Report from BHW Uganda Partnership Facilitator

Key People: Peter and Violet Erima

I have not visited this partnership since prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. My last face-to-face meeting with Peter was in 2022 however, there has been regular and productive communication by electronic means since. I have to say that I am very impressed with him and find him very good and clear at communication. He is very appreciative of the involvement of Bright Hope World in the ministry of Faith Harvest Churches of Fresh Hope (FHCOFH) in the eastern area of Uganda. 

I had a lengthy discussion with him on 24 January and had asked him to provide me with some further information, and also stories about how some of the loan beneficiaries were proceeding.

Recent Events

Activities

In Eastern Uganda there have been a number of difficult seasons. Sometimes there has been too much sunshine, and resulting drought, and sometimes too much rain. He also cited difficulties with the government increasing taxes, and increased requirements regarding animal health and hygiene.

One of the things that he was extremely excited about is that he has recently spent three months with Youth with a Mission in Nigeria learning the oral Bible translation process. I have researched this, and this is a very exciting way of improving the process and time taken for translation of the Bible into local languages and dialects.

At present Bright Hope World only supports a growing microloan programme but hopefully this will expand in the future. Peter was very positive and said that they were moving on by the grace of God. They have been encouraging the beneficiaries to continue with the payments and have not had any serious defaults. When I communicated with him prior to Christmas he said that there were presently 46 people receiving loans. In a subsequent discussion on 24 January he indicated that the number was now 51. The types of business that are being done include small businesses, with stores selling fish, raising poultry, selling secondhand clothes, and some doing agriculture. The photos show some of the beneficiaries, and I have also received details of interviews with a couple of them. The transcriptions are below the various photographs.

Peter and Violet also have a strong focus on discipleship, self-sustaining development and a very clear vision for the future is set out in the information below. They are very clear that they would like to increase leadership training and also start to look at how they can support orphans in their community. 

Personal Stories

Ajambo Evelyn
Evelyn is the chairperson of the loan programme in Buhimi village. This village is located in south-eastern Uganda and one of the churches that Peter and Violet oversee in the FCOFH network is located in this village. She sells fish, onions, tomatoes and eggplant along with other things. From the profit she has now been able to purchase two pigs. The income from the stall enables her to provide food for the children, assist in paying school fees and buying soap and other essential items for her family. She is not always able to depend on her husband, who does not have a reliable employment. Even though this store looks modest, she states that the business is good, particularly when people come in from the fields at the end of the day. In her own words, she expects to come out of poverty and expressed a great deal of gratitude for the loan, and to God, in a video that she has sent. 

Nbozo Jacklyne
Jacklyne (on left in photo) is a married woman with her husband and four children. She is extremely grateful for the loan she has received. This has enabled her to start a business selling second-hand shoes and enables her to educate her children and provide food for the family, particularly when her husband is unable to. It also gives money to buy medicine and treatment when she or the family are sick.

Grace (to the right of Jacklyne) is aged 60. She is a grandmother and has the care of four grandchildren. She is a widow. She says that, when you are a widow, there is nobody to provide for you. You are simply there in the village and have to survive. In her business she now makes pancakes which she sells and this enables her to feed herself and the four grandchildren, including with milk, and to educate them. It is exciting to hear such wonderful stories. 

Sande and Agnes Nabwire secured a loan to set up a piggery and they have also managed to expand that to goats and selling of some meat.

One other beneficiary Mande James has used his loan to start a business making and selling bricks (photo below). 

Partnership's Influence within the Community

Because they have started relatively small and do not seem to be wanting to overreach themselves, I am quite encouraged by both the content of my discussions with Peter, and also the information that he is providing along the way. I would like to see this partnership continue to grow and extend in the years ahead. 

Plans for the Future

Peter would appear to have a fairly straightforward vision for the growth of the church. This is reflected in the information that he has provided below regarding the strategy for the ministry going forward. 

We are excited to share with you our strategic plan, outlining our vision to transform communities and advance the Kingdom of God. Our organization, Faith Harvest Churches of Fresh Hope, is committed to spreading the Gospel, planting churches, developing leaders, and empowering communities.

Our Vision: To establish a network of vibrant, community-transforming churches across the nation, empowering believers to become agents of hope and change.

Our Objectives:
1) Evangelistic Outreaches: Conduct regular evangelistic outreaches, targeting unreached communities and sharing the Gospel with those who have never heard.
2) Church Planting: Plant 50 new churches across the nation within the next 5 years, establishing strong, self-sustaining congregations.
3) Leadership Development: Develop and equip 100 leaders within the next 3 years, providing training and mentorship to ensure a strong, sustainable legacy.
4) Community Empowerment: Empower communities through education, economic development, and healthcare initiatives, addressing pressing needs and challenges.

Our Strategies:
1) Partnerships and Collaborations: Foster partnerships with local churches, organizations, and denominations to maximize impact and resources.
2) Contextualized Ministries: Develop culturally relevant ministries, addressing specific needs and challenges within diverse contexts.
3) Leadership Development Programs: Establish leadership development programs, providing training, mentorship, and coaching to emerging leaders.
4) Community Engagement: Engage communities through outreach programs, education, and economic development initiatives.

Our Ask:
We invite you to partner with us in advancing the Kingdom of God. Your support will enable us to:
1) Establish New Churches: Support church planting initiatives, empowering new congregations to thrive.
2) Develop Emerging Leaders: Invest in leadership development programs, equipping the next generation of leaders. We consider raising more new leaders mostly a young generation who can carry on the work as a millennial goal for survival of our efforts in carrying out the gospel.
3) Empower Communities: Partner with us in community empowerment initiatives, addressing pressing needs and challenges. So far, 51 or more beneficiaries of the loan programme are ongoing for self-reliance.

Together, we can transform communities and advance the Kingdom of God.

Comments

I am excited about the prospect of visiting with him for a couple of days in the upcoming trip in July. I certainly expect to see some good things, and I am finding my conversations with Peter fruitful and positive. 

He has sent me a considerable number of photos and information regarding what has been happening. The initial partnership was set up and aimed to support 27 families at the start. When I had my discussion with him late last year, he told me that there were 46 families involved and the latest information that I have from him is that there are now 51 families involved. He tells me that there are 20 churches in the FHOFC network, and they would like to expand the loan programme to all or most of those churches over time. One of the things that I really like about this partnership is that Peter and Violet are looking at doing things incrementally, as resources allow. They seem to be taking a very wise approach. 

At this point in time, until I am able to visit and meet some of the people on the ground, I do not think we should be looking at expanding it after the payment scheduled for April of this year.