His Voice Newsletter 5/17
Thrive: Raising Up Student Leaders
Thrive is the new name of our Student program. As co-founder Amber Burger explains in the video below, we truly want all of our students to not just survive, but thrive as they become all God intends for them to be.
So far this year we are serving with 29 students in Uganda and 21 students in South Sudan. With our NGO now complete in South Sudan, our Thrive goal is to be supporting 40 students there by the end of this year. In Uganda, we are currently at our maximum number of students until we are able to add more full-time Family Mentors to be "family" to our students in Arua.
We're so proud of our kids, who are earning degrees or certificates in medicine, architecture, software design, engineering, electrician, mechanic, sonographer, and law. We have been walking with most of these kids since they were small, but we are also excited to learn to love new students entering the program.
The tuition cost for one year of trade school is about $3,000, and a year in university is about $5,000. While not as much as higher education costs in the U.S., we need your support so these kids can thrive. If you are able, please click here to support these kids!
Watch this video as co-founder Amber Burger introduces Thrive.
Raising Up Leaders
Welcome to a new section of our feed, Raising Up Leaders.
From the vulnerable days of childhood to becoming future adult leaders in their communities, our hope is that monthly you will get to know our students individually and catch a glimpse of their world. We can’t wait for you to see how God has allowed you to be a part of relationships restored, communities renewed.
Meet Dominic.
Dominic was living with his grandmother and siblings in Yei. He had just come through a rough, few years. He had broken his leg badly when he was 10 and it had been a long road of healing before he was able to fully use his leg again. He and his mom spent a long time in the hospital and he missed a whole year of school. Dominic loved going to school and learning. Then, when his mom passed away, they had to move back to Yei. His grandmother was doing everything she could to take care of him and his siblings. Mostly, he wanted to go to school. Finally, his grandmother told him to go find some help for getting to school. He came up to a church who had a school, Nehemiah Orphanage and Secondary School. They accepted him immediately! He was even able to live at the orphanage while he attended school! They had a library and Dominic could read and learn all he wanted. He even got to learn how to play the guitar. He came to know God soon after moving to the orphanage. Life was looking hopeful and Dominic was excited about his future again.
Four years later, in 2015, he graduated from Nehemiah Secondary school! He was able to get a job teaching at a nursery school. It wasn’t what he hoped to be doing, but it was helping to provide. Then the church called and asked him to come help in their pharmacy. Dominic was still hoping to further his education in medicine. His time in the hospital had left an impression on his life. He thought about it often. He felt he had been given a second chance at life. More than anything, he wanted to help kids and adults have a second chance just like he had been given. He wanted kids to be able to reach their full potential and have a productive life. There were kids dying of illness that could be easily treated, even prevented, there just were not enough doctors and nurses.
He hoped that helping at the pharmacy would lead to University, but that chance never came. Another civil war broke out and the people of South Sudan were fleeing again. But Dominic made a hard decision and decided to stay to help in the clinic. It turned out to be one of the best decisions he had ever made. In 2018, Dominic met Mike and Meg Elkins. They spoke with him about moving to Uganda to continue on in University for his medical degree. Meg helped him apply to Kajo-Keji Health Training Institute. Two days later, Dominic moved to Arua with the Elkins and began University at Kajo-Keji.
Fast forward to 2022, Dominic has excelled in his internship at Kuluva Hospital and graduated from Kajo-Keji with his diploma in Clinical Medicine. In April, he moved to Ishaka, in southern Uganda to attend Kampala International University to work toward his degree in Medicine and Surgery.
The HVG staff and family mentors are so proud of him and all he has persevered through in his life. We have no doubt that he will make an outstanding doctor. He has genuine love for helping people, particularly children. Thank you for supporting Dominic and all the students at HVG. Your support will impact many lives through Dominic’s life and medical career.
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Watch the intro video HERE to find out more.
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It is a joy to serve those God has given to us with you!