JUDGE FINDS IN FAVOR OF ECM OVER LUBAALE

OK, I have avoided writing on the internet about the David Lubaale case while it was going on. I am now going to break that silence.

A judge in Uganda commercial court has found in favor of ECM in our case against David Lubaale. David was our former National Director who was fired when we discovered he had embezzled funds. David at that point was confronted by our Ugandan Governance Board. He confessed in writing that he had misused funds and forged bank statements to cover his tracks. He agreed to pay back funds misused and we agreed to keep the issue in house.

When he stopped paying back funds after refunding only a small portion of what he owed, our International Board felt we should seek justice through the courts so that Lubaale could not continue to prey on NGO's. Realizing the seriousness of what he had done, we also decided to go back and look at everything he had done, including the purchase of several properties.

We warned other NGO's whom we knew had contact with David. Most of them listened gratefully, but one believed David's story and had ECM made out as the villain out to get David.

Today we received word that ECM won the civil case. (A criminal case is still pending.) What that really means in terms of actually getting anything back remains to be seen, but at least ECM's name has been cleared. It is been a long and grueling experience.

We can only continue to pray that David will yet come to repentance. The man has immense potential if he can develop the character to go along with it.

One Step Forward--How Many Back?

Here I am in Uganda on this, The Day of the African Child. I am so happy again to reconnect with the branch of my BIG African family that lives and works here. But I am so tired, trying to recover funds embezzled by our former National Director here, David Lubaale. It's taking so much of my time and energy, running back and forth to the police, trying to dig up confirmation for every transaction. It's so disheartening. A man we all loved and trusted, a man for whom we had such high hopes, a man of so much potential. Instead of doing this I want to be working with the staff here to see how we can improve our programs, develop new ones, help more children. Lord, give me strength to persevere so that we can get beyond this. As I work with the staff to try to develop systems that will ensure this never happens again, guide us all. Help us to rebuild trust. Help us to settle this issue so that we can get back to helping African children. Help us to regain the funds so that we can use them to offer hope to children who need it so desperately. In Jesus' name I ask these favors. Amen!