Sue Nelson traveled to northern Uganda on her first Orthodox Christian (OCMC) Medical Mission in 2005. Mesmerized by the beauty of the country and the people, she was overwhelmed by their sense of community, social responsibility, and awareness for each other. She returned on additional missions as a team member and as a team leader. Seeing so much need she began organizing her own mission trips. Having met Simon Menya in 2008, he became her translator and cultural mentor. Sue and Simon worked well together and continue as a team today. When Simon was accepted into St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary in New York, Lift Up Uganda, Inc. (LUU) was subsequently started as a means to provide for his support. Lift Up Uganda was incorporated on December 15, 2015.

As a Family Nurse Practitioner, Sue’s interest was mainly in health care, but she quickly realized that education was equally important. Lift Up Uganda addresses both of these vital needs. The vision of Lift Up Uganda is to improve the health and education of all the people of northern Uganda. Luu welcomes your support, your prayers, and your involvement in our projects. Better health and education encourages people to become more self-sufficient and helps them improve their futures and the futures of their families and communities.

We invite you to join us on a mission trip to Uganda, the Pearl of Africa, and see what your love and support have accomplished. Take a journey with us and your life will be impacted forever in a positive way. After the COVID-19 pandemic, we are reminded of how close we are to each other. We CAN work together to make a difference.