A Car for Father Alex!
Donation protected
Many of you through the years have met my dear Ugandan friend, Father Alex. I know ALL my friends have heard of him! We met when we were both in Divinity School---a three year program that it took both of us NINE years to complete as we were both working full time.
We met up about three weeks into the program at something called "PRG": Personal Reflection Group"--a weekly commitment in Divinity School. Alex had just arrived from Uganda and had spent the first two weeks at PRG quietly folding his 6 ft. 4" frame into a tiny folding chair just listening. But that third week we were discussing "Grace". Suddenly Alex unfolds, raising his long lean arm in a punctuation mark and exclaims: "GRACE! Grace is like a K-Mart Blue Light special. God is standing outside the door proclaiming 'Come on in! Grace is on sale!'"
And I fell in love!
When Alex finally got the "M. Div" those nine years later I know it was a temptation for him to just jump ship and stay here in the US. He could have done it easily enough as he was primed and ready for ordination--and we are in dire need of priests here in the US. But he chose to return to Uganda to help his people.
I went to Uganda to visit Alex several years ago to help him throw the traditional party celebrating his priesthood for the thousand people of his home village. An incredible experience!
In my capacity as a travel director I have had the opportunity to visit Africa--as a privileged Westerner on "Safari". This was my first journey there, though, to experience Africa at the level of an African. They have so very very little...and yet were kind, hospitable,--and so joyful!
This past summer I treated Alex to a return two month visit to the States. He has so many friends here who have missed him! He was able to raise a bit of money here and there for several "projects" in his life--particularly for construction of water cisterns to provide near-by clean water for villagers who spend an inordinate amount of their lives just hauling water great distances--that must then be boiled on charcoal fires before it is drinkable. We have long taken potable water just for granted!
I have decided though that I like to do something quite personal for Alex.
He turns 60 this year. At present he is doing 2 and half full time jobs. He is Chaplain of FOURTEEN schools, teaches in a small teachers college, and is the Vocation Director for his Religious Community, the Brothers of St. Charles Lwanga. The Brothers are involved mainly in education and in more recent years have taken on caring for orphans of the AIDS epidemic.
To do his job. Alex spends a lot of his time on the back of a "Ugandan Taxi". a small motor bike that he must take from Point A to Point B---frequently having to change "taxis" several times to get to his final destination. Six months of the year he does that in the sun and dust. Six months in the rain and mud.
I would like to raise enough money to buy him a second hand car! Most cars in Uganda are "second hand". They are imported mainly from Japan. With a lot of care and cajoling these cars--despite the primitive roads--are made to last for many years.
The very minimum I hope to raise is $5000. I am thinking if each of you, my friends, gave $ 5, $10 or $20 --or whatever you can afford---I would soon have the money. Alex's life would be so much easier. And your lives would be fuller as well being able to put a real face on someone you have helped.
So many of us give money and we never know how much of it is eaten up with "Administration" or simply disappears into a corrupt government official's coffer. This donation will reach its destination!
So, here I am with a proper "begging" letter. I hope you will join me in helping my very worthy friend.
With love and gratefulness,
Nancy
We met up about three weeks into the program at something called "PRG": Personal Reflection Group"--a weekly commitment in Divinity School. Alex had just arrived from Uganda and had spent the first two weeks at PRG quietly folding his 6 ft. 4" frame into a tiny folding chair just listening. But that third week we were discussing "Grace". Suddenly Alex unfolds, raising his long lean arm in a punctuation mark and exclaims: "GRACE! Grace is like a K-Mart Blue Light special. God is standing outside the door proclaiming 'Come on in! Grace is on sale!'"
And I fell in love!
When Alex finally got the "M. Div" those nine years later I know it was a temptation for him to just jump ship and stay here in the US. He could have done it easily enough as he was primed and ready for ordination--and we are in dire need of priests here in the US. But he chose to return to Uganda to help his people.
I went to Uganda to visit Alex several years ago to help him throw the traditional party celebrating his priesthood for the thousand people of his home village. An incredible experience!
In my capacity as a travel director I have had the opportunity to visit Africa--as a privileged Westerner on "Safari". This was my first journey there, though, to experience Africa at the level of an African. They have so very very little...and yet were kind, hospitable,--and so joyful!
This past summer I treated Alex to a return two month visit to the States. He has so many friends here who have missed him! He was able to raise a bit of money here and there for several "projects" in his life--particularly for construction of water cisterns to provide near-by clean water for villagers who spend an inordinate amount of their lives just hauling water great distances--that must then be boiled on charcoal fires before it is drinkable. We have long taken potable water just for granted!
I have decided though that I like to do something quite personal for Alex.
He turns 60 this year. At present he is doing 2 and half full time jobs. He is Chaplain of FOURTEEN schools, teaches in a small teachers college, and is the Vocation Director for his Religious Community, the Brothers of St. Charles Lwanga. The Brothers are involved mainly in education and in more recent years have taken on caring for orphans of the AIDS epidemic.
To do his job. Alex spends a lot of his time on the back of a "Ugandan Taxi". a small motor bike that he must take from Point A to Point B---frequently having to change "taxis" several times to get to his final destination. Six months of the year he does that in the sun and dust. Six months in the rain and mud.
I would like to raise enough money to buy him a second hand car! Most cars in Uganda are "second hand". They are imported mainly from Japan. With a lot of care and cajoling these cars--despite the primitive roads--are made to last for many years.
The very minimum I hope to raise is $5000. I am thinking if each of you, my friends, gave $ 5, $10 or $20 --or whatever you can afford---I would soon have the money. Alex's life would be so much easier. And your lives would be fuller as well being able to put a real face on someone you have helped.
So many of us give money and we never know how much of it is eaten up with "Administration" or simply disappears into a corrupt government official's coffer. This donation will reach its destination!
So, here I am with a proper "begging" letter. I hope you will join me in helping my very worthy friend.
With love and gratefulness,
Nancy
Organizer
Nancy Louise
Organizer
Chicago, IL
