Thank you, Catharine; Welcome, Caleb

The project began with 30 children. Very quickly that number quadrupled, then quadrupled again. Catharine didn’t have any training in organizational leadership but God faithfully equipped her for the mission He put before her; she had earned a master’s degree in missions and later a doctorate in transformational leadership. “When God is calling you to something, you need to go at it wholeheartedly. Sometimes it feels like jumping off a 50-foot cliff into water, but you just do it,” she said. Now, she is delighted to pass the torch to Caleb Smagacz to further Hope Alive!’s mission and legacy unto Christ. Catharine shares, “I am excited and deeply thankful that Caleb Smagacz is Hope Alive!’s new Executive Director. Ten years ago, I began asking God to identify the person who would succeed me in leading the organization. I invited others to pray along with me and many have done so. It is evident that God has been preparing Caleb for a long time to be His answer to those many years of prayer.”

Catharine remains active on Hope Alive!’s behalf, forming partnerships between HA! and individuals, churches, schools, and other organizations in the United States. She also connects with sponsors and continues to represent Hope Alive! in both Uganda and the United States.

    

In 2001 and again in 2003, God used experiences at orphanages in Jamaica and Haiti to direct Caleb’s life towards working with vulnerable children. Caleb moved his family to Uganda in 2017 to support the local church in engaging the children in their communities. Before moving to Uganda, Caleb served as the Children's Pastor at Westside Church in Omaha, Nebraska for nearly 10 years. Caleb remarks, “I am amazed at God’s hand in preparing and aligning Catharine and I for this very season. I am deeply humbled and incredibly challenged by the opportunity to lead Hope Alive! as we serve the families of Uganda in the name and for the glory of Jesus. It's truly incredible to be at a place where calling, gifting, opportunity, and need harmonize in a way that only God can orchestrate!"