Story

Inspiration from a long life of struggle and love

The story of LIA can be traced back over 100 years ago to a small town in north Texas, USA, to the birth of Aliece Makeig, daughter to pioneers on the high plains of Texas.  These were people of action who never gave up or gave in to sadness, hardship or difficulty. Aliece was the mother of Bert Jones,  primary sponsor of LIA. Aliece and family survived WWI, the dark days of the dust bowl, the great depression, WWII and the loss of 3 children. Her work with orphans started in the 1940’s when she and husband Thomas “Cricket” Jones founded the “Dancing Crickets”.  For a quarter of a century the couple brought happiness to children of Depelchin Faith Home orphanage in Houston, Texas, by teaching square dancing (a traditional form of American dance).

A promise to continue the love

Fast forward 103 years to 2013. On her passing, Bert promised Aliece that her legacy of love, determination and perseverance would continue through some significant work. Gloria Kigwila and sister Eunice had lovingly provided care for Aliece in the final years of her life. They and Nathaniel Kigwila were in attendance at this event.

Supporting

Soon, the plan was set for Aliece’s legacy of love to join in support of the life work of pastor Nathaniel Kigwila in benefit of children in Tanzania who were engaged in their own struggle for survival. LIA Tanzania was initially established as Aliece’s Love In Action. The name was shortened to LIA. Union For The Gospel Ministries (“UGM”) is the parent organization for LIA and is headed by Pastor Kigwila.

LIA’s Mission

The mission of Aliece’s Love in Action is to provide parental care, life-skills, education, and health care to the orphans and homeless children so as to build up their souls, heal their spirits and empower them to become economically independent and responsible members of their society.

The Need

There has been an increase of orphans day after day. This has been a big problems, which neither the government nor the private sector has succeeded to curb it fully. The impact of HIV/AIDS on children in particular cannot be over emphasized here, in developing countries including Tanzania. The mission to invest in the care for the future Tanzanian nationals is crippled by abject poverty. The kind of poverty that deprives the basic needs including a relatively good shelter, education and health care to children who are also denied parental care by the scourge of HIV/AIDS.

Background for UGM, parent organization for LIA

Back in 1981, 34 years ago, in Dodoma, United Republic of Tanzania, Union for the Gospel Ministries was founded with the vision of helping in unity of spirit, vulnerable and disadvantaged children, especially rural orphan and abandoned boys and girls. For 29 consecutive years, by Grace and with God’s blessings through spiritually committed believers of the state of Georgia, in the United States of America, and under the faithful direction of Dr. Nathaniel Kigwila, Union for the Gospel Ministries managed to assist, materially support and spiritually guide hundreds of vulnerable and parentless children. Three years ago, in 2012, in Dar es Salaam, UGM expanded and further substantiated its humanitarian vision, by creating LOVE IN ACTION ORPHANAGE (LIA) for assisting a constant minimum of one hundred (100) parentless children. During all these years, God’s blessings to Love in Action Orphanage have been manifested through the financial support of Mr. and Mrs. Bert Jones of Atlanta, Georgia and LIA has been able to live up to his spiritual, material, moral and educational commitment to its children.