A Seed Planted

Long ago a dream, like a tiny seed, was deeply planted in my soul. 

 Africa

I wanted to help, but.... 

             who was I to go?

How could I help? 

                             What could I do?

Seeds deeply planted often go unnoticed, but last January that seed began to grow.
A friend had just returned from a trip to Uganda. She spoke passionately of Sisters of HopeInternational (SOHI)- a sponsorship ministry enabling and empowering women in Uganda through prayer, encouragement, training, and resources; training them in basic business training , a Village Bank, skills training, and English classes (see below).


"You should come..." 
she said. And with that a dream so often dismissed, began to break ground and sprout.

Seeds of Awareness - We learn & Listen; transforming our mindset and world view.

As God’s people we are called to reflect his generosity, love and compassion.We  can give voice and support for the over 1 billion people around the world who live in extreme poverty.[1]  Learning to connect that desire and call to tangible help that empowers the poor, rather than further oppressing them.

Baking and catering is a lucrative business opportunity for Ugandan women. Training provides basic cake making, proofing, decorating, bakery setup, accounting, marketing skills, food sanitation requirements, & tool kit. (click here to see other skill training)

Seeds of Action- We begin seeing the poor as the solution, not the problem; moving from aide to enterprise.

Her name is Gorreth Nakanwagi. She is a 39 year old married mother of 4. She cares for 6 additional children not her own. She had to discontinue her education to take care of her 9 younger siblings when her parents died. Her desire was to grow her sweater making business; needing to take the Basic Business and Village Bank training.

We began an SOHI Sponsorship to provide Gorreth steps out of poverty and toward self sufficiency through resources, tools, and training to create and grow a business. Created in God’s image, the human mind is a source of wealth, ideas, and drive.[2] So we offer support to her agenda, not our own, through business training, skills,& resources.[3]

A week ago, I was blessed to receive a letter from her. Hope was evident as she shared her gratitude “My family is delighted to have you as our friend…” She is now training others on sweater knitting and making! And… her four daughters are back in school for their first term!

Seeds of Advocacy- we go; listening to their stories, learning from them, and showing support & encouragement to our Sisters in Christ around the globe.

This August 13, 2017 I will join a team of 6 will depart for Entebbe, Uganda to walk alongside the SOHI
women of Kampala and Masaka Uganda.

We will be hosting a conference in Masaka, visiting their places of business, their homes, and joining their meetings including their village bank meeting. 

There will also be opportunity to teach some skills which we are still working out details. Their win is my win- I am so excited to meet these resilient sisters in Christ who truly live LIFE in the daily Grind and offer all I have to share.

Our leader, Debi (from California) asked if someone from the team could “teach cake decorating skills”


I can! ....Who would have thought!?!So- if you have any old decorating supplies or tips you’d be willing to send for the ladies… let me know!

Will you partner with me?

Dreams are not only given for the dreamer, but for all those along the way! Like fruit- shared & savored.
 “So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. He who plants and he who waters are one in purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor. For we are God’s fellow workers” -1 Cor 3:7-9

Partner In Prayer-. 

Pray for Justice for the Poor. Pray for truth, grace & discernment; that our words and actions convey support and empowerment. And lastly, pray for me to slow down and ‘be’; learning from, listening to, & loving the SOHI women who live LIFE in the African Grind.

Partner financially- 

The total cost will be about $3500.00 for airfare, visa, transportation, lodging, and food costs. I would be humbled to have you partner with me by:

Mail: Michelle Fritze and: 17952 Dahlia Rd., Park Rapids, MN 56470. 
Online: gofundme “Michelle’s Africa Trip: SOHI Uganda https://www.gofundme.com/fritzefund4SOHI2017.

Thank you! Your support & encouragement express the heart of God; who is the giver of all good gifts. And I am so grateful for it! I will update here to keep you in the loop; praying that you too will be blown away by the Goodness of God!




[1] The Poverty Cure
[2] The Poverty Cure
[3] The Poverty Cure

Radical Life in the Grind

Yesterday in 8th grade Social Studies, after discussing the Dark Ages, I asked if anyone would want to have lived during that time.  One student replied flippantly, 

"Yolo, man.- You only live once!"  

The youth cry Yolo in defiance- seeking to gratify their own desires- for they only live once. With more than words, he expressed a common belief: that this is all there is- so gratify your desires @ whatever the cost! I cringed.  Probably not from what you think. I know that is a common motto of those in this world. Jesus came to save the very ones that cry that out.

But the well is deep...

As I read Oswald Chambers this morning, I couldn't help but share it. As I shared in my previous blog, our Bible study theme this year has been “Come Thirsty.” And I believe we have. Like Christ at the well with the Samaritan woman, I believe God has offered us Living Water each time we met- just for the asking. And yet, although we know we are thirsty and drink that in, there are some very deep wells that seem unsatisfied for me and for others.

Come Thirsty

 What do you thirst for?  

"If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink.” -Jn 7:37

I live in a place where clean healthy water has been more than available to me. All too often I have disregarded the needs of my body for something that tingles my taste buds.

In July of 2008 I was on mission trip in Crimea working with Orphans Hope and the children of Kerch, Ukraine. As we traveled, we had been instructed NOT to drink tap water unless it had been boiled- so our choice would be bottled water: with or without carbonation, or "bubbles." In one seaside town of clean healthy water was in short supply making it not at all uncommon for public water supply to be unavailable for awhile at a given time during the day.