CEC Outreach News: July 22, 2021
Invitation to Take a Virtual Trip to Uganda as Leaders of Friends of Sabina
Join the August 1st Zoom Coffee Hour/Adult Forum
Plan to see and hear the latest on how leaders of Friends of Sabina (FOS) are making progress at Sabina Primary School in rural Uganda. At noon on Sunday, August 1st, Father Manny and the Outreach Commission will host Ann Marie Davis, who recently returned from Uganda, and Maria White, the two leaders of FOS. Links and details for this Zoom virtual gathering will be in next Monday's Christ Church Online Gatherings email.
We’ve already gotten a positive update on the performance of Sabina’s students within the Ugandan system of education. The school educates children as early as 3 to 6 years of age in pre-primary. Primary students in grades P1 through P7 study English, Math, Science, and Social Studies (consisting of History, Geography, and Religious Studies). At Sabina, the curriculum also includes Permaculture/Agriculture. At the end, students take the national Primary Leaving Exams (PLE). These rigorous exams affect placement in secondary school and whether some students must repeat P7.
On Tuesday, July 20th, the FOS leaders shared the news that Sabina ranked 13 out of about 400 schools in the Kyotera District: “We received the P7 results and all of the Sabina students passed with a score of 1 or 2. One being the highest!”
“Everyone in the community is so excited as Sabina is back on the map with their improved commitment to superior academics. Thank you for believing in us,” said White in an email.
More than a decade ago, Christ Church began supporting Sabina Primary School and its library through the organization, Children of Uganda (COU). Parishioners collected shipments of books for the library, which evolved into the Ssanje Community Resource center, playing a vital role for residents of the surrounding area.
In late 2019, the Roman Catholic Archdiocese that owns Sabina Primary School entered into a management agreement with FOS, then a newly-formed organization that is co-managed by the two former members of the COU Board of Directors. FOS embarked on an improvement program that includes replacing infrastructure such as the obsolete kitchen complex. “By stepping out on faith, we built the foundation of our vision to renew and support the Sabina School,” said the FOS leaders.
Outreach continues to support Sabina through FOS. For example, Christ Church pays the librarian’s salary and covers the costs of an upgraded internet service, using $2,000 in Vestry-approved funds in 2021. Thanks to Christ Church parishioners for making that possible! You, too, can take pride in the accomplishment of the high-performing P7 students.
Beginning in 2020, Outreach also encouraged parishioners to sponsor Sabina students whose families otherwise cannot afford fees and tuition. (They are among Sabina students pictured here.) Christ Church members stepped forward to sponsor eight children, who then ranged in age from 8 to 15. Parishioners and the first names of the students are: Steve and Linda Alpern (Sharon); Tim and Sherry Beaty, (Herbert); Ellen and Charles Hoke, (Josephine); Patricia Fanning, (Patricia); Diane Phillips Laguerre (Jackson); Paula and Chuck Rees (Sandra); Catherine Whittaker (Brian); and Melanie and Nick Yaksich (Marvin).
We’re expecting many of the sponsors to join the Zoom to hear more about these students’ experiences in what has turned out to be a year of pandemic challenges.
The FOS leaders last met with Christ Church in May 2020 during a virtual coffee hour on Zoom. This time the images will be like traveling to Uganda’s Central Region, which is west of Lake Victoria and north of the border with Tanzania. And for some members of Christ Church, the video visit will remind them of their own travels to Uganda and long-standing involvement with Sabina Primary School including the Hokes, the Alperns, and Teddy and Sonni Aribiah and their sons, Jonah and Luke.
Lake Elkhorn Middle School Supplies - THANK YOU!
We are excited to report that we have exceeded our goal of $5,000 for school supplies for the students at LEMS. We are very grateful to the generous parishioners of Christ Church for their responsiveness to the needs of families in our local community. We have ordered the supplies and will fill the bags in the near future - stay tuned for details in upcoming communications. If you would like to help us bag the supplies, please contact Onyx Williams at ow6062@gmail.com or Cathy Whittaker at catharinewhittaker@gmail.com.
Reminder: Restaurant Donation Day July 29 to Help Bridges End Homelessness
Supporters of Bridges to Housing Stability can dine in at one restaurant or choose to dine in or take out at its sister venue in the Merriweather District in Downtown Columbia on July 29. Cured Table & Tap and 18th & 21st will each donate 10 percent of your receipt during Bridges’ Restaurant Donation Day. Both restaurants share the same address: 10980 Grantchester Way, #110, Columbia, MD 20144. For more information about the event or about Bridges and its support by our parishioners, read the Christ Church Outreach Blog Post of July 10.
Collection Drive Continues to Provide Diapers, Personal Care Items for CCC
At Christ Church, members of R.A.G.E and the Outreach Commission ask parishioners to support Columbia Community Care (CCC) by collecting diapers, baby wipes, sanitary and personal care items and adult diapers. Please put any of these items in the yellow bin, marked “CCC,” inside the Parish Hall. You can drop off items on weekdays until 2 p.m., but we ask that you call the church office (410) 381-9365 ahead of time.
Donate Personal Care and Cleaning Supplies for FISH in Bin on our Breezeway
Organizers for FISH of Howard County request household cleaning supplies such as liquid dish soap, bleach, and cleanser as well as personal items such as deodorant, shampoo and bath soaps. At present, its pantry has an adequate supply of groceries. The bin is between Old Brick and the Parish Hall.
DreamBuilders is seeking a webmaster to join our Leadership team in September of 2021. The website is a key information source for our volunteers to learn about and sign up for local building opportunities and mission trips. The site also serves a vital communication role for construction partners, suppliers, supporters, and potential donors to understand the amazing work DreamBuilders does locally and on mission trips. You’ll be responsible for managing DreamBuilders’ web presence, ensuring our site is user-friendly and current. You should be knowledgeable in web hosting/ server management, online security, web design, and content management on the WordPress platform (no coding is necessary). You’ll participate in monthly leadership meetings to be well-informed of DreamBuilders' plans, projects, and events. This volunteer position requires a commitment of 4-8 hours a month, although the hours vary depending on DreamBuilders’ activity level. Your personal involvement and donation of web skills will have a direct impact on improving the lives of so many people! And of course, you’ll have ample opportunity to put your creative talents to good use. For more information, contact john.mcbeth@verizon.net The deadline to express interest is August 1st.
SEAFARER’S Donation Requests
We could use your help in gathering the following items. Delivery is made and the date announced when the number of collections gets reasonably accumulated. Contact Carolann Sawyer with any questions.
Bible in modern English (or Tagalog, Russian, or Chinese)
Times/Newsweek/etc. up to 3 months old
Sports Ill/People/etc. up to 6 months
Cars/Computers/Consumers up to 1 year
Reader’s Digest up to a couple of years
National Geographics post-2000
Books (except for Bibles) are less often requested, but some seafarers do appreciate action novels, as well as picture books about Baltimore or the U.S.
Action/adventure DVD’s. Recent popular CDs.
Religious books (in easy English), DVDs, CDs; rosaries.
Clothing - men’s jeans, other sturdy pants (no bigger than XL) or shorts, T-shirts, warm outerwear, and non-skid shoes/boots (in good condition only), and gloves, hats, scarves, and warm socks.
In general, if you have suggestions about ways
to help the community, if you want to get involved, or if you need assistance, please email Christ Church Outreach at outreach@christchurchcolumbia.org. Your help is greatly welcomed and appreciated. Thank you.