Hands of Action International Ministry Hosts Annual “Empty Bowls” Event

Hands of Action International is a ministry that reaches provides hope to people in Eastern Uganda by bringing education, food, health, and job opportunities.

“I started the ministry with my family about nine years ago. I went on a mission trip to Africa, fell in love, went back the next year and ended up going to this little community and realizing there was a huge need and nobody feeling it, and I just felt like this was a great opportunity to go ahead and get involved. So my husband and I started the school,” said Jennifer Anderson, Hands of Action Executive Director.

The purpose behind the event “Empty Bowls Soup and Bread Meal Experience” is for people to realize that there are children who do have empty bowls and don’t know where there next meal will come from.

“We really believe in just really reaching out to those who are in need and so we do that individually in our own community, but there came an opportunity for us to open a school, and a feeding program and a sponsorship program for kids in Uganda after I realized they had no hope,” stated Anderson.

The ministry takes mission trips to see first-hand what and how the students are doing and what further action needs to be done.

Gretchen Thompson, Hands of Action International Board Member, states, “I’ve been able to go and build relationships with the teachers and getting to know the kids and learning what their needs are there, specifically what they need for the school. It’s really important to focus on local ministry but being able to focus on something that’s far away too and that you could make an impact on a child’s life across the world, it’s really life changing.”

The ministry started the school about nine years ago with 189 students and one teacher. The school now has over 800 students, two school and 50 full-time paid staff.