 back
to the Features main page
| The
Uganda Project is no longer part of The Principle Foundation,
and is now an independent organization as of March 27, 2007. |
The
Uganda
Project
APRIL 2007
NEWSLETTER
This
newsletter is the first one in over a year. We apologize, but
be assured, Uganda Project is alive and well. Our structure has
changed, but our loving outreach is intact!
Message
from Uganda Project Administrator, Nancy Dorsey
Warm greetings to you from Uganda Project
2006 proved to be a year of challenge and change for Uganda Project
(UP). A bit of historical background will help bring you up-to-date
about what’s been happening.
During UP’s start-up period in 2001, we received loving,
practical support from The Principle Foundation (TPF) in Kansas
City which accepted UP under its 501(c)(3) non-profit, tax-exempt,
umbrella. TPF blessed us in several areas. Then TPF Director,
Bill Lampmann, set up conference calls so that our organizing
committee (six of us from Massachusetts, Ohio, Wisconsin and California)
could get this organization up and running. Lampmann’s experience
in the field of Christian Scientists helping Christian Scientists
was invaluable; his gentle guidance just right. With no urging
on our part, TPF unexpectedly provided UP with seed money in that
first year. Thank you, Principle Foundation!
Recently,
the TPF Board reevaluated their goals and decided to concentrate
their efforts within the United States and no longer be involved
with the two African committees, Uganda Project and Kenya Project.
TPF’s current mission statement articulates well what UP
has always done – “to offer practical support to fellow
Christian Scientists in a Christian manner.” So we are united
in spirit, but now functioning separately, as of March of 2007.
The last
18 months also saw the UP officers facing personal commitments.
UP Treasurer (and author), Jennifer Zobelein, worked tirelessly
on a book about the renowned Walt Disney Concert Hall pipe organ,
published last November. Our Ugandan Administrator, Lamech Katamba,
completed a post-graduate program in microfinance, a “hot”
field in developing countries. Then he took a full-time job with
an NGO (non-governmental organization) which worked him mercilessly
and never paid him. He loved this work but had to leave it in
order to pay bills. He had limited time for UP duties, but nevertheless
managed to take applications and distribute funds.
Another development
that we have written about in previous newsletters is that the
Albert Baker Fund has responded to most of the post-secondary
school education and training requests from Ugandan Christian
Scientists, while UP pays school fees for students in primary
grades through high school. This represents a fruitful and loving
partnership with a rejuvenated organization dedicated to supporting
educational opportunities for Christian Scientists, both in the
U.S. and abroad.
We continue
to receive calls from Ugandan Christian Scientists for aid with
school expenses. UP has also provided financial support for the
two branch churches (societies) in Uganda -- in Kampala and Jinja.
Something else interesting is that a number of the Kampala members,
with certain educational or training credentials, have taken jobs
around the country. Wherever they go, they talk about CS, they
share Sentinels, and some offer to pray for others, and healings
follow. Real fruitage!!
Our hearts
and heads continue to inform us that this is a good initiative.
When we started in 2001, it was obviously “a right idea.”
That sentiment hasn’t changed.
ONWARD AND
UPWARD!
Nancy Dorsey, Administrator
(614) 459-6561 nrdorsey@aol.com
Message
from Jennifer Zobelein, Outgoing Treasurer
UP's loving outreach to deserving Christian Scientists in Uganda
continued throughout 2006 and into 2007, although you did not
receive regular newsletters about our work. We are most grateful
for the donations sent in during this time. Understandably, these
contributions dwindled because people were not receiving news
from us. We apologize for that and look forward to keeping you
informed on a regular basis. All of our newsletters are posted
on CSDirectory.com.
At this time,
we have less than $200 in our U.S. account, and just a handful
of shillings left in the Uganda account. We have many students
still in need of educational expenses, at the primary and secondary
levels; and, we also have a few college students in need of funds
for living expenses not covered by the Albert Baker Fund. Some
of our regular recipients have gone into debt while waiting for
UP assistance. We could easily distribute $3,000-5,000 in the
next few weeks.
As you read
in Nancy's report, UP is now functioning independently of The
Principle Foundation. At this time, therefore, we are not able
to offer donors the means for making tax-deductible contributions.
However, the need is critical, and we look forward to your continued
generosity.
Please send
donations to our new Treasurer as soon as possible. Checks, payable
to UGANDA PROJECT, should be mailed to: Jim Dorsey, 1122 Sunny
Hill Drive, Columbus, OH 43221-2337. Jim is the husband of Nancy
Dorsey, the UP Administrator, and like Nancy was a university
lecturer during their almost eight years of living in Uganda and
Tanzania.
I will remain
an active member of the committee, and I will also be responsible
for sending you regular newsletters. Christian Science is growing
in Uganda, and in many other parts of Africa. You can support
Christian Science by providing assistance to these hard-working
students so that they can complete their education and hasten
the progress of their country. They will be blessed, and Uganda
will be blessed.
Thank you
for your patience!
Jennifer Zobelein
(805) 984-0464 jenzobe@verizon.net
Summary
of Donations for the Last Five Years
Contributions are deposited into a U.S. bank account. The only
expenses deducted from that account are for monthly bank charges,
wire fees, printing and mailing costs. Grants to deserving applicants
are exchanged into Ugandan shillings and distributed to individuals
as authorized by the U.S. committee, under the watchful administration
of Lamech Katamba.
Year Contributions
2002 $ 19,139.13
2003 $ 16,536.72
2004 $ 25,446.00
2005 $ 18,010.64
2006 $ 10,573.70
During the
year of 2006, there were a total of sixteen donors, from nine
states: Arizona, California, Florida, Indiana, Massachusetts,
Michigan, New Jersey, Ohio and Oregon.
During 2006,
Uganda Project assisted 24 young Christian Scientists! Some are
primary and secondary pupils in Kampala and Jinja. Some are college
students whose living expenses are not covered by the Albert Baker
Fund. Other costs paid by UP were for: Ugandan bank charges, postal
fees, Lamech's transportation, his trip to Nairobi to meet with
Mother Church officials, Reading Room expenses in Kampala (rent,
carpet, chairs and book shelves), and CS lecture expenses in Kampala
and Jinja. Please join us in continuing this good work during
2007. Donations should be sent to Jim Dorsey, as described above.
Thank you!
Uganda
Project
Christian Scientists Helping One Another
|
CONTACTS:
If you feel
moved to respond, checks should be made payable to: Uganda
Project
Jim Dorsey,
Treasurer
1122 Sunny Hill Drive
Columbus, OH 43221-2337
Phone:
(614) 459-6561
You may also contact Nancy Dorsey, Administrator
(614) 459-6561 nrdorsey@aol.com
|
