In Proverbs 17:22 we are reminded that “A merry heart doeth good like a medicine…” Over the last several months we have been overwhelmed with images of sadness and despair from Haiti and, more recently, Chile. Sometimes it is nice to be reminded that the poor smile. Below are recent photos from the field of some of the individuals who we’ve helped through the generosity of American Catholics. Remember God’s promise from Psalm 30:5: “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.”

Vietnam

Bolivia

Uganda

Nicaragua

Poverty is more than just an economic issue. Take, for instance, 11-year-old Caroline and her two older sisters, Jovias and Scovia. The three Ugandan siblings lived alone in the crumbling ruins of a once-decent house built by their father, whose alcoholism has led to much grief for the whole family.

(Left to right) Jovias, Caroline, and Scovia.

In 2003, the girls’ parents separated, leaving them in the care of their father. Then the father married another woman and moved in with her, leaving the girls to mostly fend for themselves and depend on their grandparents who live nearby.

Eventually, the two older girls were discovered by the local Catholic diocese, which rescued them from their bad situation by enrolling them in a local boarding school. However, the girls would often cry, and were not adjusting to their new life, and even began running away.

Later, it was found that the girls had run away to check on Caroline. They were worried about their little sister, who remained at home without adequate food or protection.

The diocese solved the problem by allowing Caroline to attend the boarding school with her sisters. Now all three girls are getting a good education, nutritious daily meals, and lots of adult supervision and love, plus therapy from trained counselors to help them cope with their emotional scars. The girls now have smiles on their faces and enjoy being at school.

Cross Catholic is providing the funds for Caroline, her sisters, and other poor Ugandan children to attend Catholic boarding schools, where they are well taken care of and provided with all the resources they need to excel in their studies and prepare for future careers.

CLICK HERE to find out how you can help us bring positive change into a Ugandan child’s life.

When an Islamic primary school invites a Catholic teacher to speak to its students, you know there’s got to be an incredibly compelling reason.

In Uganda, that reason is AIDS prevention.

Josephine Kabuye teaches Muslim primary school students about the dangers of sexual promiscuity

Recently, a few Cross staff members got to sit in on a classroom session while Josephine Kabuye, an Education For Life facilitator with the Mbikko Integrated Development project, quizzed a group of Muslim students on their knowledge about HIV/AIDS – a disease that has claimed many lives and orphaned many children in this poor African country.

Josephine, whose own brother is infected with HIV, asked the children to tell her what they know about condoms. Ugandan children are exposed to sex and even prostitution at a young age, but have many misconceptions about how to protect themselves. Josephine’s goal is to show them that the only safe choice, and the only moral choice, is sexual abstinence until marriage.

Muslims and Catholics disagree on many things, but both groups see how AIDS has ravaged Uganda, and they are willing to work together to reach children as early as possible with a message of sexual purity. Catholics can’t proselytize in Muslim schools, but they can motivate kids to live moral lives. And it seems to be working.

Thirteen-year-old Joyce, a student at a nearby Catholic school that hosts Education For Life seminars, told us that older youths have offered her money for sex on more than one occasion, and she has said no every time.

“We should not give the gift of sex,” Joyce said, as she explained to us the strategy she learned for keeping herself pure – avoiding bad peer groups, dressing modestly, staying away from bars, and joining sports and social clubs.

Behavior change is also a spiritual matter, and that is why Josephine uses the Old Testament (which is also respected by Muslims) in her discussions. She wants to reach the hearts of the children and convince them that there is more to life than sex. Often, young girls will confide in her that they have been raped by a family member or forced to have an abortion. They need to know that there is hope, that God loves them, and that their value is more than skin deep.

CLICK HERE to find out how you can support the Mbikko Integrated Development project and turn back the tide of the HIV/AIDS pandemic.