March 2025 Newsletter

When Helping Hurts

This story is something that is newly fresh on my mind, and so deeply hurts me to have to even bring up, but it’s a stark reality of life for the young men I work with. Please bear with me as I tell his story and pray with me for change. “Helping” can end up hurting very quickly around here.

We have a new young man that came to the project last week. One we’ve never seen before, actually. He’s about 15-16 years old and says he’s new to the streets of Jinja. His name is Jonathan. A few weeks prior to him coming to our gate, he sustained a life threatening injury, attempted to get help at a local medical facility, and found us in desperation, when the only options presented to him were amputation or death. I’m not immune to the street life situations, but sometimes they cut deeper than others. And when it’s something that could be prevented, it boils my blood even more.

A few weeks prior to Jonathan finding us, he was on the main road in town, Main Street, begging, as many street kids do. A westerner decided to give Jonathan a $50 USD bill, which is more than even a months wage for many Ugandans, and like a million dollars to a high street kid. In his newfound richness, he went to other street kids bragging about the money he newly acquired, which led him to having paraffin (kerosene) poured all over him, and being set on fire, by other street kids. Jonathan was so badly burned, mostly on his right arm, but he knew he needed help. The first trip to the government hospital got him no treatment at all, not even cleaning the burns or pain medicine. A few days later Jonathan went back to the government hospital (which mind you is supposed to be free and for everyone, but isn’t, especially to street kids), because his hand and arm were 3 times the size of the other arm and severely infected. This clinic then made 2 parallel slices down the back of his hand (to “release infection”), without any numbing or pain medicine and sent him on his way without antibiotics, wound care, or any other plan. Another 2 days goes by and it’s hurting and swelling so bad still that he went back to the hospital and they simply gave him a paper that said “no further treatment required, cut off (aka amputation) recommended in Kampala”. Jonathan left the hospital defeated because he didn’t have transport to go to Kampala, but also didn’t have money for proper treatment. One of our inconsistent high boys saw his situation and brought him to our gate last week, knowing we could and would help him. Jonathan was so timid and scared, but once he saw that we were helping him he calmed down. He’s now another patient recovering at our organization house to get daily medicine and wound care, along with rehab and recovery from drugs and discipleship. Sunday he testified in church that no one had ever shown him Jesus like we had, and he couldn’t go another day without confessing Jesus as his Lord and Savior. Praise God for that!!

What happened to Jonathan could have been avoided in more than one way. People don’t understand that giving cash to street children here is probably the worst thing they could do, especially large amounts. Typically money isn’t used for basic needs, but rather quick fixes and highs. I’ve seen more than one young man die or be severely injured after being given money on the street, no matter the amount. It’s just not worth someone’s life. I’m thankful that he found us. I’m thankful for the wisdom and skills God has given me to help him. I’m thankful for his life and newfound love for Christ. I’m thankful that in this terrible situation, we are able to be the light of Christ shining through..

What’s happening?

With school being in full swing, we are a little over halfway through the first term of 2025. We have had visitation days at both our primary and secondary schools. Due to the boys being in boarding school, there is a set day about halfway through the term for families to come visit, bring a meal to enjoy with the students, get progress reports and talk to teachers, and bring any supplies the students need for the remainder of the term. The boys absolutely love having us come and visit them and for the most part we got great reports from all of their teachers. We added some extra after class lessons for a couple who are struggling with reading and writing, due to being out of school for so long, and a couple of secondary students who are struggling with physics and chemistry. Hopefully by the end of term in a few weeks, we will see a drastic change in their report cards.

Nico, Kanyama and I have been doing “school” of our own at the project as well. Nico, who’s about 24-26 yrs old only ever finished the equivalent to about 1st grade, and Kanyama, who’s about 17-18 years old only completed 2 terms of essentially the equivalent of kindergarten. We have been working on simple basics of english, letters, and numbers. I’m not a teacher, at all, so this has been an adventure for all of us, but both of them are studying and working so hard to try. Once they’re healed from their injuries, our hope is to enroll them in adult primary school learning courses rather than start them in class with children 10-20 years younger than them. Both Nico and Kanyama want to complete P7 and get their certificates, which is essentially obtaining an 8th grade education.

We have also got 3 of the new business start ups, up and running this month. It was all hands on deck to get all of their needed items to begin their businesses, but my amazing team knocked it out of the park. 2 of the 3 boys have already been bringing savings for us to keep for them, and the 3rd has promised to bring something this week. We try to teach them savings and money management and pray against the voices telling them to spend every coin they earn. The remaining 2 are still finalizing budgets and what they will be doing, so we hope to start those in April sometime. So far we have a clothing business, a chapati/snack business, and a household item/small appliance business. We pray that these 3 always put God first in their business so that they will continue to succeed!

Uganda has had a massive blood shortage recently and some people I personally know have been affected in mighty ways because of it. A few years ago I had to go into another district searching for blood for a young man with Sickle Cell Disease who was literally dying without blood. I found some about 1.5 hours away, so we loaded up and went to get blood for him, which saved his life. From that point forward I’ve tried to donate as often as I can. (In Uganda, women can only donate every 4 months). Lately the Red Cross hasn’t been set up or advertising as they used to, so I’ve missed the last few go rounds. But, this month, one of the local secondary schools had a blood drive in honor of a student who died of Sickle Cell Disease, and a lady in my bible study invited me to come there. She said that they are going to do them every school term, so I should be back on track to give regularly again. When you have to literally call everywhere you can to try to find something as simple as a blood product that could save a life, because the hospital says it’t not their job to do so, you get a new appreciation on the dire need. Many Ugandan’s don't like to donate blood. When I’ve asked people why, their reasoning is 1 of 2 things typically. “If I need blood I have to pay for it, so why should I give my blood for free if I have to pay for it when I need it”, or “they don’t pay me to take my blood, so for me I’ll just keep it”. I was glad to see a fairly large turnout at this event, but we pray that one day that stigma around blood donation will change so more lives can be saved.

What’s to come?

The trauma training course that I mentioned last month was postponed to the end of April. Joy and Ben are so excited about this course, so we are still counting down the days until they can go. Because of the nature of the young men we work with, we see this opportunity as a way to grow our organization and to be able to better serve the young men we work with. We are praying for a fruitful time of learning and growing and that it doesn’t get cancelled again.

The very same week of the training, we will be picking up all of our students from school, for their 3-4 week holiday. It’s hard to believe that this term is almost over, but, also, how is it the end of March? Holiday times become much more hectic around the organization, as we have more boys to closely monitor, families to monitor, and just typical ministry in general gets busier as we have more boys around consistently. We love to have our boys home for a few weeks so we can spend time with them though.

I’m so excited about a trip I’m going on in July. Sweet friends of mine are gifting me and another missionary friend a trip to Cape Town, South Africa in July for a Thrive Women’s Event. Thrive is an organization that pours into American missionary women, who are currently serving in the field, anywhere in the world, outside of America. It’s a 4 day conference of being filled up and poured into so that we can continue serving God well, in our called homes. Thrive does large and small group sessions, free counseling, free pampering sessions, times of prayer and worship, and just really is intentional with pouring into women in the field. This sweet couple is paying for everything from the airfare, to the conference, and even 3 days of excursions and hotel after the conference to sight see! They wanted to bless us as they’ve seen, first hand, the struggles we face in ministry and daily life in Uganda. Cape Town is one of my favorite places in Africa, so there’s many things to look forward to during this time. I pray that it’s a week of refueling, rebuilding, resetting, and being surrounded by like-minded missionary women.

Kanyama starts partial weight bearing on the leg he had surgery on in November, next week. He’s stoked about it and can’t wait to “dance in church”. Pray for us as we slowly reintroduce him to walking and back into a world outside of the organization.

Thank you

Thank you is only a small phrase that we can say to all of you who pray for us, support us, and help us to continue the work we do with these young men. We have many challenges every day, but God continues to give us wisdom and discernment to pour into the guys we work with. Sometimes we see failure and it’s easy to get discouraged, but then God always shows us a wink of success and renews the hope we have for these young men. While there are still many who are not ready to change, there are many who can’t turn back to their old ways. We count each successful transformation a great blessing from God. Thank you for standing with us in this gap as we serve those that God has called us to work with here in Uganda. May God bless you!

How can you help?

Prayer requests:

• Continued prayers for my work permit to be processed with no more delays or problems. What was supposed to take 3 weeks has now been in process for 5 months, but no real reasons as to why. The most recent update is the same as the last several. I have to extend my current visa again next week due to it expiring soon. I need a work permit!

• Pray for our students as they are in school and soon coming home. That they make wise choices, stay healthy, and study hard.

• Pray for all of our young men as they continue to grow and rehabilitate and my team as we navigate the many obstacles that we are daily surrounded with. From corrupt government to corrupt hospitals, we try to be the voice and the safe space for so many situations that I can’t even begin to describe.

• Pray for the trauma training course Joy and Ben will be attending. For it to be frutiful for the organization and the young men we work with.

• Pray for financial donors who can help partner with us to do the work that GOD has called us to. It’s only by HIS will that we are here doing what we are doing and we need financial partners to do this work. Tangible things such as a safe room, food, school fees, and medical care show these young men that they’re not given up on, like so many people here tell them. Lately Medical care and Education have been our biggest expenses.

How is God calling you to partner with us?

Through prayer? Through financial giving? We believe that even as just one of these young men changes, there’s many more ready to start a new life also, due to the testimony of the one. God calls some of us to go, some of us to stay, some of us to give and some of us to pray. Where do you fit in? Please consider joining us in bringing hope and healing to these precious young men! So many in their community have given up on them, but we know that God has called them to more!

TAX DEDUCTIBLE CHECKS mailed to:

GoSendMe Global
PO Box 913106
Sherman, TX 75091
(Make checks out to “GoSendMe Global” and include a note with the check- but not written directly on the check- that it is for me, Tara Henson, Uganda)

VENMO: @Tara-Henson-1

PAYPAL: @TaraHenson

ZELLE: thens1213@gmail.com

How to Connect

EMAIL: thens1213@gmail.com

Isaiah 1:17 (CSB)

“Learn to do what is good.

Pursue justice.

Correct the oppressor.

Defend the rights of the fatherless. Plead the widow’s cause.”