Faithful Supporters
 It is strange to accomplish a dream.
To realize something that has been just a longing.
How does the dream change and grow with new information.
What new dreams do you dream?
Where do we go from here?
Dreaming again...
We believe God is bringing us back to the core of why He brought us here—to affect change in hearts.
God is asking us to be brave again.
We are praying about a new dream God has given us about a Healing Center where formerly abducted girls, child mothers, prostitutes, and pastors, can come during the day to receive counseling, and for week long retreats which can change their life forever. There are no counseling centers or retreat healing centers for the community in Gulu.
The closest place is in Jinja which is about 8 hours of traveling away. The people returning to villages are still traumatized by war, with suicide rates rising. One of our girls' father's just killed himself last month. The need for counseling is imperative and we hope to also begin to take these teachings into resettling villages to reach child mothers who are moving out of the camps.
We thank you for standing with us and ask for your prayers as we seek God for direction during this time of visioning.
Email Tanya Ferguson, our prayer coordinator if you would like to join our prayer list namasteseeker@gmail.com to receive regular updates and join prayer phone calls
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Our Girls
All 10 of our child mothers and 13 children have graduated from our home and are on their own now—some in town, some in their parent's village, having started their own businesses with the small loans we gave them. Two of them are finishing up secondary school and will be going to university next year. It was beautiful to see that once they spread their wings, they were amazingly successful.
Probably the most exciting change we have seen in them has been the fact that they still get together as a group, as sisters, to encourage each other and are applying for a small grant to do a catering business which they want to run as a “family.” Some of our most “broken” girls have become the biggest superstars, leading the group. We are so proud!
In out exit interviews with our girls, we noticed a common theme. The thing they said impacted them most about the program was the counseling and love we gave them, and the teachings on healing, forgiveness, and reconciliation. They said without the healing they would not have had the confidence to go to school, or learn a skill.
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Ending Child Prostitution
 Our outreaches to Congolese sex-workers continue as we build relationships, start bible studies, do HIV/AIDS prevention, testing and care, and identify more vulnerable girls to bring into our Children's Home where twelve girls are already receiving love. We didn't know when we came here we would open a home for children, but every day we see the necessity for it.
All of our girls at the house have been a victim of sexual violence by a community member or another child. Due to their mother's work in prostitution, these young girls are at a higher risk because they are left alone at night and often their mother's customers prey upon them. Some of our girls were being used as slaves for hard labor, or had been orphaned by mothers who died of AIDS. Most have never been to school. We are trying to break that cycle. I was shocked that in order to rescue girls from rape, we have to start younger and younger.
Girls as young as six years old have already experienced that kind of trauma. More mothers keep coming to us begging us to take in their children because they are afraid of what else might happen to them.
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Jolly's Story
 Jolly is a gorgeous young girl with a big smile who at the age of 12 already knows more about being a sex-worker than she should. Her mother would often leave her vulnerable and alone while she went to the discos or up to Sudan to sell herself. Jolly tells us, “Many of the men were drunkards. They would do bad things to me.”
Even the community of women around her would accuse her of trying to take their men and told Jolly she had to learn the sex industry so she could pull her weight. When we found Jolly she was alone, at risk, and moving with a group of boys who would use her at will. She has never been to school.
Now Jolly has a different life. In her own words she says, “Now I am safe and no one can harm me.”
She doesn't have to grow up to follow in her mother's footsteps. This February when she starts school, she has a chance to become what she dreams of being....a nurse.
You can sponsor a girl like Jolly to accomplish her dream for only $35 a month.
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What are we thankful for?
 Even though they don't celebrate Thanksgiving here in Uganda...we still have a lot to be thankful for!
- Our new set of wheels through the donation of a generous family who has been a long-time supporter. No more bodas :)
- All our child mothers and children in both homes tested for HIV and they were ALL negative! That was a tiny miracle!
- Our newest staff member Shantal, a Congolese woman escaping sex-work, who is fabulous with our children and is doing tutoring and teaching to help prepare them for school
- Bethany Corrigan, our newest volunteer coming on in January, here in Gulu, Uganda for several months
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Change a life
 This Christmas, you can rescue a girl as a gift for a family or friend!
The support of people like YOU is what makes it possible for Zion Project’s doors to stay open. This Christmas, help grow the Zion Project family by sponsoring a girl in our home. Your support will be used to help cover the living expenses, school fees, and will help break the cycle of sexual violence against children. Sponsor a girl in our home by yourself or with friends (only $35 a month!)
Love Jewelry?
Our child mothers, and Congolese girls are making eco-friendly necklaces made from recycled paper and turned into beauty.
Contact emma@zionproject.org if you are interested in hosting a bead party!! It's a lot of fun for a good cause!
Still need Christmas gifts?
This Christmas, our friends at One Mango Tree are giving a percentage of their sales to Zion Project. Simply visit One Mango Tree, shop online, and then write Zion Project in the coupon line during checkout.
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Cross-country road trip?
 At the end of December through February, Tyson and I will be traveling back to the good 'ol USA for Christmas with our families and to travel cross-country to see friends, supporters, and speak at churches who want to learn more about our work here in Uganda.
If you think you might like us to stop in your town email sarita@zionproject.org.
We love you guys!!! Happy Thanksgiving!
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Pulling it all together
 We know how overwhelming the issues facing the girls we are working with can seem at times. It's easy to feel small and wonder how you can actually make a difference. We want to encourage you and say thank you for all that you have done. We feel your prayers everyday and see the awesome ways God is moving! Without your loving support we would not be where we are today.
If you feel called to help and support, here is a snapshot version of all the ways that you can become apart of what God is doing through Zion Project:
- Volunteer in the USA or Uganda.
- Email this newsletter to your friends and have them sign up
- Join our Facebook cause page: Zion Project
- Subscribe to our Director's blog: www.saritahartz.com
- Sponsor a girl by yourself or with friends (only $35!)
- Sponsor a home for a month (around $1,500)
- Host a bead party
- Invite us to speak to your friends/group or church
- Introduce us to your Missions Committee
- Host a Photo Exhibit
- Pray
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