I went to Kampala, Uganda in May 2007 not knowing what I would do or whom I would meet, but I knew I wanted to love the poor. I knew I wanted to learn what it means to follow the teachings of Jesus. After I arrived, I met a widow named Joyce who introduced me to the Dorcas Widows Ministry. I began to create friendships with these ladies and to learn about their challenges. It was out of a deep love and friendship that our partnership began.

I have been supporting Kari and her work with widows and orphans for many years but have always wanted to do more. As she became deeply involved with the Dorcas Widows Ministry in Kampala, Uganda in the summer of 2007 and starting telling me about the stories and the lives of the women, I knew that God was leading us down a path together to join with these women on their journey. It is a blessing and a pleasure to get to know these amazing, faith-filled widows and I am looking forward to the day when I can meet them face-to-face. I am currently planning on taking my first trip to Africa and visiting the widows in the summer of 2009! I can't wait to meet my special friend Joyce and all of her children.

In 2004 my life course altered when my husband and brother in law were killed in a car crash leaving me and my sister widowed with children to raise. Up until that point, I was a business woman spending 20 years in the mortgage business and raising my family. After the tragedy, I knew that God had a different course for my life and I spent a year on staff at Mount Olivet Lutheran Church directing the confirmation program and 300 energetic 7th and 8th graders. It was a tremendous year for me but my family need me at home. I spent the next few years taking care of my boys and searching for something meaningful to fill my life without going back to the demands of a full time job. The opportunity came when I met Kari through a Bible Study meal group at Christ Presbyterian Church and she shared her beautiful widows with our group. God gently moved me towards this mission over the series of months that our group met and in February 2008 when Kari left for Uganda again, I knew that God wanted me to dedicate my time to helping with the Dorcas Widows Fund. This experience has been a complete blessing for me because it has given me the opportunity to meet amazing people and it has helped me focus some of my grief in a positive way that helps others.