Uganda 2022

Over the past 5 years, my cousin Jonathan and I have been able to see firsthand what happens when our friends and family come together and love like Jesus. With your help we have been able to build over 30 homes for orphans and widows, help build a school that now has over 400 students, plant over 30 water wells, lift dozens of families out of poverty through our sustainable-income project, and so much more.

Many of you have been by our side, committed to bringing hope to this community for over six years now. Without you, and those who may be supporting for the first time, none of this would be possible. So much amazing work has been done. But the need is still great as many still lack the most basic of needs. We are excited to see countless more lives positively impacted as we head back this June. Thank you all for being a part of this and helping us bring hope to Uganda.

Plan for 2022

This June, I will be heading back with my cousin Jonathan and our friend Edy.  With your support, we hope to provide the following;

Orphan's Day
A day where we round up over 300 orphaned children from surrounding villages to provide them with a hot meal, custom-tailored clothing, and care packages, and to remind them that they are loved, by us, and their Father in heaven.
Cost: $5500

Homes for Widows and Orphans
It's heartbreaking enough for a woman to lose her husband, but in Uganda, losing a husband often leads to homelessness as he is typically the sole-provider. For orphans, they have nowhere to turn for support or provision. We're looking to help those who have no place to call home, or are in living conditions that put their lives in danger. Four homes are currently under construction.  With your help we hope to start building more soon.
Cost: $2000-2500

Men's Conference
The men's conference has been foundational in bringing positive change to families and communities in Uganda. Over the past six years,  we've graduated hundreds of men who have pledged to turn away from abuse and neglect, as they step into the role of being loving fathers, husbands, and providers for their families.
Cost: $400

Sustainable-Income Project
We purchase cows for those families suffering most from poverty. The milk these cows produce provides an income for years. Eventually, the cow is mated and the first-born calf goes back into the project to help others in need.
Cost: $400

Bible Distribution
We love teaching, and we've had the opportunity to see marriages restored, men turn from abuse and neglect, and countless more stories of how the Truth set people free. But we realized how important it is to provide a resource for continued growth, especially for those eager to learn but cannot afford a Bible. Our plan is to continue to purchase Bibles translated into the local Lugandan language and get them to those who want to know more about Jesus.
Cost: $10

Miscellaneous Projects
Children's books for the newly constructed library, clothing, medical equipment, and other needs that require immediate attention.

Watch the video below to see how your donation is changing lives

| Orphan's Day |

There are over 300 orphans in and around the village of Kiwungu, many abandoned by their parents. Others have lost their parents to AIDS, malaria or other illnesses. Our hope is to raise enough support to bring in orphans from the surrounding villages for a day where we would provide meals, new clothing, and other basic needs. In 2021 we provided food, clothing, and care packages for over 300 orphans.

 

COST: $2,500. This includes meals, care packages with hygiene and other basic needs, transportation to and from the event, games and activities, and wages for cooks and other Ugandan staff assisting the children.

 

 

 

 

 

| Homes for Widows and Orphans |

 

Since 2016, your support has helped build over 30 homes for widows and ophans. By hiring a local engineer and construction workers we're supporting the local economy, while giving these unfortunate families a safe home and hope for a future.

 

COST: $2,000-2500 (7000 bricks, 4 trucks of sand, 20 bags of cement, 70 pieces of timber, Nails, polythen building bag and feeding of the builders, 30 pieces of iron sheets, one role of iron hook, 4 pieces of iron bars, transportation of materials to site, transportation of the workers, labor fees, plaster for the walls and floor).

 

 

 

 

 

“My people will abide in a peaceful habitation, in secure dwellings, and in quiet resting places” (Isa. 32:18).

| Sustainable-Income Project |

 

The average income in the villages of Uganda is only $200 a year. Even with little to no expenses or debts to pay for, this amount of money is just enough to scrape by with minimal food and a few necessities for the year. It is incredibly hard for families to get ahead, and with public school costing money in Uganda, most children do not receive an education. For those families struggling most, we have been raising support to care for them. The milk that these cows provide is of high value, giving those in poverty something to sell or trade in the marketplace to help the family out of their humble circumstances. Additionally, a bull is brought to the cows after some time for mating, and the first calf that is born is given back to the project to help other families in need. This way, the project should flourish in giving dozens, and eventually, hundreds of families sustainable income.

 

COST: Each cow is $400.

 

[First-born calf of every purchased cow goes back into the project to help others in need]

 

“For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills” (Ps. 50:10).

 

 

 

 

 

 

| Men’s Conference |

 

For many men, the culture of masculinity in Uganda is one of abuse towards wives, neglect towards children, dependence on wives to generate income, and alcoholism. For the last six years, we have been going to different villages and teaching these men what the culture of masculinity in the Bible looks like. We cover these biblical principles among other lessons over the course of a year with the same men, feed them each day for every conference, give out Bibles to those that don’t have them, and offer a graduation ceremony at the end of the year with diplomas. At every conference, we hear testimonies of men renouncing physical abuse to their wives and neglect towards their children, leading to real change in these households and communities.

 

COST: Each three-day conference costs $400. This covers food, writing materials, transportation, supplies, and the work of the pastors, translators, and sound team.

 

 

 

 

“…be strong, and show yourself a man, and keep the charge of the Lord your God, walking in his ways and keeping his statutes”

(1 Kings 2:2)

 

 

 

 

 

 

| Bible Distribution |

 

After finding out that Christians in Uganda, many of which are pastors, are abusing their wives and refusing to work on fathering or providing income, we knew that people needed more access to God’s Word to change their behavior from darkness to light. With Bibles costing $10 in the Lugandan language and with so many people in poverty, we knew that we could not just tell them to go buy a Bible. In 2017, we began bringing Bibles to each of the men’s conferences to equip them with the Word and we are excited to see more people equipped with Truth over the years to come.

 

COST: Each Lugandan Bible is roughly $10.

 

“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work” (2 Tim. 3:16).

| Miscellaneous Projects |

Every year, new needs arise as we are finishing our planning for the mission or even while we are there. We see a particular family that needs help, or a structure that needs repairs.  If you want your money to go to a specific project outlined above and not a miscellaneous need that arises on the mission, please let me know and we will faithfully honor your request. 

HOW CAN I GIVE?

Here on Gofundme

or

For alternative giving options, please follow the instructions below:

 

Zelle, Venmo or Cash App
@DavidOnofrei

 

For a tax-deductible receipt

A. Go to https://www.rivercitychristian.org/

B. Click on GIVE (top-right corner)

C. Scroll down and click on ONLINE GIVING (blue box)

D. Type in the amount you want to give at the top

E. Click on GIVE ONE TIME

F. Under FUND, click on

GLOBAL OUTREACH TRIP

G. In the MEMO, type “UGANDA MAY”

100% of all donations will go directly toward helping Ugandans through the projects outlined above.

Thank you again for taking the time to consider helping. Without your prayers and generosity these past few years, none of this would be possible. I know it’s never an easy time to give, and I’m grateful for each and every one of you who sacrifice to help those in need.

 

God bless,

 

David

"For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’"

Matthew 25:35-40