URGENT APPEAL

Joline here -- artist, gardener, brave adventurer, rusty dancer and, last but not least, for the last two years a diehard supporter of Desire Child Care Organization in Uganda.

Desire Child Care Organization is a vetted Ugandan non-profit. At its heart is Bugingo Desire, a man with a giant heart who took it upon himself to be a father to 33 impoverished and traumatized street children in the slums of Kampala, most of whom are orphaned. Bugingo began by feeding them produce from his garden. Gradually, he scraped together funds to provide them with shelter, food, education, basic medical care, and the love of a big family. He also reached out to the world and connected with my cousin Henry Cameron, who assisted him in finding sponsors for most of the children. I sponsor 2 children (each sponsorship is $50/month.) Two children are currently unsponsored.

The sponsorships provide for the basic needs of the children.

But then there are needs that go beyond the basics, which are always a scramble to meet. Several of the children have acute medical conditions that occasionally require specialist care and hospitalizations, such as the boy Lwanga, who has sickle cell disease and the girl Moreen who recently had painful breast lumps removed. There is also the issue of security -- saving for a piece of land as a long-term home for the children where they can grow their own produce, raise their own animals, and where they no longer need to be displaced by unreasonable landlords. There's the need for money to cover transportation to medical centers and to pay people to help Bugingo care for the children. And there's the need for Bugingo's own care. You can imagine the stress of single-handedly managing the lives of 33 children! It's a full-time job without pay, and it takes a toll on him.

Right now Bugingo is fighting for his life. In caring for the children, he neglected to get his own medical attention for malaria, and now things are dire. In Uganda, hospitals will withhold treatment until proof of adequate funds is provided. And they won't let you out of the hospital until the bill is paid.

To get Bugingo immediate life-saving hospitalization and treatment for his malaria I fronted the $600 required. This is because I believe in him and what he is doing for the kids. But I cannot afford to do this on my own. Can you help contribute to Bugingo's care?

The first $400 that comes in I will use to partially reimburse myself. Everything after that I will immediately direct towards Desire Child Care Organization for whatever need is most acute -- more hospital bills, the school fees needed by several high schoolers so that they can attend school, money saved to one day provide Lwanga with a desperately needed bone marrow transplant, or savings to one day buy land.

Please visit the Desire Child Care Organization website to read about Bugingo's vision, and the incredible stories of the children Bugingo "Desire" Moses rescued from the slums of Kampala. I invite you to consider contributing to his care, either on his website (donations can be made via the Emergency Fund, with a note that it is for Bugingo) or in my GoFundMe campaign, right here, right now.

From the bottom of my heart, thanks for anything that you can contribute. No amount is too small.

Joline