Release #: Vol. 84, No. 4
May 01, 2015
Our Stories: Jazz Pilot Crosses the Atlantic to Help Boys in Need
By John Perkinson, Staff Writer
You may be one person in this world, but to one person you may mean the world. That sentiment could easily apply to any one of a number of boys who live in a special youth home in the Republic of Uganda and the relationship they’ve developed with F/O Dave Piitz (Jazz Aviation). When he isn’t flying Q400 trips from his home base in Toronto, Ont., Piitz is raising funds for The Sanctuary and planning his next visit to ensure that this far-off charity receives the attention and support it deserves.
In one of the poorest nations in the world, The Sanctuary takes children living on the streets and gives them a home. Piitz is planning a third journey later this summer to visit with boys like Mike, who one day dreams of being a pilot, and Ambrose, who has helped establish Life Step Ministries during the time he has been at The Sanctuary to help other local needy children.
Making the connection
“Visiting Uganda was just one of those trips I had always wanted to take after college, but the stars just never really aligned,” says Piitz.
In 2012 Piitz flew a trip with a flight attendant who told him about her travels to Uganda to work with local charities and what an enjoyable and rewarding experience it had been. Her stories piqued his interest, so he took all of the vacation time he could and bought a plane ticket.
He flew to the capital city of Kampala, where he got in touch with the network of charities the flight attendant had worked with. Piitz soon learned of The Sanctuary and ventured east, just outside the city of Jinja, to visit the youth home. He met Melissa Maertens, a fellow Canadian and The Sanctuary’s director, and was immediately impressed with the charity and the boys it supports. The Sanctuary’s mission is to aid vulnerable youth by meeting their physical, mental, emotional, social, and spiritual needs.
“Many of the youth homes in Uganda appear to be a Band-Aid situation. By the time the kids are 18, they’re back on the streets,” says Piitz. In addition to food and shelter, The Sanctuary offers education and mentoring. “The program pays for the boys to get a high school education, which is rare in this country,” he notes. “It prepares them to be self-sufficient adults.”
While there, Piitz spent time with the kids, helping them with their homework and playing soccer with them. He also cleaned, painted, and provided other maintenance services.
Not an easy road
The Jazz pilot observed that each day the boys walk six miles over rough terrain in the heat (Jinja is virtually on the equator) to get to the school, followed by another six miles to return to The Sanctuary. He remembered waking up one morning on a day the sky was pouring down rain. Despite the inclement weather and no transportation, the boys were excited and had big smiles on their faces as they headed off to school. He said that it was inspiring to see this kind of enthusiasm for something so many of us take for granted.
Back in Canada, Piitz runs an annual charitable golf tournament to support The Sanctuary. And this July during his visit, Piitz will take along a filmmaker.
“We plan to videotape and profile several of the boys to promote the idea of sponsoring them individually,” he says, as a way to raise donations. Keeping the home up and running is a constant struggle. It’s a challenge to generate contributions when so many others are in need closer to home. But this doesn’t deter the Jazz pilot. Just seeing the faces of the boys he has come to know has made this a very personal cause, one Piitz will continue to support.
Meet the Boys of The Sanctuary
Visit ugandastreetkids.org to meet Justin, Marvin, Steven, Tom, and many others and learn more about The Sanctuary, becoming a volunteer, and making a donation.
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