Tom Mayer is from Glen Ellyn, St. Petronille Parish. Tom began, “I met Father (Alfred) in 2012 at a Joliet Cursillo weekend. And we’ve worked together for charity in Uganda, building a medical center, and opening it up and treating people for the past five years.” Tom is the Board President of the “Friends of Shalom for Uganda.” Fr. Alfred Tumwesigye is from Uganda and he explained his objective “… and I’ve been working in health care ministry to make sure that people in rural communities, hard to reach areas, having to walk, and climbing the mountain, where they can access better health care for their families for their kids, and for their pregnant mothers.”

“I’m here for the summer mission cooperation plan here, a program of the United States Council of Bishops, where we have been invited in the Diocese of Joliet by the Bishops for the Mission Office, to speak to the parishioners of the Sacred Heart Parish. So that through their second collection, for their prayers and for their financial support, they can help with furnishing the medical center, with the Mary Queen of Heaven Community Medical Center in Uganda. It is in a rural community in the southwestern part of the country. From the capital city which is Kampala you drive about six hours to reach the village community where the medical center is.”

Fr. Alfred has been a priest for the last 13 years. “I was ordained on July 3, 2005, and this year I made 13 years in the priesthood. I’m still around [Joliet] until September 2 when I go back to Uganda, so I still have the rest of August. Thank God I’m here meeting great people, caring and loving people.