Relationships Result in On-going Ministry

In 2006 Barb and Bryan Hoffman first visited Uganda with the goal of identifying  ministry opportunities.  At that time the orphan crisis was at an all time high.  Many children’s homes were rapidly taking in kids who had been abandoned or orphaned by the AIDS crisis. For the next 8 years, the Hoffmans led numerous teams to Uganda.  There, the teams worked with a local children’s home and church in Gganda Village. During these visits, relationships were formed with the staff and children being served at the children’s home.  

During a trip in January of 2016, it was discovered that the children’s home was closing. Many of the children had “aged out” of their sponsorships.  We heard stories of medical, spiritual, educational and emotional needs.

In response, a group of supporters who had been involved with the kids in Uganda in prior years made the decision to form a non-profit that would help meet the needs of these children.  God works in miraculous ways and On Belay Ministries was formed.   In a very short period of time – by November 2016 – On Belay received the necessary legal status in the USA and in Uganda to operate as a foreign non-profit organization.

God Goes Before Us

Since the spring of 2016, God has blessed our mission and vision and we have seen so much accomplished.  With the help of our supporters and with God’s guidance, On Belay has been able to:

  • Obtain our non-profit status in Uganda
  • Work with village leaders and government social workers to meet standards of compliance
  • Hire a Ugandan director to oversee our operation
  • Secure a house for our office and residence for our director.
  • Enroll students in primary, secondary, trade school and university
  • Provide tuition, room and board and medical expenses for our students
  • Bring in social workers to provide career guidance
  • Provide opportunities for starting small businesses
  • Graduate students from trade schools and universities.
  • Work with the local village to find internships for training.
  • Provide spiritual training by hosting yearly spiritual retreats.

Since the fall of 2022, God expanded our ministry by:

  • Providing funds to purchase land for construction of a trade school
  • Providing a Ugandan church ministry partner, God’s Church of All Nations
  • The opening of Open Door Bible and Skills Training Centre, in February 2023
  • Hiring of a full time social worker and school principal
  • The graduation of our first class of students in November 2023
  • Providing additional land adjacent to the school for expansion

This has been a true walk of faith.  Full of new challenges, unexpected roadblocks and miraculous provision.  We want to give God the glory for all that He has accomplished!

Our Commitment to These, the Least

The need continues to grow and we are challenged by the numbers.  How could we begin to help them all? God’s answer was simple:  You can’t. But right now you can help these. A little thing is a little thing, but faithfulness with a little thing is a great thing.  We pray God will help us to be faithful with those that He puts in our path in the years to come.

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