Meet Fr Tony Wach, S.J., Missionary to Africa

In 1989, Fr. Tony Wach, a Jesuit from the Wisconsin Province, went on a summer trip to visit a fellow priest on a mission in Uganda. A teacher at Creighton Prep for 18 years, a Jesuit high school in Nebraska started for immigrant children, Fr. Tony felt a calling to the missions. Two years following his first visit to Uganda, he volunteered for a mission of his own in the Province of East Africa.

He has been serving now 27 years as a missionary in this strongly Catholic country and focused his efforts on rebuilding the war-torn nation, spiritually and educationally through the human connection. Upon his arrival, he recognized the need to help educate Ugandans on Christianity and show them that our faith reaches beyond the Mass and praying the rosary, and should also focus on serving the community and its people.

In 1996, Fr. Tony became a Jesuit Community Superior of Kampala and alongside his fellow missionaries worked on forming a local clergy, providing spiritual direction and enhancing community centered resources. In 2007, he helped found the John Paul II Justice and Peace Center to reach beyond those in religious life, promote awareness and help the community strive to create a more just and peaceful country. The center focuses on training, research and advocacy surrounding faith, social justice issues and human rights with Catholic Social Teaching as its foundation.

As Jesuit Community Superior of Uganda, Fr. Tony recognized a need to restore and rehabilitate the country’s northern region, the area most affected by the 25 year Lord’s Resistance Army reign. The imposed instability, lack of education and displacement made the need for aid greater than ever, and Fr. Tony made northern Uganda his newest mission. He and the Jesuit Refugee Service began talks of opening a school.  After 5 challenging years of effort Ocer Campion Jesuit College was finally opened in 2010, championed by the East Africa Province of the Society of Jesus and funded by St Campion Jesuit High School Alumni from the US.

Ocer Campion integrates Jesuitic values for the wholesome formation of its students who achieve educational, spiritual and human growth through their relationship with Christ. It targets the underprivileged, children and families directly affected by war-time Uganda and builds personal development through education, enriching Christian values and inspiring service to build a stronger community and nation. Fr. Tony calls Ocer Campion “an answer from God to the long-suffering cries of the people.”

Today, Fr. Tony proudly continues his mission of service in northern Uganda as Ocer Campion’s Director. With the help of other missionaries, he has continued to develop efforts like Ocer Campion and JPIIJPC to spread the good works of Christ throughout Uganda.

Support our missionaries in their life-changing work, and in turn help students and families of Ocer Campion receive funds for schools.

Endeavors Circle

Join us as we launch a monthly giving circle to share our blessings.  We are called to build up the Body of Christ, the Church.  At eChange Endeavors we do this by supporting widows, single parents, orphans and those with disabilities either directly or through local Catholic institutions. We seek to leverage previous investments made in education, personal development or institutional capacities to ensure those at risk won’t fall by the wayside. Together we are helping to transform problems into opportunities inspiring hope and strengthening community!

We help hardworking mothers such as Gloria to ensure they can provide for their children. When she needed a hip replacement surgery due to an accident, we stepped in to help. We also supported Pascal to finish University after his Mother died and his Father was no longer able to generate enough income for both him and his younger brother who was still attending high school. When Esther’s husband died, we assisted with food and helped her start a micro business. Later when the eldest reached high school we helped with the higher fees. We have given a small grant to Children’s Community Care to finish a classroom for children with mental disabilities so that mothers would have a safe, clean, and stimulating environment in which to leave their children while they went to work in the street markets.

We also raise funds for OcerCampion Jesuit College both scholarships and an additional housing for international volunteers to work at the school. We are seeking resources for technology and textbooks for St Athanasius Primary School, which serves mostly poor families living in the slums of Kampala. St. Elizabeth’s Home & Vocational Institute rescues young women from the streets, trafficking and prostitution.  We are seeking to raise funds for a solar solution and sewing machines so that local money collected can feed and support more women. We are seeking to help rural health clinics diversify their service capabilities to create a more sustainable model. None of these good works would be possible without your generous support over time.

So join us today and become part of our circle of giving to ensure we can say YES to helping our brothers and sisters in Uganda when we receive their requests. To join simply click on our DONATE button that will take you to a PayPal payment page. You can pay via PayPal, credit or debit card. Just make sure to tick the box for re-occurring payments and your giving will be automatically processed each month.

$10/month enables an entrepreneur to start or grow a microenterprise

$20/month enables young adults to participate in Catholic youth camps

$25/month provides one teacher with a mini-laptop

$30/month supports a student in primary school

$50/month provides a small grant to a health clinic or partner

Thank you for becoming part of our Endeavors Circle of love and hope in the world!

 

Girl’s School in Uganda Needs Solar Solution to Offset Costs

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St Elizabeth’s Home & Vocational School gives young women a second chance at life.  The St Elizabeth team rescues young women from the streets, human trafficking and prostitution in Kampala Uganda.  They provide love, a safe place to live, food, counseling, life skills, and income-generating skills, such as sewing and baking.  St Elizabeth’s is seeking $5000 for an electrical solar solution and industrial sewing machines.  Our investment in this solar infrastructure enables them to apply all locally raised resources towards food, mattresses, personal necessities, and teaching resources to increase their outreach and impact.

Will you join hands to help give these young women a second chance at life? Donate Today!

Back To School!

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A new academic year has begun at Ocer Campion Jesuit College in Gulu, Uganda. More students than ever are requesting scholarship support. You can make a difference in the life of a child by sponsoring their high school education for just $60 per month. Or make a one-time donation to contribute to the scholarship fund. Together we can make a difference for a better tomorrow in Africa.  Give Today!

Mission Trip 2018

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Join us for a service and learning visit to Uganda in June 2018.  We will visit several Catholic apostolates in the greater Kampala area.  The second week we will visit Ocer Campion Jesuit College in northern Uganda. We will end the 2-week journey going on safari to Murchison Falls National Park.  This is an opportunity for you to share your talents and passions with other young adults and in-service to the local communities.

For more information click here or email us at endeavors@globalechange.com.

Textbooks & Technology

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Students at St Athanasius Primary School lack sufficient access to books to learn.  Teachers lack access to the technology tools required to create a winning and creative lessons.  This Lent consider giving to improve the educational experience of these students living in the slum of Kampala, Uganda.  We are gathering $6000 to purchase more textbooks, computers, a photocopier, printer and related technology for the teachers and administration.  Help leapfrog these students into an exciting and creative environment of learning!   Donate Today!

Christ hears the cry of the poor.

“This school is an answer from God to the long suffering cries of the people here.”  Fr. Tony Wach, SJ, Director of Ocer Campion Jesuit College, Gulu, Uganda  

International volunteer teachers are an important contribution to the staff and students at Ocer Campion Jesuit College.  Their energy, spirit, different way of thinking and learning brings new ideas and opportunities for everyone.  We are working to create a space on campus that enables these international volunteers to live together in community, to share friendship and service together.  Help us reach our goal of $25,000 for Ocer Campion Jesuit College so that they may accept more volunteer teachers in the year to come.  Give today!

The Acholi people in northern Uganda suffered through nearly three decades of conflict involving the abduction of tens of thousands of children forced to be soldiers or soldier’s wives.  The Society of Jesus is working to help heal these wounds, reconcile the people, and empower them for a better tomorrow through education and love.

“There are wonderful things happening in Uganda, in Africa, and with the Church here.  God works through human beings. If we want a better world, we all have to be part of that work.”  Fr. Tony  Wach, SJ, Director, Ocer Campion Jesuit College.

We need only $2200 more to reach our goal of $25,000 for the college.  Give the gift of peace, joy, love and opportunity this Christmas!

Many thanks and Merry Christmas, Laura 

Thank you!

Thank you  immensely to every one who contributed to help reach our goal of $1400 for Simon Peter Omollo.  It was tragic enough loosening his father this year to esophagus cancer.  It would have been doubly tragic if he had also failed to graduate from university simply because of insufficient financial support.  He is now finishing up his final requirements and beginning to prepare for graduation, which will be in early December 2016.   May you be richly blessed for your generosity!

Simon Peter’s Story

Simon Peter Omollo needs just $400 more to help him finish his university degree in Education and fulfill his dream to become a high school teacher.  Please join us by giving or sharing his story with others today!!