Supporting the Development and Progress of the Ugandan Youth
Vision –
To provide access and opportunity in a safe environment to expand the knowledge of youth and young adults’ creative learning and life skills.
Our Story
The Birth of the Idea Hands Of Christ Uganda Mission:
Fr. Boniface met David Rak-Kinonen at the 2017 BSA National Jamboree in West Virginia. Fr. Boniface shared the desire to establish a Diocesan Youth Training and Formation Center in his home diocese of Kasana-Luweero in Uganda. David would later invite Fr. Boniface to visit with him in Phoenix, Arizona in June 2019. While sharing, David believed that although he couldn’t use his mouth to preach the gospel to the ends of the earth, he would do it with simple actions — the works of his hands, which are but Christ’s hands. This way enables the creation of opportunities and en-kindles a fire of change among young people in Uganda, Africa, hence, the name Hands Of Christ.
Fr. Boniface continued with the idea of Hands Of Christ, with a reflection drawn from the Letter of St. James 2:14ff and John 5:2-9. These two texts present striking scenes: the former calls to put faith into action as David thought, and the latter, the energy and courage to stand up on one’s feet amidst challenges. James exclaims, “If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, ‘Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,’ but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit?” Thus, also faith, by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
The text of John 5:2-9 is the pool of Bethzatha, with its five porticoes in which lay many invalids — blind, lame, and paralyzed. One man was there and had been ill for 38 years, waiting at the pool for help and healing. Then, Jesus walks into his life with loving SITULA — God’s Uplifting Hands and love. With this encounter, everything changes as soon as Jesus says to him: “Stand up, take your mat, and walk!” At once, the man was healed. In a moment of love, God lifts him up, wiping away decades of societal failure. He received outstandingly effective and deep healing that only God’s love delivers; no looking back!
Hands Of Christ Uganda Mission (HOCUM) is, therefore, a response to having faith Alive with a loving, Uplifting Hand like that of Jesus. It is Faith by Works, which doesn’t look at the provision of daily food but the skilling of people so that they can fend for themselves. HOCUM will work to help young people find the keys to unlock their talents, Create Access and Opportunities, and Ignite Change for their future.
Team Information
Founders
Description
Co-Founder
Father Boniface Senteza
As a young lad Father Boniface, sold pancakes, made bricks, cut firewood, and burnt charcoal to raise school funding after the death of his dad. He was uplifted by ‘Share the Blessing’ a group of Parishioners at St. Michael the Archangel Parish in Cary North Carolina USA who sponsored his secondary and seminary education in Uganda through Father Joe. He received his bachelor’s degree in philosophy and theology, and in 2015, he became the first-ever Catholic priest to be ordained from his tribe. He regularly encounters boys and girls during his pastoral work who tell similar and oftentimes worse stories of earlier life challenges. Filled with those memories, he felt compelled and obliged to work towards the founding of Hands Of Christ Uganda Mission. Working with engineers, he oversees the construction of Saint Kizito Youth Center (SKY-C) campus and resides in Uganda full time.
President / Co-Founder
David Rak-Kinonen
My passion has always included caring/supporting youth and the struggles of birth / childhood, which I have supported through many 501C3 charities. This passion was developed due to the struggles I had growing up in a large family and our need to work together to put food on the table. I have been truly blessed that my faith provided me with many incredible mentors that helped shape my life.
In 2017 while at the Boy Scout National Jamboree I met a priest Father Boniface Senteza who as the Youth Director for the Kasana-Luweero Dioceses of Uganda was chaperoning the Uganda Scout troop to the Summit Bechtel Reserve Boy Scout camp in Glen Jean, West Virginia. I believe it was God’s plan for the two of us to meet, there were over 50,000 Scouts attending that year. We spent many hours together over the two + weeks discussing our faith, The wonderful charity work that the Knights of Columbus are involved with around the world, and our love for the youth.
Over the next several years we discussed plans to get the Saint Kizito Youth Center (SKY-C) moving forward. Our first building is the Saint John Paul II Multipurpose Hall which will enable the youth a place for access and opportunity to gather and learn more about faith, learn life skills and share knowledge for the orphaned and impoverished youth. The children of Africa continue to deal with the over 3,000,000 orphans whose parents have died from AIDS and other causes. While we are in the process of building structures for youth to gather, we are also building HOPE FOR THE FUTURE of the youth in Uganda.
Isaiah 6:8 – Here am I; Send me.. is a very impactful scripture that touched me during the time we were creating the charity. In 2022 I was blessed to visit Uganda which I was able to meet so many beautiful people and exposed to the Uganda love and positive attitude, A wave and smile is shared by everyone. I will be forever grateful of the profoundly positive impact this incredible trip made and Pray that I will be blessed with many more trips to Uganda.