Building Lasting Bridges Across the Ocean

It is our desire to continually deepen our relationships with our partners at Pillars of Africa Children's Ministry so we can truly know our children and leaders. Therefore, short videos of the children are being uploaded on our facebook page so you can experience the life, personality, joy and unique individuality of these amazing children and young adults.

Please check the videos out at https://www.facebook.com/HeartsUnitedinGodsService/

As you connect with our children please consider being a sponsor and have an opportunity to build a lasting relationship by having the ability to correspond with your sponsored child on a regular basis.

• Please read the following letter written to share ways we are privileged to meet needs through God's abundance and grace.

Greetings! am reaching out to our HUGS partners and friends who have supported our ministry efforts the past couple of years to let you know of some praises and some needs.

Last year, God blessed our Ugandan brothers and sisters at The Pillars of Africa Children’s Ministry (PACM) with over $90,000 in donations and fundraising despite the pandemic. 🏻 I have to say I was in awe when I actually added everything up for our HUGS year-end reports. I had to stop and shed some tears and offer a prayer of gratitude for our Heavenly Father’s provision for His children. Thank you so much for your part in that. ️

One of the fundraisers was a matching grant project in partnership with the doterra Healing Hands Foundation! We completed the $32,000 school building project early this year with the funds raised in 2020. The new school will allow PACM to educate the children beyond Nursery School and through the lower Primary Levels. This will save $5,400 in school fees annually. 🏻

Now on to the needs with more praise sprinkled in. :) Currently 18 of the children attend the PACM Nursery School and new Primary School. The remaining 30 children attend Secondary Schools. Decent Secondary schools cost anywhere from $100-150 per student depending on the grade level.

We were blessed to receive a $3,000 gift from Faith Lutheran Church in Jacksonville, IL in February of this year which paid for the Secondary students’ first term. 🏻

We are reaching out now for help in funding their second term which begins in a couple of weeks. (Once all of the children have monthly sponsors, we will no longer need to do education fundraisers.)

In addition to school supplies and fees, the children are in need of shoes. It is the rainy season and their flip-flops are not adequate protection from the mud and water. We need $165 to get decent shoes for all 48 children. ( This need was just met)

🧡If any of your friends or family are interested in joining the ranks of our faithful sponsors, the HUGS/PACM Sponsorship Program is administered through our website: https://www.hugsforuganda.com There you can see the children who are already sponsored and those who need a sponsor. We also welcome one-time or recurring donations. 🧡

100% of sponsorship money goes directly for the basic needs of the children. Administrative fees for the website and sponsorship platform along with any other admin costs are sponsored by our seven HUGS Board Members. Your money always makes a direct positive impact on the children.

Thank you for taking the time to read this letter. I do not take your time for granted, as I know we all have multiple things vying for our attention every minute of every day. Please feel free to email or call me at my contact info below if you have any questions. We are committed to being totally transparent and faithful stewards of the resources that come our way for the children.

With love and a grateful heart,

Melissa Street, President

Hearts United in God’s Service

1980 McQueen Road

Pleasant Plains, IL 62677

Phone: (217) 371-7576