1. The Batwa are part of a larger group of pygmies that live in a mountainous region along the borders Uganda, the Congo and Rwanda.

2. Approximately 3,000 of these pygmies lived in the rainforest of Bwindi in southwestern Uganda.

3. This region is also home to the mountain gorillas.

* In 1991, the government of Uganda evicted the Batwa tribe out of the Bwindi Impenetrable Rainforest – their home for thousands of years in order to protect the mountain gorilla and encourage tourism

* The Batwa had lived peacefully with the mountain gorilla and were not responsible for their destruction.

* The Batwa were dying outside of their habitat: they were a displaced people

* The Batwa had no land and did not know how to grow their own food

* The Batwa would not accept help from the neighboring tribes

Archbishop Nkoyoyo came to Dallas in 1995 and asked me to help resettle this tribe.

After much prayer, I collaborated with the Bishop of Kinkiizi Diocese and we came up with a three-year plan.

we raised $50,000 to launch the project.

Over 300 acres were purchased to give the Batwa a place to settle

A multi-purpose building was constructed with a classroom, a small clinic, and a small chapel

Farming tools were purchased and skilled members of the Bakiga tribe were hired to teach simple agricultural skills

A school was built to provide primary education for the children

New houses were built to provide shelter

Immunizations against respiratory diseases were administered

Clean water wells were built

Three churches in the Diocese of Dallas were recruited to provide: • School Supplies (St. James, Dallas) • Medical Supplies (St. Michael & All Angels) • Manual sewing machines, fabrics and notions

(Holy Trinity, Garland)

The 3-year plan was implemented successfully

However, the first settlement was not sufficient – many more (3,000) Batwa were scattered and also needed resettling (there are now 11 settlements)

The health needs were greater than we could resolve

Local pastors ministered to the Batwa

When the Batwa heard stories about Jesus, they said “Oh, that is who that was. He visited us in the forest”!

Many Batwa committed their lives to Christ

They thought that God had abandoned them when they were evicted; now they understood how much God loved them!

The health needs were an ongoing problem. The Batwa were contracting illnesses they had never been exposed to

The Episcopal Medical Mission Foundation recruited a doctor to go and do a health assessment

Dr. Scott and Carol Kellermann answered the call and made a visit in 2000