SEQUIM — The Rev. Henry Mulindwa, former priest administrator at St. Joseph Catholic Church, is returning to his home country of Uganda.
“He has touched many, many lives here on the [North Olympic] Peninsula,” said Barbara Brown, a parishioner at St. Joseph’s.
A farewell party for Mulindwa is planned from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at the Sequim Senior Activity Center, 921 E. Hammond St.
Everyone is welcome, Brown said.
Mulindwa, or “Father Henry” as he’s known, came to Sequim in January 2008 and served as pastor to the parish’s 750 households for 18 months.
He then became the priest at St. Gabriel Catholic Church in Port Orchard, and the Rev. Victor Olvida succeeded him at St. Joseph’s in June 2009.
Mulindwa’s visa is expiring at the end of this year, Brown said, so he is headed back to Uganda to await his next assignment from the Catholic leadership there.
During his time in Sequim, Mulindwa inspired parishioners to share their resources with young people in Clallam County — and in the province of Masaka, Uganda.
He inspired Brown and others at St. Joseph’s to establish the Uganda School Fund for children there who don’t yet have electricity or, in many cases, the uniforms and books they need to attend classes.
“As Christians, we’re family,” Mulindwa said of the faraway village.
“Family means we have to go beyond ourselves.”
Also during Mulindwa’s time as pastor, his congregation donated thousands of dollars to the Queen of Angels School in Port Angeles to cover tuition for children from low-income families.
Brown, meantime, is planning the second annual benefit for the Promise of Hope Foundation, the nonprofit that grew out of the Uganda School Fund.
The event is a dinner and auction titled “The Gateway” for its connection to education as a portal to a better future and is set for March 19 at 7 Cedars Casino in Blyn.
Brown also holds ongoing fundraisers for Promise of Hope at her business, Tender Touches Skin Care Spa, 545 Eureka Way off Fifth Avenue in Sequim.
She auctions off skin care products and services each month and places the revenue into the Promise of Hope account, which continues to fund clothing, shoes and supplies for Ugandan students.
For more details, visit www.thePromiseofHope.org or phone Brown at 360-681-4363.
Brown’s dream is to enable local supporters to sponsor students via the website and correspond with them by e-mail.
Contributions to the Promise of Hope may also be mailed to P.O. Box 1585, Sequim, WA 98382.
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Features Editor Diane Urbani de la Paz can be reached at 360-417-3550 or at diane.urbani@peninsuladailynews.com.