family, Kevin has recovered and grown into a great young helper. She is usually the first to help out with daily chores. She has a very cheerful attitude and is very much loved by her fellow brothers and sisters.

As bad as the war in northern Uganda has been, AIDS has been equally devastating. It must not be forgotten that even if a peace accord is signed with the LRA, AIDS will continue to leave death and destruction in its wake.

Irene was born in Gulu to parents who were both teachers. She is one of 10 children born to that couple. The family lived well until her father died of AIDS in 2004. Her mother followed her husband in death from the same cause in 2006 leaving their ten children and two grandchildren with no caretaker able to provide for their needs.

Irene and her siblings survived in the care of an older sister often eating only boiled cassava root and drinking water. When assessed by World Vision they were found to be thin and in need of basic necessities such as clothing. Irene and two of her siblings were welcomed into the House of Hope family in early May 2007. They are attending our Christian elementary school and are thriving.

Despite her bereaved past, Irene is always smiling. She has a beautiful voice and loves to sing during the evening worship service at House of Hope. Irene’s favorite subject in school is science. When she grows up, she would like to be a teacher.

Find out more about Favor of God Ministries at www.favorofgod.org

Faith was born only days before her father died. Her mother followed her father in death when she was five years old. That left Faith and her two siblings in the care of their paternal grandmother in her seventies who was caring for 10 other children, a situation not uncommon in Africa.

Favor of God Ministries learned of Faith and her family situation through the director of Life Ministries Uganda (Campus Crusade for Christ). At the time, the elderly grandmother was only able to provide one meal per day for the children and this was done with great difficulty. However, because there was only one opening at House of Hope, we were able to take only Faith into the House of Hope family.

Faith came to us with a chronic cough and emotional symptoms resembling a mental disorder. She is in great need of prayer and healing, in the natural and in the spiritual world. We are thankful that she now has a loving family in the House of Hope. Though she continues to battle her chronic illness she is learning how to socialize in school and make friends among her fellow House of Hope children.

If you are interested in sponsoring Faith for $50/month, please email sponsorship@favorofgod.org. Please remember to include Faith’s name in your email.

As bad as the war in northern Uganda has been, AIDS has been equally devastating. It must not be forgotten that even if a peace accord is signed with the LRA, AIDS will continue to leave death and destruction in its wake.

Lucy was born in Gulu to parents who were both teachers. She is one of a set of twins born to that couple. The family lived well until her father died of AIDS in 2004. Her mother followed her husband in death from the same cause in 2006 leaving their 10 children and two grandchildren with no caretaker able to provide for their needs.

Lucy and her siblings survived in the care of an older sister, often eating only boiled cassava root and drinking water. When assessed by World Vision, they were found to be thin and in need of basic necessities such as clothing. Lucy, her twin brother Francis, and her sister Irene, were welcomed into the House of Hope family in early May 2007. They all attend our Christian school and are thriving! Lucy is a very social little girl and is always hanging out with her friends. She loves math and loves to eat her vegetables. Lucy says that when she grows up she is going to become a teacher. teacher

If you are interested in sponsoring Lucy for $50/month, please email sponsorship@favorofgod.org. Please remember to include Lucy’s name in the email.

Find out more about Favor of God Ministries at www.favorofgod.org

Gulu, Uganda is a post war environment, and there is very little in the way of, “business as usual” like we are accustomed to here in the west. Once one visits Gulu it becomes very apparent what we in America can and do take for granted. Let me give you an idea of business in Uganda.

Electricity is not dependable and can be down for days on end. Forget calling the electric company because no one is there to answer the phone. Internet is not dependable, and it is very expensive to have it plumbed to your place of business. The most affordable option is to go into town and use a local internet café and pay by the hour. Computers are a great luxury and when available they are usually antiquated as are the computer programs. Computer literacy is not common and even hand held calculators are a luxury.

Imagine running your current business or household in these same conditions. Imagine your electricity and internet going down but there’s no one to call. All you can do is just grin and bare it.

Welcome to Gulu Uganda, and welcome to Favor of God’s world. FOG has about 60 staff. They are responsible for numerious evangelistic, medical, children, and leadership training ministries. Everyday there are numerous requests and pressures on the ministry, and everyday they operate using an antiquated system of hand written accounting and administration ledger system.

Recently they have been able to acquire computers thanks to our generous supporters, but now more hurdles arise. New software needs to be purchased and personnel needs to be trained. Additionally, transferring all the ministry’s handwritten data into the computer is a tedious and time consuming process. On going administration record keeping cannot be stopped while this data process is underway, so for a while at least they must live in both the hand written and electronic world simultaneously.

Supporting ministry infrastructure or administration technology is not as glamorous or as high profile as supporting our orphanage – we know. But it’s so vital and necessary when running a ministry in 2009. We hope this snapshot into the inner-workings of the ministry is helpful for you to get to know us a little bit better

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Judith – shown with a computer donated from Riverside, CA

In a typical day, how much do you rely on your car? If something were to happen to your car, where would you turn? How would you get anything accomplished? Imagine having important things to accomplish, needing materials and supplies in order to do so, or needing to take a team of people with you. What then?

Transportation issues fill every day with Favor of God Ministries. There are approximately 60 staff at Favor of God. Among the staff, there are a many ministry teams, each with the equally urgent goals of serving the community, bringing healing, and advancing the Kingdom. Every morning ministry teams set out on their missions for the day…or at least they attempt to… You see, Favor of God has a mere three vehicles. Let me introduce them to you.

The most eye-catching is the little red fire engine-like truck. Many mornings, before morning devotions, the truck is used for quick errands to pick up things needed for the day’s work at the Mission House. Before morning devotions ends, the truck heads for the House of Hope Children’s Home to pick up the 33 children and take them to school for the day. The truck is then available for use by other ministries until it is needed to pick the children up from school later in the afternoon. If the children have any other needs (i.e. hospital visits, returning to their villages, etc.), they are first priority for this fun little fire truck.

The next vehicle is the white van. You might call this one a 15-passenger van. However, on many occasions, it hauls a few more passengers than you might expect. I’ve seen this van loaded to the brim with passengers (and chickens!), with a mountain of supplies, soccer equipment, Bibles, training materials, and many other items strapped to the top. This van is available to whichever ministry needs it most that day. (Try determining that when each ministry team is equally passionate about serving!) This vehicle is in high demand as it can carry so many people and so many supplies. Unfortunately, it can’t be more than one place at a time, so there is typically at least a few different ministry teams waiting in hopes of using the van that day.

The last vehicle is the little white pickup. This little truck comes in handy for quick transport of people and things into town and back. This vehicle primarily moves staff around town for errands and other quick tasks. Although they could walk to accomplish many of these tasks, the weather is hot, the rain is frequent, and what could be a 20-minute errand becomes an hour or two journey into town. There is almost always someone or several someones waiting for the truck to return so they can get on with their tasks for the day. Because the little pickup is in such high demand, it usually leaves the gates of the Mission House full of people, both in the cab and in the back, which means that one quick stop turns into seven “quick” stops – not the most efficient means of getting around.

Add to these daily tasks the many trips to surrounding districts and villages, ranging from one to 5 hours away from the Mission House. Transportation is a major cause of stress every day at the Mission House. Every day, ready and willing teams are left waiting for hours just to get on the road. Sometimes these plans must be pushed to the next day just because there is not means of getting there. These difficulties are a reality daily for the staff at Favor of God, and that is when all three vehicles are working…

Here are a couple fun moments from the House of Hope kids told by Jeremy and Cori, who are temporary house parents from the States.

“Our big project this week has been to help the kids get ready for school on Monday which means correcting their tests they took 3 weeks ago. Its pretty sad how much these kids don’t know… sometimes we’re not much help on the Ugandan Social Studies or agriculture, but never fear, Small Emmy seems to know everything and is very willing to help.

Today our friend bought the kids two goats and soda, and Brad and AnneLisa got a cake for a Back to School/May birthday’s party. As I type the kids are still running around like crazy people due to the fact it’s raining so they are all stuck in the house/porch. Probably for some of them their energy is due to Mt. Dew.

Last night they were so excited for the party they couldn’t go to sleep and this morning when I was waking them up my `good morning, Samuel’ was answered with `WE GET TO EAT GOAT TODAY!’ This is the boy I usually have to drag out of bed after unwrapping him from his sheet cocoon he makes every night. Surprisingly, this is the first goat we’ve eaten and it was actually really good. The goats made one last run for it this morning and the kids had to chase them down before Martin came over and taught the boys how to kill, skin and butcher the goat. Just like the chickens, all parts of the goat will be eaten – they are currently making Jerky out of some of it and some kind of soup with the ‘treasures.’

This morning during devotion the kids sang a song about the different miracles Jesus did. Due to the fact that the song is in English and was being led by a ten year old, they sang about Jesus making the blind to walk among his other miracles. This evening they sang they would eat goat for the Mighty God. I know God was enjoying those!