Growing in Faith, Send more Chicks! Last weekend kicked off the annual St. Eugene Lenten Appeal that raises money for our Sister Parish in Uganda, Our Lady Queen of Apostles. This year’s them is: Growing in Faith, Send More Chicks!
For 16 years, St. Eugene has enjoyed a Twinning Relationship with Our Lady Queen of Apostles in Nkokonjeru, Uganda.
For over ten years, we have supported sustainable agriculture projects and are helping to educate farmers so they can grow crops such as bananas, mango, coffee plants and many other vegetables as well as raise animals: chickens, pigs, rabbits or cows.
Last year and also this year we are supporting a chicken farm. Several St. Eugene parishioners along with Fr. Jerry journeyed last summer to Uganda to visit our Twinning Parish and saw the success of the chicken farm. Thus the theme "Send More Chicks!"
Our Lady Queen of Apostles parish buys chicks from a hatchery, they then sell the chicks to the farmers for a small fee. The farmers can raise the chicks for meat or to lay more eggs. Chicken meat and eggs are very good sources of protein and the farmers and their families improve their diet as a result of this program, but they also have been able to sell some of the eggs and chickens. This has allowed them to afford the school fees to send their children to school. The farmers recognize the importance of educating their children and very much want their children to be educated.
Thanks to all who donated to the Lenten Appeal in previous years. We hope you are generous this year also! Donations can be put in the houses in the Narthex or you can send a check to the rectory, made out to St. Eugene with "Lenten Project" in the memo line.
But more importantly we are Growing in Faith, connected by our Catholic faith, with our brothers and sisters in Uganda. We pray for them during our petitions at Mass, and they pray for us too. Last weekend during the Mass, we recorded our congregation praying for them. This video will be sent to our sister parish so they may know they are in our prayers. Please continue to pray for them in your daily prayers.