Focusing on the needs in Uganda the International Mission Board, the sending arm of the Southern Baptist Convention, sends missionaries for two years through their Journeyman Program. The Journeyman, such as Chris Bosson, shadow a church and primarily start new churches and equip them with everything from food, medical care, to Bible resources. Chris Bosson's time was spent ministering to the youth in villages by showing the Jesus Film, leading youth Bible conferences, and teaching a weekly youth Bible Study out of his home. This weekly Bible Study-Crossover continues today under Pastor Enoch Kategaya's oversight. Since Chris left Uganda in 2002, Pastor Enoch (who Chris discipled and with the help of others, supported through school), has become the pastor at one of the only Baptist churches in town. He has also started a ministry focusing on widows and orphans, Words of Hope. Chris' advice to people who are curious about the ministry is first of all to go! Chris oversees numerous volunteer teams throughout the year. Though nascent, the ministry is licensed with the Ugandan government and has a board of directors of which Chris Bosson is a part. In terms of contributions and financial needs, Chris is currently the U.S. Liaison, (ie. Funnel), for sending money to Pastor Enoch and the ministry, until they can find a more efficient means of money transfer. There is talk of incorporating Words of Hope in the United States.

AIDS still claims more than 91,000 lives a year in Uganda, even though it's prevalence is down than earlier years. Grassroots programs such as Words of Hope are credited for helping Uganda reduce the infection rates through education and coordinating efforts with the government.

Millions of children have been orphaned or heavily affected by AIDS as it infects family members. Saidat Makop says, “Because of Words of Hope I now have hope in God. All my hope is now in God. I trust God to take care of my children when I am gone. All my trust is in God.” Saidat is infected with AIDS.

Pastor Enoch says, “People are forgiving their neighbors because they understand God forgave them. People are coming to Christ here."

Pastor Enoch tells me more about the Words of Hope Program: "In addition to food support to patients, mosquito nets, little help to orphans, we are also committed to making an impact for Christ in the community.

We support traning for community members that lead home based small groups and local pastors for training. Our major focus is responding to HIV/AIDS and our primary targets are patients, but this leads us to their homes where we meet other family members and then form small groups of families where we meet the community. You will see in the pictures that we are doing several projects, from HIV/AIDS counseling, spritual counseling, building homes for desperate widows with orphans, growing passion fruits and giving out seeds supporting the piggery project.

All these have made us an organization that has been described as making Jesus so real and making a difference for Christ. With our new water project we are not only looking and listening to the problems these communities have but we are coming in to show that there is hope in Jesus. As we go to the AIDS clinics, we take food parcels with us, we offer medicine supplements and as people turn to Christ we offer them discipleship classes and a Bible. We hope to one day build an orphanage that we would love to call Village of Hope, that will have a school, clinic, and a training center. For most of us, getting a drink of water is as easy as turning on a tap. But for over 1 billion people worldwide, it isn’t so simple.

For communities here in Uganda, finding water is a daily battle. Water sources are often many miles from home—and usually amount to muddy streams, open wells, or even rain-filled ditches by the side of the road. Worse, this water is usually contaminated—and every sip puts people at risk of illnesses like typhoid, diphtheria, and parasites. But there is a solution. Through our clean water program, Words of Hope is reaching communities in need with water wells. Drilling deep beneath the Earth’s surface, we can tap into clean water and change lives. Imagine how many lives one well can change—providing clean, fresh water for drinking, cooking, and bathing. We can save these families from hardship and prevent life-threatening illnesses by giving them a reliable water source right outside their front door. And this opens the door for us to talk about the water of living."

Objectives

To promote initiatives that aim towards development of spiritual, physical and mental well being that strengthen the growth of Christian values and self management in people living with HIV/AIDS.

(ii) To promote services that lead to perception of the increased risk of HIV/AIDS concerning obtaining and transmission of the infection among individuals of all ages that result in behavior changes.

(iii). To promote services that lead to abstinence among adolescent youth and faithfulness in marriage.

(iv). To promote initiatives that lead to economic growth of people living with HIV/AIDS and their surrounding communities.

Methods:

Words of Hope would like to increase the services and opportunities it provides to meet the need of the growing numbers of patients living with HIV/AIDS for the expression of Christian beliefs through home visits in the community, visiting schools and working with hospitals and provide an opportunity for Christians who have talents to cultivate and utilize their talents in biblical settings.

1. Make individual visits in the homes of PLWA to assess and teach in the areas of their physical and spiritual needs.

2. Carry out assessment which shall include;

(a) Status of spiritual, Bible based knowledge.

(b) Drug/clinic visit adherence.

(c) Cleanliness of individuals and homes.

(d) Nutritional status.

(e). HIV/AIDS status of children.

(f). Family planning.

3. Training people living with HIV/AIDS, and others in the community ways to increase their economic well being by using social-economic projects.

4. Educating the youth in school, churches, and other youth institutions into areas of HIV/Aids, Sex education, courtship, and marriage that are Biblical based through visiting these institutions

5. To train church members in the Art of home based spiritual counseling for the sick in their communities by holding training workshops for them and clinic workers.

6. Sponsor an annual conference that addresses three issues: One Year Goal, Evaluation, and Budget.