SAVE THE DATE!!! SISTER PARISH EVENT AT ST. THOMAS, CAMAS

Mark your calendars now and plan to attend the SISTER PARISH WEEKEND at St. Thomas Aquinas in Camas, WA on the weekend of August 10/11. Fr. Justus and Fr. Raja will be con-celebrating the Mass on Sunday morning the 11th at 8:30 & 11:00 am, followed by Uganda style treats, many displays and opportunities to share, and visiting time to gather information and answers to your questions about our sister parish relationship and upcoming container shipment. The Saturday evening Mass on the 10th will be celebrated by Fr. Justus and followed by informal visiting time. Hope to see many of you there!

Claudia Heacock and the Kabale Board

Thoughts from Claudia Heacock, Board Chairman

How can it be the end of May already? I’ve been trying to write on Facebook, to keep you updated, but can’t seem to be consistent. Your wonderful response to the Kashesha disaster was amazing. In just over two months the BRAND NEW BRICK SCHOOL was almost finished. The walls are complete, the metal doors and windows have been installed and the metal roof is on. Only wonderful, loving people like you could make this possible.

We do need help now to get back to work on Divine Mercy Primary School. We had to postpone our work there in order to meet the more immediate need at Kashesha. I’m praying several of you reading this will respond as generously as possible to this need.

You are in my prayers, and I know the many, many kids in our schools in Uganda remember you often in their prayers. You are truly their hope for a better future.

Thank You & May God Bless You,

Claudia Heacock

Kashesha School April 2019 Update

Hi All,
I'm so excited to hear of your interest. Yesterday I mentioned the Kashesha school in Uganda. Here's the story. Father Justus, my African priest friend that I call my African Son sent me an urgent message about a disaster: it was late February & a terrible wind & rain storm had completely destroyed a school in his parish. 710 students were without a school! This wasn't a school we had built. It was made by the families of the students out of tree limbs & some lumber. (I call these chicken coup schools - in my mind, so I can visualize the structures).
We immediately borrowed $10,000 from another building we were working on which will serve a little over 100 students & used these funds to begin replacing Kashesha primary with a more permanent brick school. The villagers pitched in immediately making mountains of bricks. Father bought rebar, cement, & some lumber. In just over a month, we have the walls up. Metal doors & windows coming & the metal roof being put on.
Some of you awesome donors immediately sent money ($22,000 more).
Now you can see we are almost done. These kids are overjoyed & they know that you did this. They love praying for all of us here in America. My heart is singing! THANK YOU!

KASHESHA SCHOOL DEMOLISHED BY HIGH WINDS & RAIN - HELP NEEDED

We have an immediate need for funds to build a replacement school in Kashesha, Uganda. 710 students lost their makeshift wood school buildings which were completely demolished by winds and rains in mid-February. Father Justus transferred some funds from the Divine Mercy School project to start building a permanent brick school for this Kashesha Primary School. The Devine Mercy School is well underway, but only has a little over 100 students waiting, so this takes precedence. Any help will be gratefully accepted.

We have the foundation up and villagers have provided bricks so the walls are already shoulder high. We will continue as long as the funds allow, but we desperately need funds for metal windows, doors and a roof. If you help, these children will be so happy.

Funds can be sent via Pay Pal on this Website, or you can mail checks directly to :

Kabale Education Fund,

P. O. Box 990,

Washougal, WA 98671

Thank you for your generosity and your prayers.

The Kabale Board

Such a Successful Year and Not Over Yet!

Early in the year (Feb. 2nd) we opened St. John’s Nursery & Primary School which consisted in 10 classrooms and an office. 11 teachers were hired, and 250 students were there the first school day. Beautiful desks were made and the school has grown to now serve over 450 students.

The testing building at St. John’s School has just been completed this past month. This building is required by the Uganda government for certain education tests. We have managed to use these buildings for lunch rooms and extra space on very rainy days.

The first phase of the St. Francis Nursery & Primary School is finished. This is near the border with the Congo and had 600 students waiting for completion. Father Justus was able to complete five classrooms and an office. Of course we realize this won’t house all 600 students, but it’s a great start. We’ll continue building, as funds come in from our absolutely wonderful donors.

Divine Mercy School is underway, but needed much more rebar than we had planned. It will be finished very soon.

Each of these projects are essential to the many village children spread throughout the Our Lady Mother of the Church Parish in the western part of the Kabale Diocese in Uganda. This Parish includes 30,000 people, most of whom live in outlying areas with very poor living conditions. Having a school available within a few miles of their home makes walking to school a possibility and can have wonderful results. We are so proud of the children who have gone through our schools, and gone on to complete degrees in education, engineering, and various service related jobs. Seminarians have been trained and many other important jobs which serve to improve life for the whole community. Thanks to the many of you who provide the funds to make these important changes for the young people there.

Sincerely,

THE KABALE BOARD

October 31, 2018

Something wonderful just happened this week! I received a message to call a young woman, who is to be married next January. She and her husband to be want to have their guests donate to the Kabale Fund in lieu of gifts to them. Their generosity certainly touched my heart and I wanted to share this joy with all of you.

Things are going well for Father, as he works with the many parishioners who are helping put finishing touches on a testing building at St. John’s Primary and the five classroom building at St. Francis Primary School. These projects are just the latest examples of your LOVE being shared with those in need in rural Uganda.

I can’t tell you enough, how thankful I am and the other board members for your continued generosity.

SUCCESS! AND A GREAT BIG THANK YOU !

Several very special donors listened to our need to find reliable transportation for Father Justus as he oversees our school building, and ministers to the needs of his 30,000 parishioners in the western portion of the KABALE DIOCESE in Uganda.  Father was able to purchase a 2015 Toyota truck with a double cab and very low mileage (only 40,000 miles).  THANK YOU SO MUCH to those special people. 

Also we have received many very generous donations to our general fund and will soon be starting another new school - this one quite near the boarder of the Congo, but protected by Uganda troops.  There are 600 students waiting for this school to be built.

For those of you new to our web site. Building a school is a joint venture between us and the local villagers.  They make the bricks and provide labor for the buildings.  Some villagers also make desks for the students.  Tuition is collected from the families of our students with some help from donors as necessary. Orphans usually need tuition help.  Teachers are hired and often paid with our funds when a new school is getting started.  Also a lunch program is provided by the villagers with some help from our fund. Other school supplies are purchased with our funds as needed. When the school grows and tuitions become more stable, we are able to give the school buildings to the local parish for them to proudly own and operate.  It is definitely a win/win situation with all of us working together. 

The school near Our Lady Mother of the Church  was opened in February for an estimated 300 students... It is now serving 450 and growing... so we hope to obtain additional funds to add more classrooms there also.  

When you send funds to us, we are able to send almost 100% to Uganda.  The only additional expense is wiring fees and sometimes stamps, but even the stamps have often been donated.  We hope if you are reading this for the first time, you'll consider sending funds through our pay pal account or directly to our post office box:  KABALE EDUCATION FUND, P. O. BOX 990, WASHOUGAL, WA 98671.  Thank you in advance for your donations.

Sincerely,

Claudia Heacock - Board Chairman

Fr. Justus in Vancouver, Washington for Healing Mass May 25, 2018

Father Justus is in Bremerton, WA serving at OUR LADY STAR OF THE SEA PARISH while Fr. Derek Lappe is on sabbatical.  He will be in the Camas WA area for a few days from May 25th - 29. 

He is hoping to visit with friends in the Camas area during these few days 

During this stay he will celebrate a very special HEALING MASS at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Vancouver at 7 pm on Friday, May 25th.  Concelebrating with him will be Fr. Chuck Wood, the liaison (check sp) for the charismatic renewal for the Oregon Diocese. This will be a very special opportunity for any of you seeking healing prayer.

 

While Fr. Justus is in the United States the two other priests back at Our Lady Mother of the Church in Uganda are keeping things running.  There are now over 300 students and 11 teachers in the new school  which opened this February.  A big thank you to all you donors, who made this possible!

 

Sincerely, 

THE KABALE BOARD

March 11th 2018

We Kabale Board Members are asking for your help in purchasing a reliable heavy duty vehicle for Fr. Justus to use in the new parish.  Mother Mary Mother of the Church is the largest parish in the KABALE DIOCESE, but they only have 1 very old poorly running little pickup truck.  There are three priests sharing this needy vehicle.

We would like to have your help filling this need.  The picture of father stranded in the jungle in the middle of the night while trying to reach a parishioner needing anointing - is just a small sample of the need.

There are thirteen small villages spread widely apart throughout the jungle, joined by very poor roads.  With reliable transportation, service could be vastly improved for religious & health care.

Please consider donating now to this worthy cause.  Just use the general fund, or mail donations to KABABE EDUCATION FUND, P O BOX 990, WASHOUGAL, WA 98671.

A big thank you to those of you already contributing to this need.  We are so thankful!

Sincerely,  Claudia Heacock

 

 

The New School is Ready for Students next week.

Yes, the new St. Johns's Nursery/Primary School at Kihihi is ready.  Recently completed and whitewashed, it awaits the students next Monday, February 5th.  This school has 10 classrooms and two offices (the offices will house the head teacher and the principal).  Eleven teachers have been hired after the interviews. Eighty desks which will serve three hundred twenty students have been constructed and installed in the school.  This school makes us proud.  FatherJustus sends warm thanks to each donor.  He is so pleased to see this brand new school awaiting the eager students of his new home.  He sends prayers for each of you.

One section of the St. John's Nursery/Primary School in Kihihi.

One section of the St. John's Nursery/Primary School in Kihihi.

Here is the view of all sections of St. John's Nursery/Primary.  Ready to go!

Here is the view of all sections of St. John's Nursery/Primary.  Ready to go!

Below you can view the desks which each seat four students.  They seem very well made and will be easy to care for.  The eighty desks will serve three hundred twenty students.

desks 12018.jpg

We wish each of you a Merry Christmas from the Kabale Board, Fr. Justus, and all the children who will benefit from your donations.  Thanks so much.  We are hoping to have the new school ready by February 2nd, when the next school session begins.  It's coming along quickly.  The walls are almost completed and 80 desks have been finished (each holds 4 students). God Bless each of you.

Blessings, Your Kabale Board

November 2017 confirmations

Confirmation Mass at Father Justus' new parish.  Next to father is the Vicar General. On each end are the two priest living in the same house with Fr. Justus.  They confirmed 255 kids this day.   In the picture below, you'll see the Vicar General anointing one of the kids.  Also note the large crowd of parishioners present for this celebration. Remember this is only a small number of their 30,000 parishioners.  

fr justus #2 november 2017.jpg
fr justus #3 november 2017.jpg