God began doing a great work in Dick and Barbara after they came to know Him as their Lord and Savior in 1988. An opportunity was provided in 1995 for them to join a short-term mission trip to Ft. Portal, Uganda.

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They worked with Pastor Sam Kasule of the New Life Presbyterian Church, and their hearts were broken over the many orphans and widows. Due to the AIDS epidemic, many widows and orphans are barely able to provide for themselves. The Lord gave Dick and Barbara a vision of placing needy children in school who would not have the opportunity to attend otherwise.

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They became the U.S. coordinators of the Good Samaritan Sponsorship Project.