Church of the Epiphany

Reaching the Pygmies Ministry

Activities at Epiphany School and Kebiremu Batwa Settlement in southwest Uganda remained strong and steady in 2025. At the school, P-7 students once again performed well on their "National Leaving Exams," which are administered nationwide to students as they complete primary school and hope to move into secondary. Epiphany's scores were the 3rd best in the district. Rev. Charles Busingye has long believed that student performance, especially that of the Batwa children, will improve if more of the students are boarders.  With that in mind, he raised money from the school’s alumni to build a new boy’s dorm, which can sleep about 35 students. Unfortunately, that money ran out before the interior of the new structure could be completed, although the boys moved in nonetheless, sleeping in a bare brick and cement interior (see picture). In late summer, Epiphany's Christian Outreach Committee provided a generous gift that was used to complete the interior; the boys are now living in a much homier space.

           A group of students and faculty from the University of Scranton (Pa) visited the school and settlement in January of 2025 and were able to participate with the Batwa pygmy residents of the Kebiremu settlement in beginning construction of a new home for one of the most needy families. Guidance and materials were provided by the Batwa Development Program, a Ugandan wing of the Kellermann Foundation, headquartered in Dallas, TX. The house is the first in the settlement to be constructed of interlocking bricks rather than mud and sticks. Local mud is pressed into a form that shapes the bricks so they can be stacked securely with minimal mortar (see photo).

           The Kellermann Foundation has successfully assumed the role of intermediary for financial support given in the USA for Rev. Charles’s ministry. Their newsletters arrive periodically in the mail and are available for parishioners to peruse. We appreciate your supporting gifts and prayers.