Rescue One More has launched a new Community Action Team in Jinja, Uganda, bringing local leaders together to protect children, strengthen justice, and support survivors of sexual violence.
When we think about healing from trauma, it’s easy to imagine a single breakthrough moment: a counseling session, a court victory, or a dramatic turning point.
But healing rarely happens that way.
More often, it begins with something much simpler: love, safety, consistency, and people who faithfully show up.
I’ve always been amazed by the impact these ordinary gifts can have in the life of a child who’s experienced trauma.
Scott and I first witnessed this with our own adopted children. Family dinners, predictable routines, and bedtime prayers were unfamiliar to them.
I remember gently guiding one of our children back to the dinner table after he wandered away every few minutes. Sitting together for a meal simply wasn’t part of his world. Yet before long, he found comfort in the routine. Family dinner became his favorite part of the day.
That experience taught us something we’ve seen repeated countless times since: while healing from trauma often includes professional counseling and evidence-based therapies, recovery usually begins by restoring what trauma has taken away—a sense of safety, stability, and belonging.
Every day at our Rescue One More Centers, children arrive carrying the weight of child sexual violence, exploitation, and profound betrayal.
Many are frightened, overwhelmed, and unsure whom they can trust.
Yet within days, and sometimes even hours, we begin to witness remarkable change.
Children who were once withdrawn begin laughing with their aunties. They make friends, join morning devotions, help prepare meals, and complete everyday chores. Slowly, they settle into predictable routines.
These moments may seem ordinary.
For a child recovering from trauma, they are extraordinary.
Each consistent act of kindness helps rebuild trust. Each safe relationship reminds a child that the world can be different than what they have experienced. Little by little, fear gives way to hope.
This month, Scott, Vanessa, and I had the privilege of watching that transformation unfold during a four-day camp hosted by a mission team from St. Andrew’s Church in San Antonio.
For many of the children, it was their very first vacation.
They splashed in Lake Victoria, hiked to waterfalls, played games, created arts and crafts, worshiped together, and simply enjoyed being children.
The campground itself was simple, but to these children it felt magical.
Their joy reminded us that healing isn’t found in extravagant experiences. It’s found in knowing you’re loved, creating joyful memories, and discovering that life can be safe and beautiful again.
On the final day, each child came forward to thank the team. One young girl knelt before them: a traditional Ugandan expression of deep gratitude and respect.
There wasn’t a dry eye in the room.
While one team poured into the children, another mission team from First Presbyterian Church of San Antonio spent the day caring for nearly 30 members of our Ugandan staff.
Together they prayed, laughed, worshiped, played games, shared meals, and found something that’s often in short supply for those working in child protection: rest.
Every day, our staff carry the weight of heartbreaking stories while walking alongside children on their journeys toward safety, justice, healing, and hope.
To care well for children, we must also care for those who serve them.
Their encouragement, spiritual renewal, and well-being strengthen the ministry that makes healing possible.
June is recognized as PTSD Awareness Month, reminding us that trauma recovery is rarely defined by one life-changing moment.
Instead, healing grows through thousands of small moments of safety, consistency, and love.
Sharing a meal.
Bedtime prayers.
Conversations with a trusted caregiver.
Splashing in the lake with friends.
A team willing to travel across the world simply to remind children they are deeply loved.
Because of the generosity of our supporters and the faithful service of these mission teams, children who once knew only fear are discovering joy again. Families are finding hope. Our staff is being refreshed for the work ahead.
One child at a time, healing is taking root.
We are deeply grateful to the teams from St. Andrew’s Church and First Presbyterian Church of San Antonio, and to every partner who makes this work possible. Together, we are helping children discover that while trauma may be part of their story, it does not have to define their future.
In April 2025, a 14-year-old girl in Kampala was moments away from throwing herself into oncoming traffic when a security officer intervened and rescued her. That moment changed everything.
We’ll call her Clara*.
Clara’s story reflects both the devastating realities facing vulnerable children in Uganda, and the life-saving power of timely intervention, coordinated justice, and long-term care.
Clara had been living alone with her stepfather while her mother was temporarily away due to marital challenges. Her stepfather was sexually abusing her.
When Clara courageously reported the abuse to school authorities, he withdrew her from school, and the abuse continued. Desperate and seeing no way out, Clara ran away and tried to end her life.
Thanks to the quick action of a concerned security officer, Clara was brought to the Central Police Station, where Rescue One More’s Central Community Action Team (C-CAT) was immediately notified.
Within hours, a Rescue One More social worker arrived to provide support and help conduct a child-friendly interview. Clara disclosed the abuse, and her stepfather was arrested. He later admitted to the crime.
A home assessment determined that returning Clara to her mother’s residence was unsafe. Child Protective Services (known as the Probation & Social Welfare Office in Uganda) referred her to Rescue One More’s safe house, where she received care, counseling, and protection.
This swift, coordinated response is exactly why Community Action Teams matter. When police, child protective services, legal advocates, doctors, and counselors work together, children don’t have to navigate trauma or the justice system alone.
Clara’s case moved quickly through the justice system because it was actively followed and supported.
When the perpetrator applied for bail in the Magistrate’s Court, our C-CATs legal advisor and administrator were there to successfully oppose his release. The judge denied bail after learning the case was being closely monitored.
The case later advanced to Uganda’s High Court. Although the perpetrator sought a plea bargain with a 15-year sentence, our legal advisor and administrator pushed for a sentence that better reflected the severity of the crime. The judge ultimately sentenced him to 22 years in prison—the longest sentence Rescue One More has seen to date.
Because the perpetrator accepted responsibility, Clara was spared the trauma of testifying in court.
Justice, in this case, was not only punitive, it was protective. It ensured Clara’s safety and reinforced that children are believed and valued.
Today, Clara is emotionally stable and actively engaged in counseling. She participates in mentorship, connects with other children at the shelter, and is no longer living in fear.
Rescue One More has identified extended family members who are prepared to provide Clara with a safe, loving home. As part of the reunification process, our team is providing counseling and psychosocial support to ensure Clara’s long-term well-being.
None of this is possible without supporters who believe that children deserve safety, justice, and the chance to heal. Thank you for standing with vulnerable children like Clara and giving them the chance at the life they deserve.
Name changed to protect identity.
By Sarah Lambie, Co-Founder & President
I love my job. In fact, there’s nothing I’d rather do than prevent another child from experiencing sexual violence in Uganda. But if I’m honest, there are days when the heaviness can feel overwhelming. Today was one of those days.
During a call with our Mukono team this morning, I learned about a case that left me feeling angry and frustrated.
14-year-old Rose* had been raped and impregnated by a neighbor. While her perpetrator was convicted, my heart broke for this girl whose childhood had been cut way too short.
The heaviness of her story—and so many others like it—weighed on my heart all morning.
Sexual violence against children in Uganda is a crisis. More than one-third of all girls experience abuse, along with one in six boys. For years, resources for child survivors were limited, costly, and often out of reach for the families who needed them most.
Then, a text notification from our program manager lit up my phone. I opened it to find dozens of photos of artwork created by the children at our shelters.
Little handwritten messages of hope were taped all over the walls. Many included Genesis 50:20-21, our guiding verse: “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.”
These sweet little love letters are poignant reminders of the progress being made—not just in court convictions, but in the hearts of children who are learning they are safe and loved.
Less than five years ago, children like Rose had almost nowhere to turn.
But today, thanks to supporters who refuse to look away, fear is being transformed into safety, pain into healing, and despair into hope.
Together, we’re shining light into the darkest of places. And when we do, everything changes.
With your support, Rescue One More has been able to:
Our approach to ending child sexual violence in Uganda is comprehensive:
1. Prevention Education: We educate hundreds of children, parents, and teachers every week on how to recognize warning signs, prevent abuse, and report incidents safely.
2. Safe Shelter: Children who’ve experienced trauma receive counseling, medical care, and a loving environment where they can heal.
3. Justice: Our community action team works tirelessly to build strong cases, ensuring perpetrators are held accountable.
4. Economic Empowerment: We provide survivors with opportunities for education and skills training, giving them hope for a brighter future.
As we enter this season of gratitude, I can’t help but thank God for our remarkable family of supporters.
Children like Rose can rebuild their lives — not just survive, but thrive — because people like you refuse to let darkness have the final word.
Your support brings light to the darkest situations, transforming lives and protecting vulnerable children across Uganda.
Thank you for being a light in the darkness.
Ready to make a difference? Learn how you can support child survivors in Uganda →
Download free child protection resources to help keep children safe in your community →
*Name changed to protect privacy
About the Author: Sarah Lambie is Co-Founder and President of Rescue One More, a nonprofit organization dedicated to ending sexual violence against children in Uganda by providing a pathway to safety, justice, and healing.
I’m home from my mission trip to Uganda, a trip that changed my life.
Most mornings, we wake up to messages from our team in Uganda. They are often accompanied by photos of the incredible work they are doing in the field.
Today, one photo stood out to me: a simple, heartfelt message scribbled on a bed in one of our shelters.
I found myself staring at it for a while, deeply moved by its significance.
I can’t help but think that one of the young girls, after finding sanctuary and safety here, left this sweet, unspoken mark of hope. The most beautiful kind of graffiti.
As I looked at that photo, I was reminded of a passage in Matthew 16. It tells of Jesus leading his followers to Caesarea Philippi. Here chaos, rituals, and sacrifices to Pan and other Roman gods took place.
To appease the gods, the sacrifices were thrown into a pit known as the “gates of Hades.” It was here that Jesus told Peter, “On this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.”
Sarah and I visited this very site three years ago.
As I stared at the photo of that simple message scribbled on a bed, I couldn’t help but draw a parallel: one little girl, saved from the very gates of Hell, is reminding us that darkness will not prevail.
That is to say, in every child we rescue and in every life we touch, we are witnessing a victory in God’s kingdom.
Because of your support, we can continue building something that can outshine the darkness and overcome evil.
Thank you for helping us overcome the gates of hell.
Scott Lambie
CEO & Co-Founder,
Rescue One More
A year ago, I told you about a young woman in our program named Amy*. We met while I was visiting the children at the shelter.
I had just shared with all the girls about the importance of finding forgiveness on their journey to healing. Knowing full well that forgiveness might feel like an enormous mountain to be scaled, I asked them to seek forgiveness with all their hearts.
Our resident psychologists help the children rebuild their lives through counseling and play therapy. Our mentors help them find peace through daily devotions and prayers. But Amy wanted to talk more with me about forgiveness.
As her story unfolds and tears run down her face, it becomes clear that the distance between that front porch and her journey home is going to take more than forgiveness.
Forgiveness may eventually be found, but the hurt this child feels when her father blocks her calls cuts deeper than the scars left by the abuser we arrested.
She can’t go home. Her father won’t speak to her, and she doesn’t know why.
When we first started Rescue One More, I decided not to get personally involved with the children. My plan just failed. We’ve helped hundreds of children, but Amy’s tears break my heart for all of them and a thousand more to come.
Sitting on the porch, my mind searches for answers for my new friend. I’m keenly aware of the absence of answers and the complexity of each child’s situation.
“Do you feel loved by your aunties here?” I finally ask.
She looks up through her tears.
“Can you be a big sister to the younger girls arriving at the shelter? Can you help them settle in and love them like an auntie?”
She wiped away her tears, and a small smile began to surface.
Our shelters were established as sanctuaries for child survivors of sexual violence, offering Christ-centered counseling, literacy, mentoring, skills training, family tracing, case management, and more.
Amy found a true home with us at our Kampala shelter. It was here that she began to discover her value and purpose.
As I flew home a year ago, my heart was heavy with concern for Amy and others like her. I wondered if we could provide the services needed to overcome such debilitating trauma.
I am happy to report that over the last year, I have witnessed remarkable transformations unfold in Amy’s life and the lives of many other children.
With time, therapy, and renewed faith, Amy has overcome the worry, fear, and doubt that once consumed her. She has embraced her role as a big sister, guiding newcomers with compassion and understanding as they find their way.
Today, Amy is a beacon of hope and a role model to the younger children at our shelter.
Recently, she led her little sisters in a community clean-up project, demonstrating her leadership skills and newfound sense of purpose.
She’s also actively participating in an economic empowerment program, working diligently to map out a future for herself.
In our daily lives, it’s all too easy to become consumed by fear and doubt—worrying about our loved ones, finances, and work. We often feel like we need to have all of the answers.
Stories like Amy’s remind us that our doubts, worries, and feelings of helplessness can be overcome with a little faith.
God has a plan for each of us, even when we struggle to see it.
Your support has made a meaningful difference in Amy’s life and in the lives of over 430 other children who’ve come through our program.
Thank you for believing in our mission and standing alongside us in this journey.
In faith,
Scott Lambie
CEO Scars