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August 2014 Report

 Dear Partner,

I once again greet you in the mighty name of Jesus and I am grateful for all that the Lord has enabled us in partnership with you to accomplish this month. That is why we are so grateful to those of you who have remained faithful, and those who have stepped in and are making sure this work not only continues but continues to grow; whether it is standing with us in prayer or support in any other form. This is truly God’s work and we are very grateful for all that He has been doing. We are very grateful that the Lord has been using many of you to accomplish it.

As you may have already noticed, we offer information in regards to ministries, events, missions and learning and growth opportunities that are taking place here. Combined with our blog (www.mercylinkfoundationafrica.blogspot.com), our goal is to connect you to what is happening within the organization. It’s on this note that I present to you this month’s ministry activity report.

MISSION TO RURAL COMMUNITIES

In a quest to reach and bring transformation to the unreached communities, we have embarked on engaging in purposed mission outreaches to rural communities where the impact of the Gospel has not been greatly experienced. It’s on this account that this month we reached the two rural communities in Masaka and Buyikwe Districts.

The Misenyi Evangelistic Outreach

Misenyi is a rural community in Bukulula Sub County in Masaka District. Masaka is a gateway to the western part of Uganda and it’s through this district that most commuters’ en-route to the western districts travels. This outreach was organized with the intention of reaching the communities church leaders, children and youth but also the entire community since it’s greatly influenced by witchcraft, Islam and traditional beliefs, causing a strong resistance to the gospel. Together with The Rock Ministries, we faced this challenge in a threefold approached using a leaders seminar, a crusade and film as means to reach the community.

The leader’s seminar attracted a total of 35 leaders from the community churches and surrounding towns through which we empowered the leaders on effective ministry using children and youth ministries, discipleship, community based projects and community health programs. Through the training, we introduced different tools and curriculum to enhance this with the ministries and encouraged the leaders to involve the church in their execution.

We also had open air crusades in the evenings where we shared the Gospel inviting the masses to give their lives to Christ. The crusades attracted about 500 of the masses in the community who experienced the healing and deliverance power of the Lord. The word was seasoned and presented to meet the spiritual and physical needs of the masses with a multitude of masses coming forward to receive healing, deliverance and give their lives to Christ. Children and youth were not neglected as special sessions were organized for them that also involved distribution of booklets. The crusades commenced with the Christian movies that attracted even more masses as these happened at night encouraging even those who would have otherwise not come due to fear to show up.

Through the outreach, at least 3,500 tracts were distributed, 1,000 children and youth booklets, five visuals and a number of other Christian literature.

The Kiyindi Evangelistic Outreach

Kiyindi is another rural village in Buyikwe district east of the country. The eastern region is predominantly Muslim dominated. Iganga in the eastern district has the highest percentage of Muslims in the country. Buyikwe like its counterpart is predominantly Muslim with major mosques distributed in a radius of at least 1-2 km/s to cater for the high numbers of Muslims in the communities.  This has therefore caused less Christian activity and impact of the gospel in the region due to oppression and opposition. The church leaders due to the rural locations of the churches have not had access to adequate trainings and resources to use to win souls and have an impact in the communities.

In conjunction with Rock Church Kiyindi, we conducted a leader’s vision casting training with a total of 70 pastors and church elders. This training was aimed at equipping the leaders on the dynamics of ministry visa vie the ever changing trend of life style. Through the training, we also shared some of the dynamics of effectively reaching children and youth and how these can be incorporated in the church programs. Through the trainings, we challenged the leaders to think out of the box and seek opportunities in the communities to reach and impact the masses something the leaders committed themselves to do.

Besides the training, we also engaged in an evangelistic outreach targeting children and youth in this community at the shores of Lake Victoria. 500 children were reached through the book distribution program sharing the gospel with the school going children. This program also saw over 1,000 children booklets distributed through the outreach and training.

PRISON OUTREACH

“The rehabilitation of prisoners is multifaceted. It involves all of us including the entire community, the religious fraternity, community leaders, neighbors and the entire family members. It’s therefore imperative to ask ourselves what contribution have we given to the Prison/prisoners rather than pointing fingers at the government and the prison institution.” We are grateful for your generous contribution such that we are looking forward to meeting the former and not ask the latter.

This month, we have been blessed to reach total of four prisons of Masaka main and remand, Lugazi, Bugiri and Murchison Bay prisons in the east, central and western parts of the country.  Through the outreaches, we had had the opportunity to minister to 5,132 inmates in the four prisons. As a result of these outreaches to the prisons this month, 2,137 inmates gave and rededicated their lives to Christ, 50 bibles were distributed and 4,000 tracts and booklets distributed to inmates and prison staff through these outreaches. Besides the distribution of the literature, we also gave out a consignment of humanitarian items including sugar, soap, among others. We are grateful for this great initiative that has seen the inmates benefiting from these ministry activities mark a beginning of transformation and rehabilitation in their lives.

THE DISCIPLESHIP PROGRAM

Through one of the discipleship programs this month, together with Kansanga Healing Church, we have had the opportunity to graduate 30 teens in an intense 3 months discipleship program courtesy of Operation Christmas Children. The twelve lesson program in the Greatest Journey Curriculum had taken effect from May to date and finally saw the teens graduate and receive certificates during a special celebration event organized by the church. This program involved different aspects including, bible reading, scripture memorization, weekly personal challenges, assignments, and role play. Through all this, the children were spiritually equipped built to take a stand in their Christian walk and empowered to face and overcome opposition, doubt and challenges.

We are grateful to yet again add another group of believers to our continued discipleship programs.

PRAISE REPORTS

Sharon

Having done a vision casting training in Bugiri District Eastern Uganda last month during the mission outreach, Sharon one of the trainees/ Children facilitator from Bugiri Jubilee Church wrote to us concerning the children’s curriculum we had introduced during the training.

“Praise God Pastor, this is Sharon from Bugiri Jubilee Church.  Thank you for teaching us. At church I have 40 children. My teaching was successful when I used the course.”

Sharon like many other trainees had admitted to having problems with teaching the children during the training something we committed ourselves to help them overcome. Her involvement in the training was divine. Although her church was close to the training venue, she had not received news of the training. She was however drawn to the venue by the children booklets that were being distributed to the children. She had come with the intention of getting some for her Sunday school while carrying her hoe having been digging that morning. On learning about the training, she immediately ran home, took a shower and came for the training. Today, she is running the program with her Sunday school children.

We are blessed indeed to having been able to help them take a step in overcoming this basing on Sharon’s response. And thank you very much for the monthly financial support

PRAYER REQUESTS

We kindly request your prayers in the following areas  

  • We still believe God for finances to facilitate our programs and a ministry car.
  • As school commences, we are faced with a challenge of raising fees for some of the children under our girl child and Hidden children programs. Pray for partners in this area who will commit themselves to stand with these children.
  • We are also in need of Bibles in English, Luganda and other Local Dialects.

TARGETS

As we await answers to the prayers stated above, we look forward to attaining the following targets for the next quarters.

  • Honor invitations from the new districts
  • Follow-up program to Adjumani district and evaluate the programs established through the Reach Out South Sudan Program.

The ministry is expanding far greater than we have imagined, while at the same time, the financial support we need to pay our month to month bills has dwindled. Sadly we are unable to fully honor the invitations we are receiving from the different communities as we don’t have adequate funds to do so. In regard to this, we kindly request you to consider supporting these programs financially,  prayerfully or giving in kind by clicking the DONATE  button on the website or reaching us through the addresses and phone contacts provided.

May the Good Lord bless and increase you

Yours in Service

Robert Sebunya – Team Leader