Christopher House Ministries was established in 2004, in Uganda East Africa, by American Shelly Grivette, Ugandan Enoch Saaki and the people of Ukiah Bible Church, Vineyards Hills Christian Church and Arbuckle Community Church (all located in Northern California) with a vision to help Uganda rebuild families on a Christ-centered foundation. In order to have a long term, life-changing effect on the people of this poverty stricken, AIDS ravaged, war torn country, we are putting the Bible to use in very practical ways.
Families of Uganda have been decimated by decades of war, disease and poverty, leaving it's younger generations with no role models. There is no one to guide the younger generation in choosing a lifestyle, a marriage partner, a career, or their faith.
The statistics are staggering. Uganda has a population of 28 million people, half of whom are under the age of 15. Approximately 80% of the population is under 35. HIV/AIDS is rampant and Uganda has one of the highest rates of single motherhood in the world. Polygamy, alcoholism and abandonment contribute to the tearing apart of their culture.
The average wage for a laborer is $60 a month. And, in Uganda, school is not free. If a family cannot afford fees or do not have a sponsor, the child doesn't go to school. The dropout rate for girls is staggering because the thought is that girls are not worth the money because "they will just marry and have children..."
The educational system is another culprint in the decay of this once strong family oriented culture. There are few actual books or learning tools and classes are routinely 80 to 100 students with one teacher who freely uses "canning" for discipline. Questions and any attempt at individualism are met with derision and punishment. A wrong answer or failed exam commonly results in humiliation and caning. Consequently, their reasoning skills are not allowed to develop and their talents, imaginations and dreams are crushed.
We have established our first developement center in Bunga, just outside Kampala. We are partnering with many local schools and we offer 1100 children from the ages of 5 to 18 a safe nurturing environment to explore their talents and gifts in programs of Art, Music, Drama, Reading and Sports. But even more important, we are building children from the inside out. By encouragement, example and teaching, we are helping them to learn self-respect, honesty, responsibility and service. Everything we do is based on the application of Biblical morals and principles. We're also working with the parents of our kids, teaching life skills and English in an Adult Program.
