Reverend Charles Nabwana
Winter Park, FL
I was born in Uganda in Eastern Africa and, at age 25, I was ordained a Catholic priest. I served the people of Uganda as a parish priest, a teacher and a dean at a seminary.
In 2000, I moved to the United States and in 2009 became a citizen. While in the U.S., I served as a priest, pastor and hospital chaplain in the states of Wisconsin and Florida.
My encore story began around the age of 53 when I made a return visit to Uganda to visit my family. As I was walking down the street, I encountered a 5-year old boy who was abandoned with no one to care for him. His name was Joseph, and he was an orphan due to the HIV/AIDS crisis that has enveloped many parts of Africa.
Having no other options available, I connected Joseph with a local church in Uganda that did its best to care for him. I realized then that I was being called to consider something new for my life’s work, and made plans to care for these children.
In 2010, at the age of 55, I opened the doors of The Home of the Holy Angels in Kibale, Uganda to 25 children. Our mission is to care for them, help them build a new life and restore the family and future they lost when they became orphans. We do this through a strong focus on education, health and nutrition, and vocational training.
A great example of our impact is how well Joseph is doing under our care. Today, he is 11-years old and is very much at home with us at The Home of the Holy Angels. He is a happy child and has a very helpful spirit. Perhaps because of what he suffered, he is one of the first to respond when a little one is crying. He has come a long way from the time I found him on the street as an abandoned 5-year old.
In order to have the oversight needed to manage and grow this mission, I decided to leave my ministry in the U.S., and return to Uganda. My staff and I are now caring for over 100 children, with a goal of doubling that number in the next five to seven years. Our long-range goal is to transform the community of Kibale, Uganda by caring for its children today and training them to be the leaders who will transform their own future.
It all started with seeing one little child with no family, no hope and no future. I knew in my heart that I was being called to make a difference for these children.
Each of us has unique talents and abilities that can contribute back to the world. The opportunity to do that does not end when we reach our senior years. In fact, older workers typically have had rich and varied experiences that they can leverage to help others, whether it be on a large scale or simply reaching out to help a neighbor in need.
(The Home of the Holy Angels is the primary outreach project of the Kibale Uganda Development Union (KUDU), a nonprofit based in Winter Park, Florida.)