Smiles from children at an orphanage in Uganda, Africa was the reward Pastor Betancourt and members of the Church of God received on a recent trip.

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The Church of God congregation worked together to raise funds to send Pastor Fernando Betancourt and brothers of the church, Luis Michael, Ernesto Loreto and Mario Olivares to Uganda. The church held hamburger sales and sold bracelets for $1 donations, around the community to raise funds.

On the trip the church members brought toothbrushes, toothpaste, sandals, pencils, notepads, bubbles and other little gifts for the children at the orphanage. The orphanage, New Hope, is home to 210 children ages’ infant to 18.

The majority of the children at the orphanage were placed there after both of their parents passed away from the AIDS virus. The country is overpopulated with the virus and two of the children at New Hope were dieing from AIDS, Betancourt said.

“It is a very touching, humbling experience,” Betancourt said. The group was in Uganda from June 9 to 18 spending time with the children at New Hope and preaching in different churches.

There are orphanages all over the place, Betancourt said. New Hope, a Christian based orphanage, had never had foreign missionaries before the Church of God members. “It was amazing to be the first foreign missionaries to visit the children,” Betancourt said. “The first day we were there, they sang us a song about being orphans and their lives.”

“We are a church that wants to make a difference,” Betancourt said. The Church of God is currently supporting 13 other churches and a Bible College in India. They have also opened in a church in Agua Prieta on 24 Street and 10 Avenue.

The Church of God is in the process of adopting New Hope, which they would then help to support and send things to the children. New Hope was selected after Betancourt began praying about it, he said.

He received an invitation from a Pastor in Uganda who sent pictures and he decided to make a trip to the orphanage. The entire trip is recorded and can be viewed on a DVD from the church.

“The trip was a learning experience and makes you appreciate life and our country more,” he said. “It makes you realize the importance of the littler things in life.”

The church has been taking one missionary trip a year. The pastor previously visited Haiti after the earthquake, India and Guatemala on mission trips. Betancourt is in the process of selecting the next missionary trip and is considering visiting Cuba or Latin America next.

“The Lord leads in different ways and we will go wherever the Lord wants to take us,” he said.

The Church of God is at 458 E. 5th St. in Douglas. Office hours are Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and are available for people in need of prayer or any other help. Mass is held in English at 9 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. on Sunday’s and a bilingual service is held at 10:30 a.m. on Sunday’s and 6:30 p.m. Wednesday’s.

Sunday school, ages 4 to 18, is on Sunday’s at 10:30. For questions call 364-6640. Services are streamed live online at www.churchofgodindouglas.com.