Our history

War forces Furaha and Bisoke to flee DR Congo as refugees. They eventually reach Kenya and study at Daystar University, where they meet Elsie and Fred Scaife, who become their mentors.

After completing their studies, Furaha and Bisoke return to Bunia to care for orphans. Rather than building orphanages, they place children in individual host families. The Scaifes mobilize support from their Minnesota church community.

Baraka Academy opens with 99 enrolled students. New programs launch, including the “Les Filles des Dorcas” sewing program and dental services. Two compounds are purchased and renovated.

The ministry grows to 246 orphans across 186 host families. A micro-loan program launches to support struggling families, and self-sustainability begins with the first farming projects.

Elsie Scaife passes away, and the Mamma Elsie Chapel is constructed in her memory. The school bus arrives along with significant facility improvements. Glenn Mork joins as a key partner.

HCCA officially registers as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Glenn Mork becomes Executive Director and Fred Scaife serves as Founding Director. The micro-loan program expands to 245 widows.

Enrollment reaches 700 orphans. Minnesota farmers provide agricultural training, and medical partnerships develop — including a doctor from Bangladesh’s UN contingent.

A major shipping container arrives with over 19,000 pounds of equipment. Safe-water initiatives distribute filtration supplies to families, and 3,200 pairs of shoes are given out.

Baraka Academy serves more than 1,300 students every day. Farm production grows, cutting required monthly support from $5,000 to $1,200 — a huge step toward self-sustainability.

The Bunia Hope Center reaches full self-sustainability — financial support ends in April. Hybrid maize produces two to three times normal yields, vocational training begins in carpentry and welding, and the board approves expansion to Uganda.

Operations expand to Luweero, Uganda, with Alexa Namubiru as Director of Operations; twenty-five widows enroll in micro-grant programs and well repairs benefit St. Andrew’s School. The Bogoro, DRC ministry launches with Chaplain Emmanuel as director.

The Bogoro team grows as Jeanne Mbuse heads Women in Development. Uganda operations introduce cattle, goats, sheep, and poultry, and well drilling provides reliable water access.

Glenn returns to Congo after three years, meeting students, widows, teachers, and community leaders. Bogoro develops cattle-raising sustainability plans, and Uganda acquires 5.5 additional acres for expanded farming and livestock.

A time of transition for HCCA in Uganda and the DRC. Executive Director Glenn Mork retires and hands the directorship to Pastor Jonathan Unverzagt, the third Executive Director in HCCA’s history.

In January, Jonathan and his wife Hope travel with Glenn to Uganda and the DR Congo. There are many tearful goodbyes for Glenn and many excited introductions as Jonathan and Hope meet the team, the widows, and the orphans.

Then COVID-19 sweeps the world and travel to Uganda shuts down.

After 14 months of waiting, a brief travel window opens in March and Jonathan makes his first solo visit to the work. The widows are thrilled he could come. Soon after his trip the virus flares up again and travel to Uganda closes once more. That brief window was truly a gift from God.

In October, Uganda reopens and Jonathan and Hope return with their daughter Zofeyah, who celebrates her 20th birthday on the trip.

Big updates in Luweero: construction begins on a chapel and meeting building for the widows and orphans, along with sleeping quarters for the farm workers.

Hope starts a sewing project for the widows and orphans. HCCA board member Kim Gorka, her son Alex, and her friend Lisa travel with Jonathan to Uganda for the dedication of the chapel in honor of Kim’s mother.

In April, HCCA board member Joel Unverzagt and his wife Gina, along with Hope and two of the Unverzagt children, Finn and Bronwyn, join Jonathan on his first trip of the year. Rebel activity near our widows means the DR Congo can’t be visited on this trip.

On the second trip, in December, webmaster James Crouse travels with Jonathan to see the work in the DRC and Uganda.

The road to the farm gets a major upgrade to blacktop, cutting the trip from 1.5 hours to 25 minutes. A true blessing! The sewing project continues to flourish.

The second trip of the year brings big changes for HCCA Uganda: some sad goodbyes and an exciting new hello. Field Director Alexa and her brother Paul resign from HCCA to pursue other opportunities. It’s a sad moment, but God blesses the ministry with a new field director, Sarah. A longtime supporter of the ministry in Luweero, Sarah jumps right in and gets to know the widows and students as Jonathan introduces her as their new director.