Kurt Spitzer, Team Member
Your Uganda Mission Team left Tallahassee at 1:00 PM on March 18, 2025. 27 hours later, we landed in Entebbe, Uganda, where we received a very warm welcome from Bishop Nason Baluku of the Anglican Diocese of South Rwenzori. After spending the night in nearby Kampala, we traveled the next day to Kasese, where the Diocesan offices are located.
As were approach Kasese, we stopped alongside the road to be greeted by Priests and members of the Diocesan staff, enthusiastically singing “Praise the Lord!” The heartfelt greeting more than made up for the eight-hour drive on roads with some potholes that seemed large enough to swallow up a car! Later that evening, we had dinner at the Bishop’s house with a Diocesan Archdeacon, Parrish Priests and staff.
South Rwenzori is an area plagued by devastating poverty, high unemployment and numerous children without one or both parents. The Diocese has made it its goal to address those problems through the teachings of Christ, education and better parenting skills.
The purpose of the Mission is to assess the needs in South Rwenzori and to maintain our relationship with the Diocese. That effort began in earnest on March 21st when we met with the Young Mothers Group Nyakahya at St. Matthews Parish. In addition to praying and studying the Bible, the purpose of the Group is to give the young mothers encouragement, to develop skills such as tailoring, weaving, making soap, and saving and credit, to help become self-reliant. The Young Mothers group was extremely grateful for the support of St, Peters and its parishioners.
On Saturday, March 21st, the Team attended a conference of Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC) at the Kamaiba Youth Center. Father Herb addressed the youth on Christian Rebellion, which was followed by the other four Team Members discussing Bravery, Trust, Strength and Loyalty. Deacon Colangelo addressed the parents and guardians on Parenting in the Bible, which was followed by presentations by Patty Lang and Kurt Spitzer on Godly parenting.
Later in the day the children were provided with gift bags from St. Peters. The Team helped the children make Rosaries from beads provided by St. Peters.
On Sunday March 23rd, we traveled to the Kikyo Anglican Church, where Deacon Preston preached to an overflow crowd of more than 200 people. After that we traveled to the Bwera Secondary School, which is operated by the Diocese and regarded as the best secondary school in Uganda. We met with the school administrators and Priests, learning about their programs and needs. In addition of supporting the school, St. Peters and Tarmac (a non-profit founded by our own Susan Burton) sponsored the construction of two basketball courts, one of which is located at the Bwera School.
St. Peters and the Diocese of South Rwenzori have had a long history together. When Orthodox (Anglican) Churches left the Episcopal Church of the USA, the Archbishop of Canterbury allowed them to come under the jurisdiction of Orthodox Bishops in Africa. St. Peters came under the authority of the Diocese of South Rwenzori until the Anglican Church of North America was formed.
The St. Peters Tean is composed of Father Herb Bailey and his wife Angel, Deacon Preston Colangelo, Missions Coordinator Patty Lang, and Kurt Spitzer.