The Rt. Rev. Zebedee Kahangwa-Masereka, bishop of the Diocese of South Rwenzori in Uganda and founder of the Bishop Masereka Christian Foundation, will speak at the Church of the Redeemer in Sarasota, on Tuesday, June 26, at 5:30 p.m.
Masereka will be joined by Dr. Daniel Sambili, the foundation’s medical director, a news release notes. Together they will speak about the work they are doing to help Ugandans afflicted with HIV/AIDS, “as well as the work they do to help the thousands of orphans and families that were displaced by violent rebel conflict in the area,” the news release adds.
The presentation will take place in Redeemer’s Gillespie Hall, at 222 S. Palm Ave. in downtown Sarasota.
A question-and-answer period will follow the hour-long presentation, and light refreshments will be provided.
The event is free; members of the public are warmly invited to attend, church leaders say.
An RSVP to reserve a seat will be appreciated via email to award@redeemersarasota.org or by telephone to 955-4263.
As a response to the HIV/AIDS epidemic that has continued to devastate families across Uganda, The Bishop Masereka Christian Foundation was founded in 2002 in Kasese, western Uganda, by Masereka and a group of committed Christians and members of the local community, the news release says. The foundation’s medical centre was established in 2005.
Both the foundation and the medical centre work to combat the high rate of HIV infection, “along with the massive population displacements caused by former violent rebel conflict in the area — tragic circumstances that account for the presence of thousands of orphaned children and many widows/widowers in the district,” the news release says.
BMCF has two components: BMCF-Uganda is responsible for identifying children in need of sponsorship and disbursing funds to cover their school fees, meals, textbooks and psychological counseling. It also operates the BMCF Clinic.
“Masereka believes that education and health care are linked together and are the keys to the successful modernization of Uganda,” the press release adds.
For more information about the foundation or the medical centre, visit www.bmcf.org. For more information about the Church of the Redeemer, visit www.redeemersarasota.org.