Who We Are

 

 

The HUGS staff and Board of Directors is made up entirely of volunteers. While we are not paid in money, we feel very blessed by the progress being made in the village of Bulanga, Uganda. Every member of the Board is dedicated to improving the lives of children who are struggling to survive in this area where childhood is often perilous. We are career professionals with expertise in medicine, dentistry, business and education. Keep reading to get to know each of us a little better.

 

Meet the Board...

Victoria Gibson, BSN
President & Chairman of the Board

My love for Africa started as a very young child when I learned of Lake Victoria. I remember sitting in my classroom praying that I would one day be able to see "my" lake. Once I became a Christian, I prayed to become a missionary and/or be used in any way God saw fit. Along with those two occurrences, I earned my nursing degree from Point Loma Nazarene University in San Diego. All of my dreams came true when the Lord allowed me to travel to Uganda. I fell in love with the country, the people, the culture and the way of life lived there. I was taught about the problems of the people by the residents of a very small village in the southern region of Uganda. This was a life changing visit. Once home, I prayed to be able to do more. HUGS is the result of this prayer. It has been a life long road, but the journey has been awesome. It is my prayer, at this time, to be used by God to help the people that I have come to love so very much.

Lawrence Gibson
Chief Financial Officer & Director
larry@hugsforchildren.org

I was raised in San Diego county and received my engineering degree from Northrop University in Inglewood, California. During my 25-year career in engineering, product marketing and executive management, I learned how to make the best use of available resources to achieve positive goals for various high-tech companies. But somewhere along the way I realized that God had given me certain talents, and I longed to apply those talents toward His purposes. When I visited villages in Uganda, I was amazed to see how the people there could accomplish so much with so little. A small contribution could educate a child or build a house or feed a family. It became my heart's desire to help the people in these villages by participating on the operation of HUGS.

Thomas Heinrichs, DDS
Director

While in dental school at Loma Linda University, I roomed with the famous endodontist Dr. John Munce who had spent several years as a missionary in Africa. I was also lucky enough during this time to be involved in a dental/medical outreach program to several remote villages in Mexico where people of all ages would stand in long lines for days just to get a dental and medical check up. I was deeply humbled and moved by the genuine joy and gratitude they had while living in total poverty. Even though I speak almost no Spanish I had no trouble understanding their heartfelt smiles when we were done and I vowed to look for opportunities to do more in the future. I was honored when I was asked to join the board of HUGS. The extreme needs that are present in Uganda to just have the basics of life met are staggering. I am convinced that God has called each of us who have been blessed with these basic needs of life to give of our time, talents and resources to help others who have not. HUGS provides this opportunity.

Mona Matheus, MD
Director

I grew up on a ranch in the farthest northeast corner of Montana. I became interested in helping people by accompanying my father, a family doctor, on many house calls to remote locations in our sparsely-populated area of Midwest prairie. I watched him minister to broken bodies as well as broken souls in his soft-spoken unassuming way. I made a commitment to do the same from a very early age. My studies took me from Montana to Washington state to California. I have been practicing family medicine in San Diego County for over 17 years, and I look forward to helping the residents of small Ugandan villages in their quest for health, education, self-sufficiency and spirituality.

Sueann Silva
Secretary/Event Planner

In March of 2005, I applied to be part of a team going to Thailand. Our mission was to rebuild a Tsunami-stricken village outside of Phuket. As a member of that team, I was assigned a traveling buddy. Her name is Vicky Gibson. After 20+ hours on a plane (each way) and countless hours working together, I learned about HUGS. Having been raised, in part, in Colombia, South America, I am no stranger to third-world countries and their plight. When I heard of HUGS, it cut right to my core. I knew that God had placed us together for a reason. I joined HUGS not only for myself but for my children. I needed them to know that one person can change someone's life. One child at a time. I visited Africa later in 2005. I was struck by the need. I have become steadfast in my resolve to help the children. They are truly the future of the country. I know that compassion for others is "caught" not taught. I work on instilling the vision in both my family and community. I am most grateful for the response I have had from my children. My daughter Sofia has started "Kids Feeding Kids". Her brother and sister have jumped in to help as well. I was so excited to see first hand the vision that has now become reality. The vision we call HUGS.

Erin Lima
Director, Public Relations/Marketing

Born and raised in San Diego, received degrees in Graphic Design and Business Marketing.  Even as the only child of a single mom, growing up I always felt privileged.  Having worked my way through college and raising 2 children (and a husband), I felt it was time to give back in some way.  HUGS has given me and my family the opportunity to help one child, one village at a time.  

Reese Macillas
Director, Fund Raising

Members at Large

Jon Llera, Mission Pastor

Joyce Haines, Central California Rep.

Susan Rodgers, Eastern Rep.

Haley Sample, North Western Rep.

Brenda Cuckoos, Central States Rep.