We are so pleased to share that BOH recently celebrated our 12th Anniversary! It has been an amazing journey and we are so excited for all that is still in store. As we reflected as a staff team, we laughed at some of the fun memories that came to mind.
Cathie, our BSSP Advisor in Uganda and founder of our partner organization WOCAP, shared a memory from the early days of BOH. She recalled walking all day throughout Nakakulwe village doing home visits for applicants to our scholarship program. We laughed as we reminisced about the many miles we trekked through sugarcane fields and farmlands to reach students scattered throughout the area. It had been scorching hot and I have a vague memory of being quite red by the end of the day. With nowhere to stop for lunch, we ate sugarcane along the way and enjoyed chatting with the two leaders of our Nakakulwe group, who selflessly gave of their time to lead us faithfully from home to home. It was a long, hot day, but we laughed and enjoyed each other’s company during the many miles we traveled.
Cathie walking alongside sugarcane fields.
We also recounted the joy of watching students in BSSP grow up and mature as they pursue their dreams. It has been such a gift to celebrate so many graduations and to see our students reach incredible milestones they didn’t think were possible.
Henry, our Agriculture Advisor, also shared some highlights of watching our women thrive too. He rejoiced at our women’s success with raising pigs and expressed his gratitude for the positive impact the Farming God’s Way curriculum has had on our women’s farming.
I also shared a fond memory of digging in Elizabeth’s garden. Henry was teaching me how to prepare a garden, and as we dug holes, Elizabeth shared about her life and how God brought her to faith in Christ through a dream. It was incredible to hear her story and I marveled at the beauty of the moment. There in the middle of a field in a rural village of Uganda, I was sweaty, hot, and dirty, and yet this simple, mundane moment was so deeply profound at the same time. It is sometimes those in-between moments that become so meaningful, when simply sharing life with people deeply enriches your own.
Elizabeth working in her garden.
It is a collection of moments like these that I treasure from the last 12 years. Some of these moments have been deeply painful, as we have lost loved ones within our organization and faced tragedy. Other moments have been simple and joyful, as we have shared life over tea, or teased one another while eating jackfruit. And other moments still have been amazing, as we have watched women flourish in hope and improve their ability to support their families. In all of it, I have seen God faithfully provide.
I am so blessed by the journey BOH has been and the people that I have walked this road with. Our women, our students, the staff in the U.S. and Uganda, our donors and customers, have all been part of this story. It is a joy to look back and see how far we have come, and I am excited for where we are still going. May we see more lives impacted in the years ahead, more families flourishing, more women thriving, more students graduating, and more reasons for rejoicing.
Women from our Bubugo group joyfully dancing.
To those who help make our work possible, thank you for walking this road with us. Thank you for investing in the lives of incredible women and children in Uganda. We are grateful for you and this amazing adventure we get to be on together. As we celebrate another year, we continue pressing on in empowerment, thankful for all the memories so far and eagerly excited for all the milestones still ahead. Cheers!
Written by Natalie Ruiz, Executive Director
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