Why was I inspired?
This adventure all started with a shoe box. This was a Christmas shoe box sent out to a child that was in need, hopefully. The box was received by a child, a young girl in a refugee camp in Uganda. She asked Michael Masembe, from Child Care International, to translate what the gift was for and from whom. Michael wrote a thank you note back to us expressing the thanks of that young girl. This simple act started a correspondence with Pastor Michael Masembe that made me aware of the conditions in the refugee camps and the plight of AIDS orphans.

In January 2006 I began a two legged journey - first to Tanzania where I climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro - then to Uganda to meet Michael and stay as a guest in his house, along with his family and numerous adopted children. The kindness and openness they showed me, a stranger was felt through out my entire stay. The third day I was there I went to a funeral that left a 7 year old girl an orphan with no where to stay. There are no government safety nets or social programs to help people in need. It was then that I decided to make a commitment to helping several projects that Michael had started, in addition to his Child Care International work.

What can be done: First there is a scholarship to help some of the older kids in the village go to university. On completion of school they are obligated to help the next group get a trade or go to university. But even at just $500.00 per semester for tuition,room and board, it has been a challenge to sustain this first group of students so they can complete their university studies.

An elementary school for AIDS orphans has been started in the village. Many of the children have little to eat so a program to feed them a cup of porridge a day at the school was started. The feeling was that "a child who is hungry can't learn". At $200.00 a semester this puts a severe strain on the budget trying to give 60 plus students a basic education.

A pig farm has been started where 10-24 pigs are raised for distribution to widows with children that have no income. They are taught how to raise the piglets and with the first litter give back a piglet to the farm to help keep the program going. To date 35 widows have participated but there are 250 widows in need in the village.

What I am doing: A sewing machine has been bought for a 17 year old girl who is deaf and can't speak and was trained as a seamstress, but couldn't work because she didn't have access to a sewing machine. Tuition for one of the older girls has been payed for, for one semester. School supplies for two semesters have been bought for the elementary school. And several piglets have been bought to expand the pig program.

Update: 12/12/06 - We've gotten one girl through her first year of college. The pig program has expanded tremendously and we've been able to help buy school supplies for the elementary school helping orphans so that they have been able to take on more students. We hope to start thinking about a well in a year or so.

Update March '07: Rich died suddenly of a heart situation while snowshoeing Mt Marcy this month. He is survived by a lovely wife and two wonderful teenage daughters. Our hearts go out to them. We will have a memorial hike to commemorate his life using his spirit to inspire all of us to commit to living a life that matters in August of '07. If you would like to join us, please contact the PPS office. His project continues through his church. His community there is dedicated to this project and hope with his passing it will only gain strength. We will miss Rich very much at PPS. His volunteer service here is something to admire and try to emulate. We could always count on his good judgment and gentle caring of the people he came in contact with. His sharing of his love of nature and the glow of his spirit when he was in the outdoors with us is what PPS is about. When Rich said to me "Rick, I have to talk to you about something.." I always knew there was a dream in the making that would make this world better and more beautiful. He said this to me the Friday night before we hiked. We started and never finished that conversation. Someday we will.

If you would like to help: Donations can be sent to Penfield United Methodist Church Uganda Fund 1795 Baird Rd Penfield, NY 14526 100% of the proceeds go to the Uganda projects listed. Donations are tax deductible