Facebook Fundraiser posted! Help Christ-centered education in rural Uganda!

[EcoMercy International]

Dear friends,

As of now, one person has donated to our recent FB fundraiser for St. John Chrysostom School in Uganda which went out to 1600 people. And I received one donation via a means other than facebook for $50. That’s $150 raised so far! We need about $6900 more to build a chain link, cemented-in-the-ground fence all around St. John Chrysostom School.

Here's the link to the fundraiser with more details about the project:

facebook.com/donate/927608238261567

Don’t miss your chance to donate to this fundraiser which ends April 16th. ☦️🙏🏿 You will make a difference in these children's lives for God's glory.

If you don't know much about our ministry, there are many ways you can learn. You can read past newsletters to see photos of past successful projects. You can watch the video at ecomercy.org. You can talk to Fr. Silouan Brown of Orthodox Africa who is on FB and has visited the mission and blessed our work. We are officially part of orthodoxafrica.org.

Fr. Stephen Lunagula and I do not really have time to reach out to individual donors and ask for support.

May God bless all who donate this year! Please continue your generosity or donate for the first time if you haven't had that opportunity.

St. Basil writes about the Rich Young Ruler (Matthew 19:16-22) who refused Jesus' request that he give his wealth to the poor:

"He desired to learn by what worthy deed he might inherit eternal life--this also is deserving of acceptance. Yet all this good intent is cast under judgement by this: that he does not focus on what is truly good, but rather looks to what pleases most people [keeping the 10 commandments].

"All this clearly demonstates the discord of his motives and his own internal disagreement. Do you say 'teacher,' and not carry out the duties of a disciple? Do you call him good, yet decline to accept what he offers? After all it is evident that he who is good is also the giver of good. You ask about eternal life, yet show yourself completely bound to the enjoyment of this present life. What severe or burdensome, or excessive word did the teacher give to you? 'Sell your possessions and give to the poor.' If he had offered you the toil of the farmer, or the perils arising from commerce, or any of the difficulties afflicting those who do business, then perhaps you might have been sad at such a disagreeable command. But when he promises to make you an heir of eternal life by such a smooth road, without pain or exertion, you do not rejoice at the ease of salvation, but rather depart with lamentation and bitterness of soil, invalidating all that you accomplished by your previous labor [to be righteousness]."

Raising money on Facebook is not always a straightforward matter. Which is why we’re reaching out via email as well. I've noticed that my posts in support of St. John Chrysostom School get much fewer likes than my posts which invite people to my prayer group at my house. This in turn makes these posts get even less exposure according to the algorithm.

We had some snow and a dump of hail mixed with snow here in Brookings. In Uganda they are about to enter the first rainy season of the year. See the photos below:

A blessed day to you!

- Martin