DCM Hires Sponsorship Coordinator

November 12, 2020

Dear Divine Care Sponsors,

We are coming to a time of thanksgiving in one of the most challenging years for our world. It is most important in times like these that we pause to thank God for all the ways He is blessing us and adjust the way we are viewing our difficulties. We really appreciate all of you for your concern and your generosity.

This has certainly not been a normal year for our staff in Uganda. It started as usual with the children returning to school at the end of January. Then in March all of the children had to be taken back to their homes to shelter in place until further notice. The staff was then sent home as well because of a national lockdown which lasted for three months. In late June the restrictions were eased and the staff was organized to visit villages where our students are residing and to present basic lesson plans to children there. In October the students in grades 7, 11 and 13 returned to school to prepare for the national exams. The remainder of the children will not return to school until January. Your donations have made it possible to continue paying staff, at a reduced level, during the time off work in spite of these challenges. We are grateful that there has been no serious illness among the staff or children that we are aware of.

For sponsors who are able, a donation of $50 will provide your child with a gift such as shoes, mattress, blanket or other item specific to the child’s need. An additional amount can be used to provide gifts to other needy children who do not yet have sponsors. We do not recommend shipping because of the very high cost. After this year of severe disruptions these gifts will be most appreciated by the children.

We are so excited to introduce our newest member of the Divine Care team. Joanna Vazquez began working with us at the beginning of this month. She will be helping with communications regarding the ministry and overseeing our sponsorship activities. Joanna grew up in McMinnville, Tennessee and now resides in nearby Murfreesboro. From a very young age, she has always been fascinated by other cultures. She can remember Peter and Phoebe coming to visit her church as a young girl and sharing about the amazing things God was doing in Uganda and through Divine Care. Ever since she was a young girl, Joanna has felt a strong call to the nations/mission field and has a huge heart for children, so this opportunity to join us here at DCM is something that didn’t take her long to say “YES!” to.

Joanna graduated from MTSU with a degree in Global Studies and Spanish. Her concentrations in undergrad were focused on community development, sustainable agriculture, and globalization and the increase of slum dwelling in Latin America. Joanna has attended various discipleship & missions training programs over the years and her relationship with Jesus and spreading his fame is what she’s most passionate about. She’s an adventurer at heart and when she’s not working, you can find her going on hikes with her husband, laughing with friends, and probably sipping on a good cup of coffee. Please join us in welcoming Joanna to the team. She’s looking forward to getting to know you! You can expect more communications from DCM coming your way soon, so please be sure to check your email and our website for some exciting updates and announcements. If you’d like to welcome Joanna, or have any questions, please feel free to reach out to her at: joanna@divinecareministries.com.

Grateful for you,

Dr. Rick Rogers