Karamoja Update - May 2026

Over the past four weeks, we have seen God moving powerfully across the villages of Karamoja through food relief, agriculture, discipleship, and new opportunities to invest in children and the Gospel.

Last month, the April food run was distributed successfully, and the May food run is currently underway. Our food runs particularly focus on grandmothers and the elderly who remain especially vulnerable after years of drought and famine. While food relief continues to be essential for survival, we are also prayerfully considering how to strengthen long-term community resilience and development alongside these efforts.

One of the greatest encouragements has been the success of the new plowing initiative led by Isaac and Gabriel. Across several villages, elders worked together to secure land for cultivation, and villagers united to prepare and plant large fields of sorghum. The work was incredibly difficult as tractors broke up hard virgin ground that then had to be manually prepared with hoes before planting. Yet men and women worked side by side with remarkable cooperation and enthusiasm.

One especially powerful moment came as more than 60 villagers gathered at the edge of a freshly planted field in Lokororot. Together Frank and Sue shared from 2 Chronicles 7:13–14 and prayed for God to heal the land and send rain. At that time, no rain was forecast and conditions were extremely dry. Yet that very night rain began to fall, and within 24 hours all the newly planted fields had received sufficient rain. Over the next week, regular rainfall continued and the sorghum has already germinated. The faith of the villagers has been deeply strengthened as they witnessed God answer prayer so clearly.

We were also encouraged to see the ongoing impact of the “Faith Gardens,” especially in villages like Nathuguru and Lopur where families continue growing cow peas and experimenting with new crops such as yams. Although some gardens have diminished as energy shifted toward the larger community fields, we are praying for renewed vision for household gardening and nutrition.

Pastor Moses was even able to join Frank and Sue in Karamoja for a few days at the end of April! We were able to take him to a couple of villages where he encouraged them from God’s Word and prayed for them. In addition, Isaac and Gabriel were able to attend an Advance conference in Nairobi, Kenya with Pastor Moses that is just finishing at the time of writing this update. We are so encouraged by his leadership and mentorship as we explore church planting in our villages.

Perhaps most exciting has been the growing vision for Early Childhood Development Centers (ECDCs). Through conversations with trusted ministries already serving in Karamoja, we have become increasingly convinced that investing in children during their earliest years is essential for long-term transformation. We are exploring possible partnerships with these ministries to provide early learning and care for young children while helping establish a Gospel foundation for future generations. We are also exploring the use of solar-powered audio Bible devices to help deepen discipleship in the villages.

At the center of all of this remains the Gospel.

Throughout their stay in Karamoja, Frank and Sue along with our TCI Uganda leaders, Isaac and Gabriel, continued to shares Bible stories and disciple families through the StoryRunners (a Cru Ministry) method. Everywhere they traveled, villagers enthusiastically retold Bible stories and shared how they are teaching them to their children and neighbors. The below video is the story of the prodigal son (Luke 15) shared by a Karamojong woman to many children followed by a video of Frank and Sue sharing the story of the unforgiving servant (Matthew 18) to Nathuguru and Lopuri villages:

Frank and Sue left Uganda on May 14 and are now spending a couple of weeks with extended family and friends in France for some much needed rest and relaxation after over two months serving in Africa. They have deeply touched the lives of so many in Uganda, especially among the children. The evidence of God's work is so tangible.

Thank you to all of our generous donors! We continue to need more financial partners to keep funding the food relief and Gospel work in Karamoja. Please consider giving through the link below:

Lastly and most of all, we need your prayers! Please continue praying for these Karamojong people - for God’s Gospel to continue advancing, Isaac and Gabriel as they continue to minister in the villages, rain for the crops and FAITH gardens, and for us as we explore potential new ministry partnerships and church planting.

By Ryan Matthews, Executive Director of TCI

The Robber Did Not Get the Jewels!!

Thank you ALL so much for your prayers — the Lord is so faithful!

Over the past several weeks here in Karamoja, we have sensed both the incredible work of God and the reality of the spiritual battle taking place over these precious villages. We have seen people responding to Jesus, gathering to hear Bible stories, praying together, and beginning to walk in unity and freedom. But we have also become very aware that the enemy does not want to let go easily.

One night during the last week of April, Frank woke up at 3 a.m. after having a vivid dream. He immediately wrote it down:

“I was walking down a street and went into a jewelry store where I greeted the owner, a distinguished older man. He and I were looking over various pieces of jewelry, and we had many items out of the locked cabinets.

As we were busy discussing the merits of different pieces, a robber burst in and began packing up some pieces as he prepared to leave. The robber ignored the owner and me while we were thinking of ways to stop him and prevent the loss. The owner reached into a closet under the counter and presumably pressed an alarm, calling for backup. At that point I woke up.”

As Frank shared the dream with me, we both immediately sensed that the jewels represented the people in these villages — precious lives that belong to Jesus and are deeply valuable to Him. The robber represented satan trying to snatch away those who have begun responding to Christ.

We felt the Lord was sounding an alarm, calling us to pray and to ask others to stand with us in prayer for the work here.

That same night, one of our Karamojong team members also had a dream where he was protecting people from a violent windstorm crashing against a house. We knew the Lord was preparing us for something.

Around this same time, we learned that two village chairmen had participated in a traditional animal sacrifice after sickness spread among their cattle. These two leaders are very special to us because their villages used to be enemies. Yet through the gardening projects and Bible story-telling that Isaac and Gabriel have been doing, God has brought them together beautifully. They now sit together, garden together, plan together, and encourage others in their villages to come gather for Bible stories and prayer.

They were also the ones who had told us, “Jesus is in our midst. He is walking with us.” They spoke often about sensing His presence among them.

But after the sacrifice, they began avoiding us.

As Frank and I prayed about how to meet with them privately, the Lord reminded me of something from more than a month earlier. I had commented that the two men always seemed to wear the exact same type of blanket, and one of them jokingly said they should have matching shirts as well! So we told them that because we were leaving soon, we wanted to bless them personally with gifts and needed to meet privately at one of their homes.

When we sat together, we first thanked them for the way God has used them in their villages. Then we gently began asking about the cattle and the sacrifice. They shared that they had lost around 50 cattle and that there had been pressure from village elders after one elder claimed to have a dream instructing them to make the sacrifice.

But as they talked, it became clear they knew it had been wrong. They openly admitted they should have prayed to Jesus instead. They spoke about feeling guilty and grieving the Lord. There seemed to be genuine repentance in their hearts.

As we listened, the Lord put it strongly on my heart to share the story of Peter denying Jesus. I told them how Jesus did not cast Peter away after his failure. Instead, after the resurrection, Jesus lovingly welcomed Peter on the shore with fish and bread waiting for him. He restored him and recommissioned him to care for His sheep.

Gabriel then shared powerfully about Jesus being the ultimate sacrifice — that there is no need for any other sacrifice because of what Christ has already done for us on the cross. We talked about how believers overcome satan by the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony. We also explained clearly that following Jesus means renouncing and forsaking witchcraft, sacrifices, and the old practices rooted in fear and bondage.

Then, in a beautiful moment, the two men followed Gabriel in renouncing the sacrifices, witchcraft, and former practices. We were overwhelmed with gratitude to the Lord. What the enemy intended to steal away, God redeemed through repentance, grace, and restoration. Frank’s dream warned us that the robber wanted to steal these precious jewels. But through prayer and the faithfulness of God, the robber has not succeeded.

Please continue praying for these leaders — Albert and Andrew — and especially for Albert’s health as he is quite old and has some health challenges. Please also pray for continued freedom and breakthrough across these villages in Karamoja.

All glory to God for what He is doing here.

By Sue Robb, Founder of TCI

A Step Toward Sustainable Food in Karamoja

In our last update, we shared that TCI was partnering with village leaders in the Karamojong communities we serve to plow 48 acres of land in preparation for planting. We are excited to report that the plowing has already been completed in five of the villages —marking a major milestone in our first large-scale farming initiative. Kachakotom is the last village to go!

This effort represents an important shift from short-term food relief toward long-term sustainability. Each of the six villages is cultivating 8 acres of communal farmland, with the goal of producing enough food to support families for 4–6 months after the harvest. It is a meaningful step toward greater food security and self-sufficiency.

Beyond the immediate harvest, this initiative is designed to create lasting impact. Villages will establish communal granaries to store and distribute food during seasons of shortage, ensuring ongoing support for the most vulnerable. A portion of each harvest will also be preserved as seed stock for future planting, reducing reliance on outside resources.

Perhaps most encouraging is the way this effort is strengthening community. Families are working side by side in shared fields, and many are now starting or expanding small household gardens of their own. What began as a farming project is becoming something deeper—a movement toward unity, dignity, and sustainable provision.

We are grateful for your continued support and invite you to pray for a fruitful harvest and lasting transformation in these communities.

Brainstorm Classroom Construction Completed!

We are thrilled to share that construction of the new classroom block at Brainstorm Shalom Primary School is now complete! On March 20, we had the joy of attending the handover ceremony from the builder to Director Nicholas. It was a beautiful and memorable day—filled with singing, Bible storytelling from the students, and heartfelt remarks from Director Nicholas, the builder, and our TCI team.

This term, 163 students are enrolled at Brainstorm, led by 10 dedicated teachers. What a powerful reminder of how God is at work through this school. This new classroom block will provide a safe and Christ-centered environment where students can grow academically and spiritually.

Thank you to each of our generous donors who made this project possible. Your support is making a lasting impact—opening doors for quality Christian education in a community that deeply needs it. Please continue to pray for Director Nicholas and the teachers as they faithfully invest in the lives of these students.

Africa Trip Update from the Robbs

Dear friends and family,

We hope this finds you well. We wanted to share a short update on our travels since leaving the U.S.

Frank and I spent a couple of weeks in South Africa, traveling along the east coast and staying with dear friends and family. It was a refreshing and meaningful time—reconnecting with longtime relationships and enjoying the beauty of the region.

After about a week, we were joined by Mary Thomas, who has traveled with us to Uganda twice before, as well as my childhood friend, Joey. Together we attended the Advance Global conference in Somerset West near Cape Town, where we hosted a TCI table and shared about the work in Uganda and the impact of Bible stories. It was a rich time connecting with people from many nations, including eleven of our Ugandan friends and many from Monument Church in Maryland. We are hopeful for ongoing partnerships. 

We also had the opportunity to connect again with Colin Walker and Peter Sweatman who have served in Karamoja for many years. Their guidance was invaluable in the early days and they continue to be a great encouragement.

We are now in Uganda and spent the past 3 weeks in Kiburara. Our new Executive Director, Ryan, has joined us and has been getting to know our Ugandan team, visiting schools, visiting friends and learning about the work on the ground. We’ve also had helpful conversations about sustainability with one of our Ugandan board members and our team.

It has been a joy to stay with Pastor Moses and Mama Sarah, and to spend time with David Mayinja from Covenant Mercies, exploring ways we can collaborate together. Being back in the small schools and with the children has been especially encouraging.

We will be here for about two months in total, dividing our time between the west and Karamoja in the east.

As we reflect on these past weeks - and really the many years of this work - we are reminded again of  the faithfulness of God in leading and guiding each step. We are amazed at the changes that have taken place in this trading center since we first came in 2009 and so grateful to have played a role in bringing them about. 

We are also very aware of our dependence on the Lord to build what we cannot. “Establish the work of our hands for us—yes, establish the work of our hands” (Psalm 90:17). We are grateful to see His hand at work in the relationships, growth, and opportunities before us. 

This also brings to mind the words of C.T. Studd: "One life, 'twill soon be past, Only what's done for Christ will last." 

The days are full and the needs are great but this reminds us that whatever is done in Christ - however small it may seem - carries eternal significance. We are deeply grateful to have you standing with us. Your prayers, encouragement, and partnership are a vital part of what God is doing here.

With much love and appreciation,

Frank and Sue

Reflections from Our Executive Director

February has been a full and encouraging month at Transformed Communities International (TCI). As I continue stepping into my role, I am grateful to see how faithfully God is working through His ministry.

Philippians 1:6 ESV

Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus

The new school term has began in Uganda, and we are excited that 47 students are currently part of our TCI Scholars Program, a partnership with a Christian secondary school in Kiburara, Western Uganda called Alpha Omega School. In addition, 19 Karamajong students are receiving tuition support to attend school in Karamoja. Your generosity is truly changing lives! Having journeyed through Christian education from my very first steps in grade school through high school, I can personally attest to the profound impact that a Christ-centered education bestows upon someone.

I want to highlight briefly one Karamojong student, Sowedi. He is a 16 year old orphan currently living with his aunt. Last year, village leaders chose Sowedi to attend primary school where he was sponsored by TCI along with 16 others through a grant from Samaritan’s Purse. He passed his qualifying exams to join secondary school (i.e. high school), but the available funds from 2025 are insufficient to cover the higher tuition rates for secondary school. Please consider sponsoring Sowedi. He sees the Mission Aviation Fellowship planes flying overhead and dreams of becoming a pilot. His secondary school tuition is only $220 per term (3 terms per year for a total of $660 annually or $55 per month). Please click the link below to give toward his tuition.

Across all of the four Christian primary schools we partner with, a total of 610 children have started a new school term this past month. We have seen great progress at Brainstorm Kanara Gospel School (one of the four), where construction of a new classroom building began in January and is nearing completion. The walls are now being plastered, windows installed, and finally the finishing touches such as painting and other final fixtures. We thank God for a smooth and quick construction! See the pictures below for progress photos:

Looking ahead, by the grace of God, I will have the priviledge of traveling to Uganda from March 16–29 to join Frank and Sue Robb after their time in South Africa and our dear friends in Kiburara, Uganda. During this trip we will visit the four Christian primary schools that we serve, spend time encouraging our TCI Scholars, explore potential new partnerships, and meet with our TCI Uganda team to pray and cast vision for the future of TCI in 2026 and beyond.

This is also a very critical time in Karamoja, where our local team is engaging with the village leaders to determine how best to expand their crops and their vegetable gardening programs as very unusual early rain is currently falling. We are still providing monthly food relief to the most vulnerable, but we are seeking God alongside the village leaders to develop a plan for the best path forward to sustainability and self-sufficiency for these people.

We are deeply grateful for your continued prayers and support, faithful partnership in sharing the Gospel, and investing in the lives of our precious friends in Uganda. As we enter this new month of March, please join us in praying for the following:

• For God to go before our dear TCI Scholars, guiding and encouraging them as they begin a new school term.

• For monthly financial partners for our food relief in Karamoja. Our next food run is in April, and we are working to raise $11,500 to cover the food and distribution costs (8 tons of food is required to feed approximately 500 families).

• For the completion of the new classroom in Brainstorm Kanara Gospel School and that God would use it to transform lives of children attending that school. In addition, please consider giving toward the last $900 of this building campaign.

• For safe travel for the USA team as we head to Uganda on March 16.

• For wisdom and clear vision as we spend time meeting with our Ugandan team.

Please join us in celebrating what God has in store for TCI.

In Christ,

Ryan Matthews, Executive Director Date: March 5. 2026

Exciting Updates From the Robbs

Hello to all of TCI’s wonderful friends and family!

In this month of love, we are thrilled to be starting a new type of monthly newsletter, which will include personal reflections, testimonies, and updates on the ongoing work in Uganda. We are excited to share how the Lord has been at work—leading our steps, lavishing us with His grace and provision, and sovereignly orchestrating every detail to fulfill His perfect purpose.

“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us.”

— Ephesians 3:20 (NIV)

“For it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.”

— Philippians 2:13 (NIV)

Looking back to 2009, we could never have imagined how a simple trip to Uganda, meeting with Pastor Moses and interacting with his Kiburara ministry would change our lives forever. We didn't choose to have the people of Uganda in our hearts; rather, God planted that love within us. He sovereignly linked our lives with Pastor Moses’ mission to raise up a generation of young people in rural Uganda to impact their nation. Now, seventeen years later, we can see that it was His hand all along, fueling our desire and sustaining this call!

The first ten years were defined by annual trips to Kiburara Uganda_ supporting youth conferences and securing grants for essential classrooms and dormitories at Alpha Omega, secondary school. Through this hands-on work, we became more aware that education is the vital key to breaking the cycle of poverty. Along the way, we began to engage with the primary schools (elementary schools).

However, we also came to realize that the answer did not lie solely in the distribution of aid and funds. Something more was needed; and God knew what that was. He brought Eda Michaud with us on a trip with to Uganda in 2019. Unbeknownst to us, she was a veteran with 27 years of experience in rural development and this fundamentally changed how we were doing things. On that trip, Transformed Communities International (TCI ) was born and we started a wonderful (but not always easy) journey. God placed this vision of faith in our hearts and brought the wonderful Ugandan Team into being. Eda trained the team, registered the organization here in the States, and helped launch it successfully as our Executive Director.

After a while, Eda was no longer able to serve in that capacity because of her other full time commitments so we had to continue without her. However, God has been faithful! At every turn, He brought the right people alongside us to guide and encourage us through the technical aspects of running a nonprofit, and He moved the hearts of others to pray for us and give generously. Recently, at a gratitude dinner, we sought to honor all the people He brought to us at just the right time—it was truly overwhelming.

As microbiologists, we are obviously not trained in the world of nonprofits, but God has been an ever-present help at every step. In July 2022, God led us to the people of Karamoja who were dying of starvation. And He stirred a deep desire within our Uganda team to go and help them. Because funds were limited, we made repeated appeals for help. Over the past three and a half years, people have responded with overwhelming generosity.

One thing we have learned is that age is not necessarily a limitation for God. Frank officially retired from the University of Maryland last January; he is now 81, and I am 71. As the administrative work required to sustain TCI has continued to grow, we have prayed for years that the Lord would provide skilled younger people with hearts for the work in Uganda—so that a strong succession plan would be in place and TCI could be taken beyond what we ourselves are able to do. Well, God has just done exactly that! In November 2024, we were introduced to a young man, Ryan Matthews, who told us that God had told him to leave his financial job in the NYC area and go into the nonprofit world. This was wonderful, as he offered to help us that year with our tax receipts and the budget for the following year. We liked Ryan and we’re very grateful for his help. Meanwhile, we joined him in prayer for jobs in big nonprofit organizations.

In March 2025, we asked him if he would like to join our board. At first, he said, ‘probably no’ because he was part of two other boards, but he said he would pray. One week later, he got back to us saying that he sensed the Lord wanting him to be on our board and he would really like to come with us on our trip to Karamoja! We were very impressed with him when we met him for the first time in person in Karamoja! He is a humble man with a passion for God, wise, capable, and he fit in so well with what we were doing in Karamoja.

Furthermore, as 2025 progressed, he came down to Maryland a number of times and helped us with more TCI work. Still, no other jobs were working out for him. After Christmas, our team spent time in prayer and fasting, seeking direction on whether God is leading Ryan to join TCI as Executive Director in the US. He spoke very specifically to us through His word and His peace. Stepping out in faith, we are thrilled to announce our first US-based position! While we have operated entirely with volunteers until now, Ryan is taking this bold step by personally raising the support needed to fill this vital role.

We are in awe that God would lift Ryan out of the financial world of New York City and bring him to our organization! Frank always says that he has given us a Lamborghini in Ryan! We trust that God has much bigger plans for TCI. While the magnitude of His vision felt beyond our individual capacity, we believe He has faithfully provided the leadership we need through Ryan.

In February, we will be embarking on another trip to Africa. We will first be in South Africa to attend the Advance Global Gathering, then travel north to Uganda. Cathy Mays, Mary Thomas, Craig Botha, and Ryan Matthews will all be there at different times. While we do not know the fullness of God’s plan for this trip, our focus will be on collaborating with partner organizations to strengthen and cast vision for the work in Uganda . Please pray for us!

Thank you so much for partnering with how God has been leading us. Frank and I will remain fully involved in TCI work, and we are excited to walk in all the good works God has prepared for TCI. We give all glory to him – we could never have orchestrated such a story!

_ by Sue Robb

My Story of Faith and Trust

I am so excited to join Transformed Communities International (TCI) as its first full-time Executive Director. I have seen how God has worked through TCI to serve vulnerable communities in Uganda, and it is a joy and privilege to now be part of that story. I’d love to share a bit of how God led me here.

I grew up in southern Connecticut in a Christian home as a pastor’s kid. At the age of seven, my mom lovingly led me to put my trust in Jesus. Since then, my spiritual journey has been one of slow, steady growth, becoming truly my own in my twenties after college. My relationship with Christ has since been the foundation of who I am and how I make decisions.

Professionally, I started out on a path quite different from my family’s. I studied Finance and Accounting at Cedarville University and spent more than a decade building a career in corporate finance. I worked for ten years at KPMG, auditing private equity and hedge funds, then three years at Standish Management serving similar clients. God blessed that season with growth, promotions, and financial stability. But over time, I sensed Him calling me somewhere else.

In 2023, I felt a clear nudge that God wanted me to use my skills to serve an international Christian ministry. There was no job offer or defined path forward, just a deep conviction to trust Him and resign in faith. Walking away from a secure career, especially after buying my first home and forgoing significant financial incentives, was one of the hardest decisions I’ve ever made. After months of prayer and wise counsel, I resigned in November 2023. What followed wasn’t what I expected.

For nearly two years, doors closed despite my efforts to network, apply, and interview. It was a deeply confusing season. I wrestled with the question: “If God had called me out, why hadn’t anything opened up?” Yet through that waiting, God was shaping deeper trust and dependence in Him, teaching me the value of extended seasons of waiting on Him. I clung to promises such as Isaiah 49:23

“Then you will know that I am the Lord; those who wait for me shall not be put to shame.”

— Isaiah 49:23

Halfway through this journey, one phone call proved much more significant than I ever thought it would. Through a connection in Connecticut, in November 2024, I had a phone call with Pastor Erik Santiago from Maryland, who introduced me to Frank and Sue Robb and their ministry in Uganda—TCI . He thought TCI could benefit from my finance background, so I began volunteering in a consulting capacity while still searching for a full-time job. From the start, something felt different. I connected quickly with the Robbs and eventually joined the TCI Board in May 2025. The following month, I traveled to Uganda to experience the work firsthand. Meeting the communities, witnessing their needs, and seeing the hope TCI brings made everything feel profoundly real. What I witnessed was far more than effective nonprofit work—it was the Gospel in action. This was also the first time I met the Robbs in person, might I add!

The job applications I sent out in 2025 seemed to meet only closed doors. God put this simple question on my heart after the last door closed in December: “What about TCI?” The Robbs and I began discussing the possibility of creating a full-time position for me. While praying and fasting over this during the last week of 2025, the Lord brought Isaiah 58:6–9 to my heart—a passage about loosening the bonds of injustice, feeding the hungry, sheltering the poor, and caring for the oppressed. It felt like God was saying, “This is what I have prepared you for.” That was my confirmation!

So I’m taking another step of faith—joining TCI as its first full-time Executive Director. We don’t have every detail figured out, and I don’t know exactly how God will provide, but I trust the One who called me. Time and again, He has proven to be faithful.

If you would like to join me on this journey through financial support, please give through the link below:

I an grateful for the journey that brought me here and excited to serve alongside TCI as we care for vulnerable families in Uganda and share the hope of Christ. I can’t wait to see what God does next.

_ by Ryan Matthews

The Story of 86-Year-Old Napuwa

We apologize for the graphic nature of the image. We included it because it honestly reflects the reality we are facing.

Let me introduce Napuwa Lino, an 86-year-old man, who lives alone in Karamoja. At 53, he began suffering from intense itching and pain in his left eye. Over the years, the condition progressed into a retinal blastoma that eventually spread to his brain, forming tumors in both the retina and central nervous system. Tragically, in 2022, his left eye ruptured, leaving him blind in that eye. To add salt to the wound, he still suffers from unbearable pain, especially, when eating and sleeping. He describes mealtime as feeling like he is “eating through his eye,” a sensation that has made it difficult for him to sleep and eat in peace.

Napuwa's life is even more complicated because of the context he lives in: a drought stricken land where food scarcity and insecurity is a norm. In fact, he almost died of starvation in 2022. He says TCI came to his rescue when all hope was lost. He says that it was then that his hope to continue living was revived. He says TCI saved his life. Where life was dwindling, God was truly weaving something beautiful, restoring it through you—whether as staff, volunteer, donor, or prayer warrior. We really appreciate your kindness and compassion that mirrors the nature of our Father in heaven.

Napuwa is deeply grateful for our regular food runs, which serve as a heartfelt reminder of Jesus’ love for him. Wow what a testimony! Like many of our precious brothers and sisters in Karamoja, Napuwa survives on the vegetables he grows from our seed donations and the maize meal from our food relief. The December supplies are running low, and we humbly turn to you once again for support to continue serving the most vulnerable in Karamoja.

As you consider your giving for 2026, we joyfully invite you to join us in blessing our dear brothers and sisters in Karamoja, helping them step into the new year renewed, restored, and filled with hope. Right now, we urgently need your help to ensure this month’s food run can go forward in about a week. A gift of any amount will make an immediate and tangible difference. Your generosity today could save lives, just like Napuwa's life was saved four years ago. Please also consider sending the link to this blog post to one or two friends or family members who may feel led to give.

The button below leads you to the fundraising page for our Karamoja monthly food runs. You are welcome to make a one-time donation—or, even more meaningfully, a monthly gift, allowing the Spirit to guide your generous heart in sustaining this important work.

Looking Back on 2025

Dear Friends of TCI,

As we look back and see all that God has done through TCI  in 2025 and all of you who have stood with us, our hearts are overflowing with gratitude. This year, because of your partnership, God has been at work in powerful ways:

Preserving the lives of more than 5,000 people in five Karamojong villages

Supporting four primary schools in Western Uganda

Continuing livelihood programs in both Western Uganda and Karamoja

Sponsoring 48 high school students in Western Uganda and 18 students in Karamoja

We are so deeply grateful to you for making this possible. While the numbers are remarkable, our operations manager in Karamoja, Isaac, recently drew our attention to something even more important: each individual life.

To us, the numbers inspire awe — but behind every number is a person created in God’s image, with dignity, value, and God-given potential. Because of your generosity, many of these lives have been preserved from death, and many others are being transformed through education.

Isaac reminded us of the fact that Moses was spared from death at the hand of Pharaoh, and Jesus was spared from death at the hand of Herod—and within those preserved lives were stories that changed the course of history. As we look into the faces of the children and adults you see here, we wonder what stories God is writing with these lives and how these lives will fulfill his purposes. We do know this: whatever they are,
you are part of every one of them.

As you consider your end-of-year giving, we invite you to prayerfully consider two key areas, always keeping the individual in mind:

Karamoja food relief — Each month, we are in urgent need of funds to continue providing life-sustaining food to the most vulnerable in Karamoja: grandmothers caring for many orphaned grandchildren.

School infrastructure in Western Uganda — We are seeking to complete much-needed classrooms at both Brainstorm School and Kiibanga School, as well as toilets at Kiibanga. These improvements would allow the schools to begin the new school year in February 2026 with safe and adequate facilities. Use the button below to contribute to Brainstorm School. (We will give you more information about Kiibanga next week and you can give to that project then.)

As we enter these final weeks of the year, we simply want to say THANK YOU for being the hands and feet of Jesus to the hungry, the weak, and the forgotten. From all the villages in Karamoja, from the children who are alive today, from those who are being educated and discovering their potential, and from our entire team — THANK YOU!

With much gratitude,

Frank and Sue and the TCI Team

Just a Sling and a Stone

In June, Tim Pearson, the man who faithfully began the ministry known as JustASlingAndaStone visited Karamoja with us and captured the lives of the Karamojong people through his photos. Tim is a professional photographer, using simple tools just as David used just a sling and a stone. Later, our TCI  board member Craig Botha spoke powerful words over him—reminding us that God often uses simple tools and willing hearts to do far more than we ever could on our own - far beyond human ability!

As we listened again to those words (shared in the video above), we realized how beautifully they describe our work in Karamoja and Western Uganda. The transformation we’re witnessing — lives saved, villages strengthened, families fed, students sponsored and schools built — is far beyond our ability. But God has enabled us to press into the reality of what HE is able to do. It has been God’s work from the beginning.

And He has used our friends and donors to make it possible.

Their giving, their prayers, and their encouragement have been the “stones in the sling”— acts of faith that God has streamed into real, lasting impact in five villages of Karamoja and in the schools we support in Western Uganda.

All of us at Transformed Communities International are SO VERY GRATEFUL!

Thank you to all who have been standing with us, believing in the people we serve, and allowing God to work through your generosity.

Frank and Sue Robb -Nov 2025

Training put into action - creating sustainability!

Paradigm shift Training conducted in the rural communities consists of seven modules : pro active, begin with end in mind, put first things first, think win- win, seek first to understand then to be understood, synergy and sharpen the saw.
We encourage people to work with vision for their lives - we encourage them to start these gardens for balanced diets  for good health and getting side income for their families. Now, 400 families are practicing gardens in Western Uganda as a result of understanding the Paradigm Shift or mind set change. They plant egg plants, cabbage, tomatoes spinach, and onions.

The TCI piggery project is all about synergy. TCI gives two pigs to the Community Groups in the villages and they work together to feed and care for the piglets as they mature. As the pigs produce more piglets each member receives a piglet and when each member in the group has a piglet, one piglet is given back to TCI so they can have a pig farm for sustainability. Eighteen groups received two piglets - and 36 piglets have now multiplied to 155 pigs and piglets!!!!! We have heard so many testimonies of group members being able to support their children in school through projects like this and gardening and chickens.

Join us in continuing to support the training, starting more FAITH gardens, and creating sustainability.

September life saving food delivery

We successfully delivered life-saving food to 309 families of grandmothers, physically disabled persons, and orphaned children—each grandmother caring for at least eight grandchildren who are living with or at risk of acute malnutrition.

The wider community peacefully advocates for these vulnerable families to receive food, and we witnessed a beautiful spirit of solidarity as neighbors helped the grandmothers carry the food to their homes.

These families come from six villages in Moroto District, Karamoja. Most of the grandmothers are too weak to cultivate gardens and therefore cannot provide adequate food for their grandchildren. Many of the children are enrolled in a malnutrition treatment program, and the fortified food they receive is rich in protein from soybeans and full cream powder milk —supplying essential amino acids to fight protein-energy malnutrition. Together with other vital nutrients, this ensures that actively growing children have the nutrition needed to achieve healthy growth and development.

The families we serve were classified as extremely needy, unable to dig gardens and with no expected harvest. Yet, their dream remains simple but profound: that their grandchildren will grow strong, tall, and capable of supporting themselves in the future.

The grandmothers above testify with gratitude that, without TCI’s support, many of their grandchildren would either be dead or crippled by the effects of malnutrition. They deeply appreciate that TCI is not only feeding their children but also sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ, which has lifted their hope. In addition, the children are learning how to cultivate vegetable gardens—gaining practical skills that will help sustain them.

We also celebrate that young women and men who were fed by TCI during the peak of the starvation crisis regained strength and were trained in gardening. With the seeds provided by TCI, they were able to plant crops and are now harvesting grain to feed their own children.

The support to the Karamajong has not only filled empty stomachs but has also restored dignity, revived hope, and planted seeds of sustainability for the future.

To join us in these ongoing efforts until sustainability is reached use the button below to give

Streams in the desert - TCI Trip 2025

Our hearts are filled with such gratefulness to God for the transformation and grace that we see in the Karamojong villages that TCI has been able to invest in through the generosity of you who are thousands of miles away from them! We acknowledge and thank our local Ugandan team who have been the prime instruments in bringing this about.

We must tell you of our wonderful team from the US. It was so valuable to have different perspectives, ideas, and talents as we navigated our way through each day. We had Cathy Mays, a long-time board member who leapt into the role of Director and Producer of Bible storytelling in the villages.

We were also joined by our new board member, Ryan Matthews from Connecticut. His analytical and strategic mind was very valuable as we discussed future plans. Mary Thomas from our home church, Monument Church, became a team manager and finance officer, which was a huge blessing! Isaiah Stoy, a young teacher from Virginia experienced his first trip to Africa and was a real hit with the elders of the villages! Finally, Tim Pearson from Bozeman, Montana, joined us as a professional photographer to help us tell our story. His website justaslingandastone.org tells the story of his mission to help small nonprofits like us.

One of the big highlights of the trip was the inauguration of the new borehole at Kachakatom village. Seeing the joy and gratefulness of the people as fresh, clean water filled their Jerry cans only a short walk from their homes was wonderful! Before this borehole was built they walked for hours to get water each day. 

Thank you so much Georgetown Women’s Bible Study for donating the funds for the borehole!

The people of Kachakatom welcomed us with generous gifts and fitted Sue out in Karamojong attire! They had already started digging garden beds right next to the borehole in anticipation of growing vegetables! Their lives have already been dramatically transformed.

We were welcomed warmly in every village, and in every village, we were able sit down and talk with the elders, the women, and the village leaders. We wanted to hear from them, and these conversations were so very rewarding and enlightening.

Elders at Lopwanya

TCI has provided monthly food deliveries to these villages for 36 months. That practical saving grace has kept starvation at bay and built a relationship between us and these people. At one village, we were very moved as we sat in the shade of a huge Tamarind tree, hearing the stories of the elders. They are broken people - no longer the proud Karamojong warriors who were taught to look after cattle and received a gun at fifteen to help them do so. As herdsmen, cattle and weapons were their life-symbols of success and prestige. But in the last few decades, cattle raiding and bloodshed have ravaged these communities. The government disarmed them and left them helpless against thieves. Many men have been imprisoned by the Government during the disarmament. Typically, the Karamojong have spurned outsiders and scorned the need for education. But now, as one humble elder told us, “We were products of that way of thinking and are now ignorant, illiterate, and we are nothing”. They don’t want their children to be uneducated and ignorant--they are eager for this next generation to be educated. 

The village elders told us that TCI brought light to them--caring for them, bringing food to them, sharing the love of Jesus, and showing them how to grow vegetables. They openly admitted that they need the wisdom TCI brings as they try to stay alive and build their lives in a different way.

Eighteen Karamajong children have been sponsored at boarding school this year by Samaritan’s Purse. We had the privilege of meeting with them, and it was incredible to see how quickly they have learned English and are progressing so well with their studies.

We were humbled to be with these beautiful, courageous people, and to have been instruments in saving many from starvation and restoring hope in these villages. There are also still many vulnerable grandmothers, children, and young mothers who we want to keep out of the severe acute malnourishment state. Please consider funding our July food distribution which will include seeds for increased vegetable gardening cooperatives.

We were able to witness a food distribution and also share in the preparation and consumption of one family’s only daily meal. It is clear that although the Karamajong have labored very hard to plant and sustain crops this season, they do need ongoing support with food supplies until the harvest. Please join us in praying for the steady rainfall that will cause the crops to thrive and help them towards sustainability in the future. We talked with leaders in detail about sustainable strategies which our local team are planning to implement as we decrease the amount of food relief. 

One of the great results of this trip was that we were put in contact with many organizations who we look forward to partnering with, learning from, and collaborating with in the future. They are organizations who have a love and respect for the Karamojong people and a desire to see them rise up.

But the greatest blessing of our trip was to see the transformative power of the Gospel. The Karamojong have tremendous challenges that we cannot even relate to. They recognize that they need a whole new way of life in order to survive, and they are thirsty for the Word of God, drinking in the hope that it brings as they courageously move forward. We wish you had all been with us to see the transformation that you have made possible. We cannot thank you enough!

On behalf of all at TCI, many blessings from Frank and Sue

Our First Ever Online Event!

May 2025 is a special month to us; we had our first ever online event on Friday 9 May, 1:00pm and 7:00pm EST. We had the privilege to celebrate our work so far and dream with some of you. Thank you so much for saying yes to our invitation and/ partnering with us financially, prayerfully and/ administratively. Here are some highlights from our precious time together.

We started with a brief history of our work in Uganda. TCI is the developmental arm of Covenant Global Ministries, founded by Pastor Moses Nkwatsibwe, a visionary. We had clear synergies in envisioning transformed, empowered, food secure and healthy communities. This partnership also included community leaders, Christian schools, a team of passionate staff, volunteers and board members.

TCI Team 2023

In the online event, there was also an observation of the contrast between our two areas of operations: the green, fertile and stable Kiburara in Western Uganda with relatively high literacy levels versus the drought stricken, historically insecure Karamoja in Eastern Uganda with low literacy levels.

Kiburara (Western Uganda)

Karamoja Eastern Uganda

The foundation of our work in both region has been Paradigm Shift Training which involves mindset change towards a strong ownership of one’s future and the future of one’s community. We spoke about how this has inspired several investments like utilizing each available piece of land through Food Always In The Home Gardens, community piggery projects, school buildings, student sponsorships, teacher training, Bible story telling, food relief and malnutrition assessments. The result has been regained strength, hope joy, unity and open possibilities.

Finally, we peeked into exciting things coming up in the future. First we spoke about our Karamoja sustainability journey inspired by JUSTDIGGIT’s re-greening solutions like earth smiles or water bunds. These semi circular holes open up the hard top layer of the soil slowing down and capturing rain water running downhill. The picture below shows a mango tree planted as a trial run in the re-greening efforts. We are also working towards learning and experimenting with Earth Microbial’s crop enhancement techniques which involve using microbials to naturally fix nitrogen to improve soil health, plant growth and resistance to heat stress.

Second, we celebrated together with Kachakatom village (one of our five partner Karamoja villages) hot off the press, the completion of their well thanks to the support of our donors, community leaders, well diggers, our staff and in collaboration with Kaabong Peace and Development Agency (KAPDA). This was a reflection of the hope regained in this region since this village had lacked a reliable water source for quite a long time. Please read the blog post on Kachakatom in our One Village at a Time series to learn more about this. Below are pictures from the well construction site

Finally we shared some ways to get involved that we invite you all to prayerfully consider and feel free to contact us at info@tcius.org:

1. Please join our weekly Zoom prayer meetings on Thursdays 8 am EST.

2. Please join our peer to peer Givebutter fundraising efforts which involves fundraising for a portion of the overall goal of a campaign (Brainstorm school and Karamoja Life flow campaigns)

3. Please consider being one of our volunteers to help with financial reconciliations, social media or any other skills you would like to contribute.

_ by Gloria Nderitu

Invest in a Mind..Invest in a Country

Motivated by the vision to invest in children who would later come to impact their communities and nation (and education having been found to be one of the most transformative aspect in a community), TCI has been investing in four small elementary schools in Uganda since 2019. These schools are: Brainstorm, Jerusalem, Kanara and Kiibanga.

Jerusalem

Kiibanga

Brainstorm

Kanara

Thanks to the faithful support of our donors and friends:

• We have replaced unstable mud and stick structures with twelve brick classrooms (two in Brainstorm, four in Jerusalem, four in Kanara and two in Kiibanga)

• We have stocked these classrooms with one hundred and seventy desks (thirty in Brainstorm, thirty in Jerusalem, eighty in Kanara and thirty in Kiibanga), with each desks (which has a book storage compartment) being shared by three students. As a result, the study environment of ten students in brainstorm, ten in Jerusalem, twenty six in Kanara and twenty in Kiibanga has been improved.

• Four toilet blocks (one for each of the schools) have been built.

• Four staff offices (one for each of the schools) have been built.

• The school staff have been supported in different ways like:

  • Staff training e.g. transferrable bible story telling skills for the teachers and accounting training for the school bursars.

  • Supplementing of the salaries of thirty teachers (ten in Brainstorm, seven in Jerusalem, nine in Kanara and four in Kiibanga)

• The parents have also been empowered to be proactive, future and other minded, setting valuable priorities, unified and investing in personal development through our Paradigm Shift Training.

The ripple effect of this investments continues and will continue to be seen, one student at a time. We celebrate and are very grateful for the progress in the past six years and we invite you to journey with us prayerfully and/ financially in these precious lives. Please prayerfully consider:

1. Investing in building a toilet block for Kiibanga, the estimated cost is $3,000. Please click here to donate.

2. Investing in building a block of two classrooms in Brainstorm, the estimated cost is $13,000. Please click here to donate.

3. Investing in purchasing fifty desks for the recently built classroom in Jerusalem, the estimated cost of each desk is $19.11. Please click here to donate

Together, we can help shape a future where every village sees the fruit of transformed lives.

_ by Gloria Nderitu

Nawal’s Story and the Struggle in Karamoja: How We Can Help Together

Please watch the videos below about some of the many families and individuals that have been adversely affected by the persistent droughts in Karamoja for the past four years. This blog will feature the first video about Veronica Nawal, a grandmother with 11 grandchildren. Her family has greatly benefitted from our monthly food relief, however, they have had to supplement their income and diet. At the time of this video, the mother of the 11 children was in the bush, gathering branches from thorn trees to sell as fencing material in town, to earn a small income. Nawal, on the other hand, was in the midst of a nine-hour process of cooking pieces of the leather hide they sleep on.

Meanwhile, our very able staff team in Uganda continues to tirelessly train these amazing people in agricultural skills.

They continue to empower the old and young alike to be proactive, strategic, purpose driven, other minded and united; to invest in the seemingly little resources they have to create a better future for themselves.

Our prayer is for God to raise oaks of righteousness to display His splendor out of this starving, marginalized and forgotten community. Thank you to everyone who has faithfully supported this work in the past, whether through prayer, encouragement, sharing your skills, or financial contributions. Your generosity and dedication means the world to us. For those who haven’t engaged with TCI work, we would like to urge you to prayerfully consider contributing any amount towards the March 2025 food run on this link or forwarding this blog to friends and family. Please also feel free to share any ideas you might have on long term sustainable solution to the hunger nightmare in Karamojong; you can reach us at info@tcius.org.

“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

_ by Gloria Nderitu

We are asking God for another miracle of provision!

Dear friends and wonderful supporters of this "impossible" Karamoja work! Thank you so much for faithfully partnering with us to provide for the dire situation in Karamoja, East Uganda. For the past 30 months, You have provided 375 tons of food and kept 5000 people alive! With your contributions, you are putting your love (to those in need) into action as prescribed by John in 1 John 3:17-18. And it is making all the difference to these isolated and forgotten families.

We've been teaching them to grow vegetables through our Food Always In The Home Garden Program. In as much as we would like these villages to be self-sufficient, they are still struggling after 4 years without a maize or sorghum harvest due to droughts and floods. Our West Uganda operations manager, Gilbert, recently saw the men and boys out in the bush catching rats to eat and learned that about 100 families had already run out of food. 

Please watch the video below done by our Karamoja Operations Manager, Isaac. It shows our journey with the people of Karamoja and how they are currently doing.

We cannot turn away from these wonderful people. We cannot give up when we know there’s a possibility to provide food! So here we are asking again. We are asking God for another miracle of provision! Please prayerfully consider helping us in any way you can with the February 2025 food run by giving to this campaign. 

Thank you so much from all of us at TCI!

Blessings, 

Frank and Sue Robb

Education: A Glimmer of Hope in the Midst of Hardship

Yesterday on the International Day of Education 2025, we celebrated TCI friends who have faithfully supported the tuition of 45 students at Alpha Omega Secondary School in Kiburara, Uganda. We can’t share the story of each of the 45 students, but we wanted to share one heart wrenching story with you.

In the small village of Rwenyawawa, Habaasa Allen’s family is caught in the grip of relentless hardship. Habaasa is a 46 year old blind widow who lost her sight in 2008 due to lack of medical care. This forced her to abandon farming - her family’s only source of livelihood. Her oldest daughter dropped out of school and  ran away from home leaving Habaasa entirely dependent on her two youngest children, who have become the family’s breadwinners.

Thirteen-year-old Bibian, a determined young girl, attends a nearby government elementary school. She spends her afternoon study time fetching water for neighbors, to earn just enough to buy maize flour for porridge (the family’s only daily meal). Her 18 year old brother,  Asaph, is supported by TCI Friends and is very grateful for the chance of a secondary school education. He is in Senior 3 (grade 9) and Alpha Omega Boarding School has  given him permission to return home every weekend to help Bibian with gardening and chores to support their mother. In as much as this is not the childhood Habaasa envisioned for her children, she acknowledges, 'There is no other way to survive,' adding, 'They have learned to persevere.'

Their home (a crumbling mud house held together by eucalyptus poles), much like the family’s fragile livelihood, is on the brink of collapse. Our Education Officer, Oscar, is working with our team and church members to help with reconstructing their collapsing house. 

Despite these crushing challenges, education offers a glimmer of hope with the prospect of escaping the cycle of poverty. Let's take today to remind ourselves of the privilege we have, and the power we hold to invest in the lives of others. As we celebrate this day, we want to say thank you to all those who continue to believe in these students. Whether you see it or not, giving them the opportunity for education makes them feel truly seen and valued.

18 Year Old Asaph in Alpha and Omega Secondary School

We hope to continue journeying with this family and others like it. Please pray and consider partnering with us in being a lifeline of educational support to these precious souls. If you are interested to know more about the program or would like to sponsor a student please email us at sponsortci@gmail.com

THANK YOU once again for giving hope to so many!!

_ by Sue Robb

2024: A Tapestry of Celebrations and New Beginnings

We kicked off the year with a visit to Uganda together with our founders’ church family which has been a great support system in our work in Uganda. Among many other things, they got to hear the story of a beneficiary of our Paradigm Shift Training who leveraged on the few resources at his disposal to support his family through animal and plant farming.

Godfrey Muhumuza (TCI’s Community Development Officer) passionately sharing the impact of Paradigm Shift Training in his life at Jerusalem School

This was followed by the unfortunate death of a beloved grandmother called Pedo Anna from Kachakatom Village in Karamoja: may her soul rest in peace. The distress of caring for her family and herself with old age in a hunger stricken environment must have been overwhelming. We continue to thank God for having sustained this family to the very date that the grandmother went to meet with the creator.

A medical examination of Pedo Anna by Gilbert Beingana
(TCI’s Operations Manager and Health Officer)

Around the same time, on the other hand, we got to celebrate with a famine survivor, our beloved Lomonyang Nachap from isolated Kamera Village, as she joined school. Her words ‘I want to go to school and I want to be a teacher!’ as we were admiring her Food Always In The Home garden previously had impressed on us what felt like wisdom from heaven not to neglect the task of educating the upcoming generation in our five partner villages in Karamoja.

You can read more of Lomonyang’s story and other education success stories here.

This ushered the way for more success stories in education like the construction of new brick classrooms in Kanara Gospel Primary School (one of our five partner Christian Schools in West Uganda).

In the mean time, our monthly food relief to Karamoja villages had been going on consistently thanks to the support of our donors. On the flip side, this region flooded after many years of drought and this destroyed crops like corn and sorghum which the villagers had been laboring to plant.

Following this tragedy, the God who diligently cares for His people, provided the much needed blankets, clothes and food to the Karamojong people through our donors. For context: the Karamojong sleep on makeshift beds made of animal skins and hides which offer little protection from the rain. The loss of body heat mainly through conduction to cold surfaces therefore exposes them to the risk of hypothermia which is a life threatening condition for starving people who lack the calories to maintain their body temperature.

August was a month of new beginnings and poignant farewells—one friend married, another departed. Gilbert Beingana, our Operations Manager and Health Officer celebrated not only the amazing work God has done through TCI in Uganda with the visiting US team but also the beginning of a new chapter in his life - marriage. Soon after that, we were informed about the death of a dear friend, Pastor Lauben, a beacon of hope in Jerusalem village. His vision was to serve God through educating and instilling Christian values in his children and village.

Your prayers and financial support have been instrumental in advancing this vision_ ensuring the school continues to thrive and providing the much needed support to Pastor Lauben’s family. Additionally, our other partner schools continue to thrive in implementing the Bible Story Telling lessons taught by Samuel Davis when the US team visited Uganda. The video below shows the students of Brainstorm School (One of our partner schools) narrating the Bible story of the raising of Lazarus:

October was a special month as we celebrated one of our founders, Sue Robb, turning 70 and looking absolutely fabulous. This was followed by the transformative Heaven Touches Earth Conference in November, where people from various parts of Africa (including our Uganda team) gathered in Kenya. Besides, we continue to witness transformation among the Karamojong back in Uganda particularly in their efforts to enhance food security; vegetable growing skills are starting to be actively passed down through generations. In November, we also celebrated Thanksgiving and our other founder, Frank Robb, who turned 80 as a good and faithful servant of God.

December has been another eventful month! We are thrilled that a wonderful group of women initiated a fund raising effort to provide a well to bring clean and convenient water to the village of Kachakatom in Karamoja. This village has had no clean water and has been unable to do any vegetable gardening and now we have hopes to get a well in for them in 2025.

Thank you so much for investing in Ugandan children and Karamojong families through your generous contributions or heartfelt prayers. We’ve also had the privilege of celebrating the achievements of our pig project beneficiaries, as well as the birthday of the chairman of our board of directors, Ubaldo Ahimbiswe.

Thank you for journeying with us this year; your support has been invaluable in growing transformed, healthy, empowered, and food-secure Ugandans who take control of their lives and the future of their next generation. May you have a joyful celebration of the One who came to: proclaim good news to the poor, bind up the broken hearted, proclaim freedom for the captives and bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning and a garment of praise instead of a Spirit of despair!

_ by Gloria Nderitu