Meet Moses

While in Uganda we visited an HIV AIDS clinic with one of Compassion‘s doctors, Damon.  Over lunch, Sophie and I grilled Damon, asking about everything from malaria prevention initiatives to HIV treatments for Compassion kids and their families.  Then I asked, “How can we pray for you?”

He didn’t talk about his health, his family, his fears or struggles. He told us Uganda needs doctors and nurses.  Not outsiders with white faces, in town for a mission trip or a short stint in a clinic, but Ugandans healing their own people in Jesus’ name.

So today I started sending Moses to medical school.

imageMoses participates in what Compassion calls LDP.  It stands for Leadership Development Program.

Students who are sponsored as kids (through what Compassion calls CDSP, Child Development Sponsorship Program) have the opportunity once they graduate from “high school” to go to college through the Leadership Development Program.  Spaces are very limited because, well, sponsors are in short supply.  It costs $300 a month, not $32, to send Moses to college, after all.

So, students graduating from the CDSP apply for participation in LDP.  They must have good grades and display leadership skills and spiritual maturity.  It’s a long involved process with paper work and interviews for the applicants.

I’ve never told this story here before, but when I was 19 all my friends went off to college and I stayed behind because I didn’t have the money to go to college or the grades to get a scholarship.  Then an anonymous gift was made.  I was given a college education by someone in my church.  It changed my life. Now it’s my turn to pass on that gift.

And it’s a gift in good hands.  Moses is the president of the bible club in his school.  He preaches and sings in the worship services at his church.  When he graduates he wants to open a clinic for the poor in his community.  And he wants to sponsor a child.

We paid off our van and now that monthly payment will go to Moses, to meeting the medical needs of a community someday.

Some of you can do the same thing.  For over a week now I’ve been blogging about CDSP – child sponsorship – but now it’s time to challenge you to make an even bigger step with Compassion and me.  Sponsor a college student if you’re able.  Then go here and tell us about it.

To read more about Leadership Development Program go here.