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neck of the woods | prof ile

AMAHORO

CHILDREN

AND COMMUNITY

TEAM

With Chris and Lorie Morgan

Steve Boyarsky by Jerry Clarkson

TELL US ABOUT THE MEDICAL CLINIC THAT YOU’VE BEEN WHAT IS AT THE CORE OF YOUR WORK?
RUNNING IN UGANDA.
LORIE – The ACCT is a service organization. Many people, when
CHRIS – A local pastor, David Rapp, was taking groups of teenagers they are first involved think, “Oh, this is great. You’re teaching the
from Southern Oregon from all walks of life on mission trips to East Ugandans all these things. You’re teaching them about God.” Actually,
Africa. Our two children, Lauren and Austin, went on the trip with the Ugandans already have a deep understanding about God. Their
Pastor Dave in 2011. They returned frustrated by how little they could church services are incredibly emotional and uplifting. When we first
do to address the poverty they saw on their mission trip. Our kids started our service trips, we were giving something to the people of
knew that if Lorie and I could go to Uganda, we could address some of Uganda. Then we shifted to doing things for the people, like planting
the medical needs. So, they convinced us to take a family vacation to mango trees. More recently we’re working with people, holding clin-
East Africa to go on a safari. And…. we would stop by the children’s ics by partnering with Ugandan medical professionals. The key to our
home they served on their mission to conduct a one-day medical clinic success has been to really work with people.
with the children. We had no intention of starting medical clinics or
building a school or anything in Uganda. We went to Uganda and fell in HOW DID TWO DOCTORS GET INVOLVED WITH A SCHOOL
love with the people and the opportunity to help. I think all of us want FOR ORPHANED CHILDREN?
to serve. All of us want to change the world and make it better.
After a few more trips, we formed the Amahoro Children and CHRIS - We didn’t do it alone. We partnered with people in the U.S.
Community Team (ACCT) as a nonprofit to help us accomplish our and Uganda to make it possible. I’m a doctor and as a doctor, that’s kind
service mission. The ACCT has graduated from doing spontaneous of all I know. One of the keys to be a successful doctor, and maybe a
medical clinics outside under the shade of a tree to doing clinics in key to being successful at anything, is knowing your strengths and your
churches with partitioned exam rooms. These clinics have a pharmacy, limitations. We did not intend to build a school. A director of children’s
a lab, an eye examination area, and even radiology. So, now we have a homes in Uganda, Caleb Rukundo, came to us and asked the ACCT to
full-service clinic. help them finish building a primary school. A group from Minnesota
had given Caleb’s children’s home $50,000 to acquire property. They
HOW MANY YEARS HAVE YOU BEEN DOING CLINICS purchased the land and put up walls but didn’t have enough money
AND HOW TO YOU STAFF THEM? to finish a roof over the school. We shared that need with people in
Southern Oregon, raised money, and the school was finished in about
LORIE – Chris and I went on our first trip in 2013. Initially our clinics five months.
were staffed by American doctors, nurses, and some volunteers who
went with us. We met a Ugandan doctor, Dr. Franklin, and once we WHAT AGE GROUPS DOES THE SCHOOL SERVE?
started working with him, we would combine our nurses, doctors,
and volunteers with his Ugandan doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and lab CHRIS – Kindergarten through seventh grade. There are about 300
techs. That way the ACCT is able to see 400 to 500 people a day at our kids at the school. These young people might not be going to school
clinic. otherwise, since Uganda does not have free public school. The ACCT

50 www.southernoregonmagazine.com | fall 2020