Author: kemmboss

Dear Partner

Glad tidings to you our co-worker in ministry, thanks for the great work that has seen the expansion of God’s Kingdom in the Nations. I pray that all is fine and that you are finding fulfillment in every endeavor that you are engaged in. The Lord is good and doing great and awesome things back here and increasing us as we engage in the great commission of preaching the good news of our Lord Jesus Christ to the ends of the world and discipling  nations as regards Matthew 28:18.

As we come to the end of the month, we yet again bring you this monthly report highlighting what the Lord has enabled us to achieve through your generous support this month. As you read through the report, you will have an opportunity to learn a little more about the new strategies and ministry activities the Lord has led us to undertake this season through the School, Church Empowerment, Film, Prison and the children service programs. It is not possible for us to share with you everything. We do pray what has been shared will encourage you and challenge your faith to grow.

SCHOOL MINISTRY

This month has been awesome in the area of school outreaches. We have had the opportunity to consistently impact children in both primary and high school levels with skills and the Word of God in five different schools. This program has already brought measured changes in the knowledge, skills or conditions of the children in line with our goal to equip the children to learn to do things for themselves. These schools include Kasubi SS, God’s Will, Day Star, Katwe, and Good Hope Primary schools.

Good Hope Primary School

This school has proved to be a source of inspiration as concerns our ministry programs to schools. Through the Physical and spiritual life skill programs conducted at this school, the administration has not only availed two distinct periods a week for the programs to be undertaken but have also encouraged the staff to attend the sessions. Under this program, we have covered topics ranging from Appearance, Respect, Speech and Attitude, Table Manners, Caring for Our Teeth- Tooth Decay and other different topics. The knowledge and skill level of the children in these areas have greatly improved something the head teacher acknowledges will not only add onto the betterment of their lives but also their education being that some of these topics are part of the teaching Syllabus. 

A total of 1,533 primary school pupil’s and 844 high school students’ are direct beneficiaries of this program. As we get into the August, our target is to reach four more schools and implement the programs in them as well. With this in plan, we hope to make the children responsible citizens and trustworthy people.

CHURCH EMPOWERMENT PROGRAM

Through this program this month, we have had the opportunity to directly impact three churches and 23 other churches indirectly. These include Kitala Church of Uganda; Jesus is Lord Ministries both in Kampala and Rock Church Ministries Bugiri in Eastern Uganda. Two of the former have been beneficiaries through our Children Services which happen after having received an invitation from a given church through which we speak and impact the whole congregation where as for the latter; it was more of a vision casting training.

Bugiri Vision Casting Training

This training was organized and hosted by Rock Church Ministries located in the heart of Bugiri Town. Bigiri District is located approximately 171 Km from Kampala town. It’s comprised of 11 counties with subsistence farming being one of the greatest economic activities. It’s one of the most Islamized districts due to the early Arab influence leading to the spread of Islam in the communities. Islam therefore has a large dominance with Christianity having a less effect. Drunkenness, prostitution, illiteracy ad poverty are some of the most dominant strongholds in the area besides the challenge of Islam.

With this in mind, we set up the Vision Casting training through Pr. Joshua of Rock Church Ministries from where the training took place. The training attracted a total of up to 53 leaders from Bugiri and surrounding district of Iganga. The training aimed at equipping the leaders on using the children and youth ministries as a tool to impact and transforms the community. The three hour training covered areas such as Why children ministry is important, Facts about Children,  the Biblical basis for a children’s ministry, children with special needs in the community, development of communities through children, Why Bible Clubs and Growth of children and communities through BIBLE CLUB’s. Through this training the participants were enlightened on the potential around them and how the church can dominate the communities. As the training came to the end, the participants were challenged to identify and the different avenues they can utilize to reach and impact their communities discovering which services are available in their areas, map out where these services are, and also where there are people with specific skills/needs.

Besides the training, we distributed 2,000 booklets and 100 copies of the curriculum to be implemented through these programs.

THE FILM MINISTRY

This ministry has a passion for the people to hear the Good News of Jesus Christ. There is a great hunger for the Gospel throughout the communities in Uganda and neighboring countries. We want to see the urban areas, the villages, and the islands on Lake Victoria reached with the Gospel. Our outreach is done through gospel video ministry to communities, schools, prisons and church groups.

This month, we engaged Bugiri district in the Eastern part of the country where Islam happens to be the greatest dominating faith in the region. Through Pastor Joshua our touch person in the area, through the local authorities in the area set the show at the Main taxi park in the center of the town. We engaged in a book and tract distribution outreach before the movie started showing distributing over 600 children booklets and 1,450 tracts to the adults in the town centre. This also was an avenue through which we shared about the movie which was about to show. At least 1,132 people had gathered towards the commencement of the movie with about 750 of the congregation being children and youths. 

As the movie ended with an invitation made for the congregation to receive Christ as their personal savior, 814 people raised their hands to receive Christ as their savior with the majority being children after watching the Jesus movie tailor made for them and received the new believers booklets.

PRISONS MINISTRY

Prisons can be a dark place with inmates filled with weights of brokenness, despair, and alienation collected between four thick walls. Mercy Link partners with different dozens Christian partners and volunteers to help facilitate evangelistic events in prisons throughout the country. The permission granted to us to do so by the prison authorities has made this rather difficult task possible. Does the message of Jesus apply here? We believe it does! There are inmates in search of a new beginning! By God’s grace and with your support, we are in the process of reaching and spreading the love of Jesus to them. These evangelistic and discipleship outreaches aim at bringing the inmates to full knowledge of Jesus, and through the discipleship programs helping them discover and know the undisclosed plan of God for their lives as some may not have known God or forgotten all about Him. 

This month we have reached the prisons of Murchison Bay, Bugiri prison, Kirinya Remand, Men and Women prisons. A total of 6,176 inmates have been reached and 2,343 giving their lives to Christ after sharing the Gospel with hem. This had also led to the distribution of 76 Bibles in English and Luganda, 7,200 tracts, 2,600 booklets for the youth and humanitarian items in form of sugar, foodstuffs, nets and soap. As we continue to reach and the disciple the inmates, we trust that upon their release, they will become good followers of Jesus.

THE COMMUNITY HEALTH PROGRAM

Through this program, we had the opportunity to partner with different organizations and individuals in reaching and empowering different communities in different ways. We have had the opportunity to partner with USAID and distribute over 1,600 pair of shoes in different communities, Heath Supplements together with 4LIFE, conduct health trainings courtesy of CHE and many other projects. This month we engaged in yet another health program through another of our programs; Nets 4 Africa

Nets 4 Africa

This is a program under our community health program that entirely works towards eradicating Malaria out of Africa starting with Uganda. Through this program, we undertake awareness campaigns about malaria and also engage in the distribution of Mosquito nets. One African child dies every 30 seconds from malaria. In Uganda, malaria accounts for 25-40% of all outpatient attendances, 20% of all admissions and 9-14% of all in-patient deaths. Every year 70,000 to 110,000 Ugandans die of malaria. Across the country, anywhere from 19,000 to more than 70,000 children under 5 die of malaria each year, depending on whose statistics are used.

To cub this vice, this month, together with GIMI, we took this campaign against malaria to Katwe primary school. Through the generous support of the organization, we distributed mosquito nets to the children at the school and also engage on sharing preventive measure on how to prevent the disease. We encouraged the children to sleep under the treated nets provided and take measures to cub the disease around the school.

To crown the outreach, we shared about the love of Jesus to over 600 children at the school with 273 children confessing Christ as Lord and savior. We also distributed 620 booklets and 50 tracts to the children and teachers at the school. 

 PRAISE REPORT

Our ministry and discipleship programs in schools and communities have not in vain as we have continued to receive a number of praise reports and testimonies from the teachers and volunteers running the fellowship groups and bible clubs in schools and communities respectively. These have been characterized with physical changes in the lives of the children like, change in the Moral lives of the children, change in appearance from the life skill and life application lessons, change in attitude towards work, the children adopting a new language; a Godly language quoting scriptures visa vie using foul language, improvement in  grades especially in Religious education because of these lessons learnt, children starting to change names in relation to the Bible characters they have learnt about at the club and most of all the children being a able to say prayers in English. These and many other such testimonies have streamed our inbox as we continue to reach and impact communities.  This month has not an exception as we witnessed such a testimony first hand. 

This happened after conducting a life skill lesson at Day star primary school. As we conducted this e life skill our goal was for the children to understand the importance or respecting parents, teachers, elders, pastors, etc. and for them to be able to show respect to others. Having done the lesson and answered a number of questions in line with the topic discussed, we dismissed the children only to later be approached by Alice (Not real names) with a question she thought was not appropriate to be asked earlier since it was not in line with the days topic. Uncle Robert she inquired, “During which period of creation were the Angels created? I have tried to look for the answer to this in the Bible but have still failed to find a verse that talk about it. Can you please tell me? ”

 It was awesome witnessing how much the children were growing in their relationship with God and especially knowing that they were searching their Bibles for answers.  Such testimonies have prompted us to continue to reach even more communities and impact more souls making disciples of the little ones thanks to your generous contributions.

PRAYER REQUESTS

Our prayer requests this month are

1. Continue to pray for an increase in our monthly Budget so that we may be in position to reach and implement programs new and old districts/Islands that may open up for the programs.
2. There is also a great need for a ministry car that would enable us to access these areas.
3. Lastly pray for peace and stability in the western part of the country where there has been massive killings of up to 90 and arrests arising from tribal/land conflicts dating back to 1925 leading to fears displacement of hundreds in the districts of Kasese and Bundibugyo.

TARGETS

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

• Establish our programs in Kamuli and Mbale Districts
• Follow-up program to Adjumani district and evaluate the programs established through the Reach-out South Sudan Program.
• Begin the Community Health Evangelistic programs in Kikalamoja and Makenke.
• Replicate the discipleship programs in Bugungu Prison and other prisons in the Eastern Region.
• Introduce a discipleship program for the women in the adult literacy program at Day Star Primary School.

We are grateful once again for this opportunity to serve with you and your generous contributions towards the activities of the ministry. Through your generous support, you enable us build and help bring transformation in the communities and lives of individuals. Please we still need your support and therefore request you to click on the DONATE button to donate towards this cause.

May the Good Lord bless and increase you

Yours in Service

Robert Sebunya – Team Leader

 

 

Glad Tidings

We bless the Lord for this opportunity to yet again testify of what He has done through the ministry this month. I greet you in the mighty name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I believe the Lord has still kept you all well and continued to guide and direct you in all the ministry activities. We are highly thrilled as we have always been during this time of the month as we sit down and recount what the Lord has done in our midst. It’s this thrill that entices us to write and with gratitude share the outcome of your support and partnership with this ministry. We pray that even as you read this report, you will be as thrilled as we are.

As we wind up the month, we are glad to having been involved in a number of ministry activities in Jinja and Kampala. These include School outreaches, trainings, prison outreaches, Movie outreach, community evangelism, and community empowerment programs.

TRAININGS

We have had two major trainings this month. Unlike our regular vision casting trainings, we have introduced our partners in two unique and yet impacting trainings for the Children and youth workers and also school teachers. These two trainings have been conducted in Jinja and Kampala Districts to enhance the knowledge and understanding of children with practicable examples and experiences shared.

The Kampala Mailbox – Explorers Club Training

This training was conducted in Makindye Madinisa one of the suburbs in Kampala.  The training mainly focused on teachers directly working with the preteens and youth.  This program involved the introduction of the Explorers Club Curriculum which would boost the knowledge shared during the training. The Explorers Club Program is unique in that through the course:

1.    Children are evangelized through local churches.

2.  Children are discipled through local churches, and engaged to reach other

     children as witnesses for Christ!

3.This is done generationally, over and over again, harnessing the untapped

     resource of children reaching children for Christ.

The first training focused on implementing Explorer Club 1 that covers topics including, what is God Like?, Who is the Promised Savior?, Did Jesus Really Rise from the Dead?, Four Questions, How Can I Become a Child of God?, Jesus is coming again!, Four Things God Wants Me to Know, A New Person in Christ, and Jesus is My King Forever!

A total of 28 Children and youth facilitators from 13 churches and organizations gathered for this training and fully qualified to implement the program in their different churches and organizations. We are grateful for this program and believe this will aid in transitioning children to youth programs one of the greatest challenges different institutions are currently facing.

The Jinja Child Protection training

The training was conducted at Walukuba Masese in Jinja for the teachers of Day Star, God’s Gift and Nawampendo Primary Schools in there different communities. Jinja is district infamously known for high child abuse cases. A recent study conducted found out that cases of child sexual abuse are common in the district with defilement being the highest form of child sexual abuse according to adult respondents that participated in the survey, at 47.4% for adults and 33% for children. This was closely followed by use of a sexually suggesting language (bad language) at 19%, fondling (bad touches) at 13%, CSEC at 10.3%, exposure to pornography at 6.3% and exposure of sexual organs by adults to children at 4%. The study also found out that 98% of the girls are the most vulnerable to child sexual abuse as compared to boys (2%). It was found out that vulnerability to sexual abuse increases with the age of a child. In fact, they are mainly children between 16-17 years who are at most risk of sexual abuse followed by those between 12-15 years, then 6-11 years, 1-5 years and those below one year. Children are sexually abused by neighbours, followed by parents, boda-boda cyclists, teachers, step mothers, house helps, step fathers, uncles, mothers and aunties. Child Sexual Abuse (CSA) is more common in Walukuba-Masese, followed by Buwenge, Butagaya and lowest in Bugembe. In addition, the study found out that CSA occurs most in homes, followed by markets, in lodges, then road sides, at night, school, and water points and also in places of worship.

In regard to this therefore, as a measure to help curb this problem, we have decided to undertake a training program in Child protection starting with the teachers in the schools mentioned above which program afterwards will be taken to the community levels and other community schools. This 12 module program will be conducted in four training programs covering three modules each; with the first training already conducted covering the first three modules of Recognizing child abuse, Biblical perspective, and Children’s rights. Through the trainings, the participants (Teachers) shared the various child abuse cases they have received and what their greatest challenges have been the greatest of which being how to deal with the cases. This training as explained by Mrs. Rose of Day Star Primary school was key to helping overcome these challenges. As the teachers engaged in this training, they were taken through a number of challenges that they were required to come with a solution to sharing different examples. At the end of the training, they were challenged to implement these programs I their respective schools and communities.

A total of 28 participants attended the training and commissioned to go forth and begin the transformation process in their schools and communities.

SCHOOL OUTREACHES

We have had the opportunity to reach out to four schools through our school outreach program this month. Three of the schools are Primary one High School in Kampala, Jinja and Iganga. 

Good Hope Primary School

Found in the outskirts of Nakulabye slum three kilometers from the city centre, Good Hope provides education services to up to 512 children in the primary section. Through this outreach, we had the opportunity to minister and share the Gospel with the children from the creation story. Together with the help of the teaching staff, we shared the story of the salvation plan of God for man using the CSB booklet at the end of which we made an invitation to receive Christ as Lord and savior of which 379 children responded by raising their hands and saying the sinners prayer together with the whole school. One intriguing thing about the outreaches was how the children showed much interest even as the story was. To many of the children has never been told using visuals so many had never had a glimpse of what the bible characters could possibly have looked like.  To build on this trend, we therefore gave out a pack of visuals to the school. We have also been given two slots every week in the school program to implement the 17 stories course for the lower and upper classes.

Though these outreaches, we distributed a total of 5,800 booklets, 1,300 Tracts, Visuals, Teaching Curriculums and Bibles.

THE FILM MINISTRY

The community film ministry has been one key ministry by which massive souls have been won this month. Kamwookya is one such community that has been impacted through this outreach. TLC was our outreach centre for the movie ministry located in the heart of this community and a hung out area for youth and children from the community,

We engaged the administrator of the centre with the proposal to show a movie and perhaps start a discipleship program for them there after an idea that was gladly bought and thus the show. At the time of the show, the centre had up to 620 youths at the venue hanging out with friends with the news about the show having been spread; they were equipped and ready for the school.

We had 323 youths and children surrendering their lives to Jesus after watching the Godman movie. Together with Light of The Youth Kamwokya a Local NGO we look forward to do a follow-up program to the youths.

2,000 tracts were distributed during the two outreach 1,200 booklets, 1,294 people reached and 779 surrendering their lives to Jesus

THE PRISON MINISTRY

As we reach out to the prisons, we always have the two purposes of prison as laid by the prison authorities behind our minds

1.    It’s a deterrent, preventing a culprit from committing crime again, preventing him from becoming a repeat offender.

2.   It’s a place for an inmate to reform. He or she abandons his or her past and becomes a new creature.

These two we believe are not possible without the divine intervention of God. It’s for this reason that ministry outreaches to the prisons have never been an option to. This for this reason that we reach out sharing he gospel, bibles, tracts, showing movies and establishing discipleship programs in the prisons.

With our outreach program to Kirinya prison this month, we yet again had the opportunity to share the gospel with the inmates as we have always done. Through this outreach we had the opportunity to share from the bible with 987 inmates from both the male and female sections engaging both the old and new inmates at the remand sections. During the outreach, 457 inmates gave their lives to Christ with 18 bible distributed at the two prison centers. At least 800 tracts were distributed and the new converts adopted into the new believer’s discipleship programs at the prisons.

This month, we have reached out to a total of four prisons of Murchison Bay Prison, Kirinya Prison, Kasangati and Luzira Women, 7,322 inmates with 4231 giving their lives to Christ. 10,000Traxcts distributed 35 Bibles and 2,400 booklets.

PRAISE REPORT

STEVEN is our touch person in the Busoona area in Nawampando Jinja district. Located over 25Km away from Jinja town, we encountered this community through one of the prison wardens at Kirinya prison. During our school outreach to Nawampando Primary school, we met Mr. Steven who happens to be the religious leaders at the mentioned school. From this moment on, Steven has since never ceased to attend the different trainings and sessions we have held.

Through these trainings, Steven has been able to establish different programs in his community. He has single handedly started a fellowship group in the school where children gather every weekday for fellowship. He has mobilized the community pastors for the first Vision casting program in the community. Coupled to this, he is currently conducting trainings for the community school teachers on the basic topics on child development focusing on who a child is and the roles of teacher.

Steven was not excluded from the child protection program this month. With the news of the training shared with different community teachers, he managed to be the only representative to attend from Busoona community. With the knowledge and experience attained, he hopes to implement the programs in his community. With this commitment displayed, Mr. Stephen has become our key touch in the area and steadily working towards transforming his community.

PRAYER REQUESTS

We still believe God in these areas in which we pray that you will stand with us I prayer

 ·         The planned Children’s Vocation Bible School program to be held in Jinja early December 2014

·         Budget: Pray that God will avail us with more funding to help us meet our targets and reach thee new communities.

·         Mission Car (4 Wheel Drive): We have been in constant need of a mission car that would enable us reach these communities at a cheaper cost being that renting these cars is so costly with our budget unable to meet the costs.

·         A mission House: We believe God for a mission house that will house our training centre for the leaders in and around Kampala.

TARGETS

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

 ·         Establish our programs in Kamuli and Mbale Districts

·         Follow-up program to Adjumani district and evaluate the programs established through the Reach out South Sudan Program.

·         Begin the Community Health Evangelistic programs in Kikalamoja and Makenke.

·         Replicate the discipleship programs in other prisons in the Eastern Region.

·         Introduce a discipleship program at the adult literacy program at Day Star Primary School.

Thank you once more for your prayer support and all the vital encouragement it brings into any ministry.

God Bless You

Robert Sebunya

Director

You can continue to support these programs financially or by giving in kind by clicking the DONATE  button and using any of the options provided.

 

 

 

 

Dear Partners

Greetings in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ; I pray all is fine. I am delighted and honored to yet again write this ministry report concerning our ministry programs for the month of May. It is therefore with a great sense of excitement and an overwhelming feeling of responsibility that I write these opening remarks.  This report will hopefully define, if not fully, the goals, direction, and atmosphere of our ministry partnership.
Our ultimate goal is really quite simple; to bring glory to God. This is our challenge.  This is our quest.  This is our mission.  It is therefore our mandate to do whatever it takes to achieve this goal.  With this guiding principle, we have never stopped seeking partnership, assistance and support, your input and ideas, and most importantly, your trust. Together, step by step, we can accomplish great things and I believe we are already achieving this dream. I pray you will be blessed as you read through this report.

EVANGELISTIC ACTIVITIES

We bless the Lord for the immense evangelistic activities we have been engaged in this month. These ministry activities range from school outreaches, community health programs, trainings, Film outreaches, and prison outreaches just to mention a few.

The community Film Ministry

Through the community film ministry this month, we engaged the two communities of Busiwu in Mbale and Namatongo in Jinja district. These two communities although apart from each other share similar community challenges ranging from poverty, poor infrastructure, health challenges, idleness, drug abuse, joblessness, gambling among the youth, increased crime just to mention a few. Unlike Busiwu, Namatongo is a Muslim dominated community with 70% of this community subscribing to the Islam faith. This therefore accounts for the not so good turn up for the Film in this community with 533 people coming for the Film.

On the other hand Busiwu had a large turn up with 1,056 people gathering to watch the Jesus film. With this large turn-up with the help of believers in the nearby church that also greatly contributed in mobilizing the masses, we graciously contained the large number ensuring that Gospel tracts and booklets were distributed to the Adults and children as they streamed to the venue. Through these two outreaches, 1,236 people gave their lives to Christ and 1,700 booklets and tracts distributed through this program.

The School and Community Bible Club Outreaches

Being that schools have been closed off for the term, our ministry activities to schools have been minimal with only two schools of Makindye Junior and Daystar Primary schools being the schools reached out to this month. With this outreach we had the opportunity to share the gospel with the children and build on the discipleship program already running at the school.

Makindye Junior Academy Outreach           

The Samaritans purse through its operation Christmas Child program undertakes a community survey on the spiritual stand of the children in a given community setting. This year we were privileged to be chosen to partner in this undertaking. As a ministry we were required to select a suitable school for the survey and one of them being Makindye Junior academy where the survey was undertaken. Through this undertaking we had the opportunity to minister to 250 children especially from the upper primary section sharing with them the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ with 187 children surrendering their lives to Jesus.  With this done, we are set for a ministry to the school where we look forward to start a discipleship program at the school.  

Meanwhile in our community bible club outreaches, we engaged the Kirinya Bible club reaching out to 82 children and sharing on the subject of prayer. Being that the children were setting up for the being of term, this was ideal for them a moment they used to pray for their school needs and wisdom for the next term. At the end of this ministry, we distributed the Kids Health Supplements to the children to help boost their immune system as they get back to school.

300 booklets were distributed during these outreaches at Makindye Junior School.

Trainings

In our training programs this month, we have had the opportunity to train 103 community leaders and pastors in four separate Vision casting trainings in Kampala, Jinja and Mbale. Three of these trainings were aimed at empowering and enriching the leaders on their understanding of the dynamics of community evangelism through children and youth ministries using community based programs. These three trainings were conducted at Victory City Church Rubaga Kampala, God’s Gift Primary school Jinja and Busiwu Mbale respectively.

Through these trainings, we introduced the participants on the idea of starting up community bible clubs using the 17 stories course as a tool to effectively reach and disciple the children. It’s after this that we engaged the teams in a 17 stories training and commissioned them to start the community clubs.

The Christianity Focus Centre Children and youth Leaders Seminar

We were privileged to be part of this seminar. This annual seminar organized by the church was aimed at equipping the leaders with ideas and resources on effective ministry and facilitate growth in the area of children and youth. The organization was therefore invited to take over a session of the training sharing on how this can be done and avail materials for the accomplishment of the stated purpose. It’s at this point that we introduced the 17 stories course and shared on the impact and testimonies of how the course has brought change to communities and churches. at this point we challenged the attendants to organize trainings for the course something that is already taking effect. A total of 31 churches were involved in these trainings with a total of 3,400 booklets for children and youth, tracts, and visuals distributed after the trainings.

The Community Empowerment Programs

In our community empowerment program this month, we engaged the two communities of Masese 2 and Namatogonya Village in Kitigoma. In conjunction with 4LIFE an organization that sells and distributes Health Supplements all over the world, we engaged these two communities to which we engaged 183 mothers/women in the Masese community in a health talk aimed at helping them analyze and work towards supporting the health of their families. This two hour training helped build capacity in the women on how to help their families and themselves eat and live healthy. 

To strength this cause, over 300 different health supplements for children, women with Kidney problems and multi-vitamins were distributed to the women both in Masese and  Namatogonya Village to help build on their immune systems. Together with these products we distributed the Legacy Booklets for the spiritual enhancement of the children after sharing the gospel with 74 women surrendering their lives to God. 210 were distributed at the end of this program.

The Prison Outreaches

In a drive to reach out to inmates this month, we engaged the four prisons of Kasangati, Murchison Bay, Bugungu and Kirinya. Bugungu located in the outskirts of Jinja town supplements the prison services offered at Kirinya prison. However due to the remoteness of its location and poor infrastructure, it is the least reached of the two.

Besides our regular ministry activities at Kirinya, we have added Bugungu on the program making it second of the biggest prisons in the eastern region we have fully incorporated into our discipleship programs. Through the help of the leadership of the Kirinya prison, we look forward to setting these programs in this community. Through this outreach, 6,262 inmates were reached with 1,708 inmates surrendering their lives to Christ at both prisons. A consignment of 7,000 Christian literature and 22 Bibles were also given to the inmates to help them grow in their new found faith.

PRAISE REPORTS

This month has been unique in the Kirinya Prison quarters. With the children’s community Bible club in place and a prisons discipleship program running the prisons, this community has not lacked in hearing the gospel in comparison to many other communities. However God has not ceased to reach out to man as he has clearly shown this through this community.

Through Mr. Constance Opolot our prisons and children’s coordinator in this community the Lord displayed his power to the people of this community. As a pledge to the Lord for his goodness to his life, Mr. Constant pledged to support the ministry to the inmates and staff chaplain by inviting ministers and financially supporting the evangelistic outreaches at the prison quarters. Having invited four guest preachers to share the Gospel in this rather small community Chapel for the prison wardens, the community gathered to receive the world of the Lord but most of all show courtesy to the visiting preaches. However in the midst of the meeting, the Lord began manifesting his power through signs, wonders and miracles. Coupled to this there was manifestation of word of knowledge and word of wisdom that brought about a number of charms and items of witchcraft being unearthed among the people and different spots of the community.

After this occurrence, there has been an increased yawning for the word of God and its upon this basis that we look forward to set up community Cell groups to help meet the hunger in the hearts of the people in this community. We thank God for the work in progress in this community and believe this work he has begun will be brought to completion.

PRAYER REQUESTS

As we continue to reach the communities and expand to even new communities, with the ever increasing invitations from rather newer communities, we have met a number of challenges hindering us from responding to these calls. We have therefore taken these to God in prayer requesting you pray believing God with us in these Areas.

–       Budget: Pray that God will avail us with more funding to help us meet our targets and reach thee new communities.

–       Mission Car (4 Wheel Drive): We have been in constant need of a mission car that would enable us reach these communities at a cheaper cost being that renting these cars is so costly with our budget unable to meet the costs.

–       A mission House: We are believing God for a mission house that will house our training center for the leaders in and around Kampala.

TARGETS

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

–       Establish our programs in Kamuli and Mbalae Districts

–       Re-engage Adjumani district and evaluate the programs established through the Raeachout South Sudan Program.

–       Begin The Chommunity Health Evangelistic programs in Kakalamoja and Makenke.

–       Replicate the discipleship programs in Bugungu Prison and other prisons in the Eastern Region.

–       Introduce a discipleship program for the women in the adult literacy program at Day Star Primary School.

We bless the Lord for your faithfulness and continued support and belief in this ministry and its efforts to reach and impact prisons and communities. Whatever God’s dream about man may be, it seems certain it cannot come true unless man cooperates. – Stella Terrill Mann

You can continue to support these programs by financially or giving in kind by clicking the DONATE button and using any of the options provided.

May Christ be glorified in your ministry and may He continue to unite His body through this fellowship and may the Lord abundantly bless and increase your store houses.

God Bless You

Robert Sebunya

Director Mercy Link Foundation Africa

 

 

Greetings

I bring to you with much eagerness and gratitude this report concerning Mercy Link Foundation Africa’s April 2014 ministry report. I pray all is fine and that you are finding fulfillment in all that you are doing. Its during such a time as this that we share with you highlights of the great and awesome community based testimonies that the Lord has helped us achieve through the month with this month being no exception. Through this month among many other things, the Lord has blessed us with the privilege to give back to the communities through our humanitarian arm, empower communities, share the word of God, and above all connect with new partners as we pursue the great commission of making disciples of all nations. I strongly believe that you will feel as much joy as I and the team do as you read through this report because your generous contribution has been the reason as to why we have been able to achieve this. My prayer is therefore that you will delight in your efforts and contribution towards this ministry.

COMMUNITY SHOE DISTRIBUTION CAMPAIGN

This month has been so rewarding to this ministry. We have had the privilege to partner with STRIDES for Health a USAID funded project in Uganda in a shoe distribution program to some of our community projects. This initiative is a result of STRIDES partnership with TOMS a US based shoe manufacturing company to strengthen and increase access and demand for nutrition services through provision of demand side incentives such as shoes. Because of our great track record concerning community based programs and evident results, STRIDES considered us potential partners to engage in the campaign and availed us with shoes to distribute though our different community programs.

A total of 1,647 pairs of shoes were availed to be distributed in five different communities where we have programs running. These included Bulange/Nabulagala in Kampala, Mafubira, Kitigoma, Masese and Kirinya Prison compound in Jinja. Through this program, we aimed at helping cub one of the greatest health challenges especially in Jinja; jiggers. These communities were priority on our choice list because of the different health and economic challenges they face causing the children to suffer a number of emotional, physical and health related challenges ranging from Jiggers, skin diseases, to trauma and different psychological problems. It’s a common phenomenon to find children in these communities walking half naked and barefoot. These practices and challenges have been carried to the school as well where over half of the children come to school barefooted. Two schools of Day Star and God’s Gift Primary Schools were beneficiaries of the distribution with 680 children acquiring a new pair of shoes in both schools. The community clubs of Bulange, Kirinya and Mafubira were the other three beneficiaries.  At kitinya a total of 215 children received shoes at the Kirinya Prison compound. The beneficiaries’ comparison of both children to the wardens and the inmates in the Women prison who live with their children inside the prisons. With less visits and barely anything to support their children on, this program came as a blessing to the women in the prisons. The prison wardens were equally jubilant as they witnessed their children receive a pair of shoes each during the Easter weekend. “You have relieved us from the burden of buying shoes next term” was a comment from one of the wardens. We believe this initiative will create a lasting impact in the lives of the children, inmates and wardens having met them at their point of need.

Through this program, we had the opportunity to add value to the community club project distributing 967 pairs of shoes, saving children from the different health issues the communities face ranging from jiggers, accidents, and other health related issues associated with not wearing shoes.  We thank God for this opportunity to add value to the communities.

THE SCHOOL OUTREACHES

Through our school outreach this month, six schools were lined up on our program. These included Day Star, God’s Gift, Makindye Standard, Luwaga, Kibuye and Faith Primary schools.  Four of these are new schools whereas Day Star and God’s Gift primary schools are two of the schools reached where we already have our programs running.

Faith Primary School

Located in Nabulagala, Faith primary school is one of the most influential schools found in the heart of this slum community. Located adjacent to Mengo Hill the school lies in a community located in a valley surrounded by hills from all sides that also act as the center of drainage for Kasubi and Namirembe as well as surrounding Mengo areas.

At the school we shared the salvation story being that it was our first outreach to the school. With the aid of visuals we narrated the God’s plan of salvation from the story of creation, the fall of man to coming of Jesus and resurrection of Christ showing the purpose of the birth and death of Jesus. At the end of the sharing when the invitation was made to receive Christ, 465 children raised their hands to make a commitment to the Lord. We distributed a consignment of tracts and booklets to the children to aid in their discipleship and better understanding of the commitment they had just made. The school administration gave us an invitation to continue with the program in the school every month something we are glad to do. We look forward to start some of our discipleship programs in this school.

This was almost the same trend in the rest of the new schools apart from Day star and God’s Gift where besides the sharing we did a shoe distribution. Through this ministry this month, 7,342 children were reached and 3, 677 children committed their lives to Jesus. 7, 350 booklets and 200 tracts were distributed to the children and school staff. We thank God for this initiative.

THE COMMUNITY FILM MINISTRY

Busega and Masese are two communities we have reached through this ministry. Busega located in Kampala and Masese in Jinja have been our area of focus this Easter season where we have taken engaged the community in the Jesus film show. Through this ministry, we showed the Jesus movie to 1,057 people, distributing tracts and booklets to children and adults in these communities.

Masese Community

This community covers a wide scope of Jinja town. We have had the privilege to show this movie in almost most parts of this community. This Easter season, we took it into consideration yet a again to engage a apart of this community. The show attracted up to 873 people from this community who gathered to watch the Jesus being show that evening. With the movie running the team engaged in the distribution of Christian literature ad tracts to the viewers from the community. At least 500 children booklets and 400 tracts were distributed that evening.

As the movie commenced, we engage the viewers in a mini crusade inviting them to give their lives to Jesus. 523 people committed their lives to Christ after the invitation to whom we distributed the first time believers tracts. After this we directed them to the community church for discipleship. This was done in conjunction with the community pastor.

Busega Communtiy Film Show

Unlike the former, this movie show was specifically organized for the children in the community. Through partners on ground, we mobilized the community children for a GODMAN movie show through which we were to display the life of Jesus and the plan of salvation of man in a child friendly way.

The venue set was in one of the community churches where these children gathered to watch the movie. Up to 184 children gathered to watch the movie. 200 booklets were distributed after show to build on what they had watched and 123 of the children gave their lives to Christ majority of who were non church going children. As a follow up measure to disciple these children, we look forward to setting up a community Bible club to implement this.

THE COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT PROGRAMS

Through our community empowerment programs this month we had the opportunity to add value to yet another organization; MYDEL. MYDEL (Mengo Youth Development Link) is an organization working out of the slums in central Kampala who strive to enhance the education and sporting talents of the local kids. MYDEL was started in the year 2000 out of the slums in central Kampala. The purpose of the organization is to bring kids from the streets into a family environment where they can develop their sporting and educational potential to help them achieve successful futures free of poverty, disease and crime. MYDEL strives to see that every child who knocks on their door is taken in and their life changed for the better. They see that the best reward is watching one of their children succeed. The organization follows an old but poignant saying: “Winners are not those who never fail, but those who never give up “As a non-profit organization MYDEL relies on help from the local community as well as international volunteers and sponsors.

Besides the sports bit of the organizations program, Mr. Pascal Lutaya the founder of the organization has taken on the initiative to set up a resource centre for MYDEL to benefit the children and the community at large. Being that the organization relies on donations from well-wishers and local community, we decided to provide a helping hand towards the success of this project.  We donated up to 200 text books and 600 children Christian literature towards this project and also an Apple desktop computer to help in the effect running of the project. Having worked together on a number of projects, we felt this was time to support a brother in need and with the resource centre also complete, we believe this will impact the community and attract even more street children to the centre. 

THE LEADERS VISION CASTING TRAINING

This month we have had the opportunity to add a new district to the list of our scope of operation. Kamuli district has been one of our targets from the beginning of the year and we are privileged to have finally broken ground in this district. Unlike the districts of Jinja, Iganga and Mbale, Kamuli has not been a great beneficiary of many community based program with some of the casuses attributed to the bad roads leading to the district. This however is being compromised through the construction of the road network to the district. Through Holy Ghost miracle Centre Kamuli, were able to establish a partnership and organize for a leader’s vision casting training.

The training attracted leaders from 12 different churches ranging from pastors, children and youth leaders, and administrators from the same churches. Through this training, we shared with the leaders on the call to transform communities and bring change in the lives of these wanting communities. We shared different strategies the church can apply to win the trust of the communities and attract them to church. We also shared testimonies of how different communities have been impacted through the children and youth ministries and how the churches in Kamuli can use the same strategies to reach and impact families in their own communities. By the end of the vision casting training, 22 leaders had been empowered to start planning for their churches and congregation.

Having experienced the impact of the training, the leaders proposed for another training to be done the following month. With this being discussed, the leaders committed to alert more churches so as they can implement these programs as a team. Children and youth ministry training was the first training to be conducted a proposal the church leaders seconded citing a lag in this ministry. To second the value of children and youth ministry as discussed during the vision casting training, Pr. Emmanuel one of the resident pastors shared his testimony of how his ministry has been impacted because of the intervention of children.

Pr. Emmanuel’s Testimony

“When I first realized the Lords call on my life to start and Pastor a church, I didn’t know how to start. However because I knew He had told me so, I was sure of His help. The ministry started struggling even before it was established. Together with my wife we started a church in the middle of this community something that didn’t please the devil. Immediately we started experiencing opposition. With a total of 40 members attending church, there was neither an increase nor decrease in the number of our flock not knowing why. We later on discovered that there were people moving in the community door to door trying to discourage people from joining the church. We prayed about this thinking we had met our greatest adversity not until what would seemingly be the last member joined the church.

She was a girl in her late teens probably 17 who having given her life to Christ decided to become part of the congregation. Little did we know by the time she joined, she was already pregnant. Three months down the road, she could not hide her pregnancy something that would later lead to the collapse of the church.  With this issue in place, these people went around telling everybody how the church was responsible for her pregnancy something that brought hatred and discouragement to the members.  In a period of less than a month, all the members had quit and joined other churches leaving me and my wife.” Having no flock to pastor, I engaged in praying and praising and worshiping alone in the church building everyday a practice that would later attract my first ne congregants; children.

On this fateful day I sat drumming while praising aloud something that attracted these two little girls. On seeing me do what I was doing went ahead to invite their friends who came and joined in the singing. That’s how the church begun again. My first two members; children led to the rebirth of the ministry. Today the two little girls have grown and are married and I still attribute the success of this ministry to them. I know God used them to raise the ministry and that’s why I value children ministry and I strongly believe children are equally important in the kingdom of God.

Having shared this testimony, Pr. Emmanuel took it upon himself to lead the mobilization team for the next children ministry training.

Our Ultimate goal is to help and develop the distressed, needy, neglected and vulnerable people in Uganda and Africa as a whole spiritually, socially and economically by empowering them through capacity building and providing necessary knowledge for relevance, responsibility and sustainability. We believe through these programs, we are achieving this goal and with your support, we are yet to see even more communities reached and transformed.

PRAYER REQUESTS

We are grateful for your continued support through the first quarter of the year. We strongly believe that all we have together achieved is because of the continuous prayers you have offered towards this ministry. Men may spurn our appeals, reject our message, oppose our arguments, despise our persons; but they are helpless against our prayers. –J. Sidlow Baxter

There are a number of prayer points that we are focusing on this quarter and would like to kindly request you to stand with us in. These include;

1.   We believe God for a Mercy Link Premise. A premise that will accommodate a training center, The Mercy Link offices and a lounge.

2.   Sponsorship for the school dropouts who need school fees in order to enroll for the High school and Vocational Studies. 

HOW YOU CAN BE A PART OF THIS.

You can be a part of this by either giving a onetime donation or engaging in the monthly, quarterly or annual support programs. This can be done through PayPal or any of our bank accounts listed in the DONATE section.

We are grateful for you generous support towards this ministry and thank God for every contribution you make towards the progress of this ministry and our prays for you are filled with gratitude and blessings as we pray daily.

Thank you again

Blessings

Sebunya Robert

Director Mercy Link Foundation Africa

 

 

 

 

 

Dear Partners

Greeting in the mighty name of our Lord Jesus Christ; I pray all is well and that the good Lord has kept you well and in a perfect health. The Mercy Link team is filled with gratitude and praise for all the support you have been and still offering to the ministry enabling it to successfully achieve its set goals for the year. We are grateful for your faithful prayers towards the ministry and financial support and counsel that has seen us progress in the different ministry activities through the first quarter of this year. It’s upon this fact that I am actually writing this report to share with your hat your generous contribution to the ministry has achieved. I pray that this report finds you in good health, faith and wealth.

PRISON MINISTRY

The month of March has been entirely dedicated to reaching out to the prisons. With 224 detention facilities at hand through out the country, we are tasked with the mission to reach out to 16 of these prisons to share the gospel, implement our discipleship programs and give humanitarian support and scripture portions to these prisons to which we have been granted free access until the end of the year.  “The prison system was not designed for correction, but punishment. Therefore, procedures do not encourage offender correction, yet there has to be more to prison than punishment.” says one of the top prison officials. This therefore accounts for the 32% re-offending rates in the country. For this reason, it has therefore become one of our goals to reach out and add the spiritual aspect onto to the different programs that the prison system is running to curb the re-offending cases and rehabilitation of the inmates among which include formal education, functional adult literacy, vocational training, religious empowerment and counseling plus farming.

Among the prisons visited this month include U.G. Prison Luzira Upper Condemn, U.G. Prison Luzira M/Bay, U.G. Prison Luzira Women, U.G. Prison Masaka, U.G. Prison Mbarara, U.G. Prison Kabale, U.G. Prison Buluwula, U.G. Prison Jinja Main and Women, U.G. Prison Kasangati, U.G. Prison Bulawula, U.G. Prison Kigo men and women, U.G. Prison Buguungu, U.G. Prison Nakasongola, U.G. Prison Maluku Mbale, U.G. Prison Tororo, U.G. Prison Masindi, U.G. Prison Jinja Remand. A total of 12,000 inmates have been reached this month through these outreaches. We have had the opportunity to share the gospel, give humanitarian items like sugar, food items, sanitary items, toiletries, Bibles, tracts and other Christian literatures.

As a result of these outreaches to the prisons this month, 7,137 inmates gave and rededicated their lives to Christ. Over 1,000 bibles were distributed and 13,000 tracts and booklets distributed to inmates and prison staff through these outreaches. 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.

 SCHOOL OUTREACHES

Schools have been another of our key ministry areas this month. Through the school outreaches, we have had the opportunity to share the gospel not only to the children but also the staff as well and establish/revive fellowship groups, distribute Christian literature but also introduce the children’s discipleship programs in these schools. A total of 8 schools have been reached to and benefited from our monthly school outreaches in the month of March. We believe now is the time to reach these children and help them set their destinies at this early stage as we have come to believe that children are the church today. “Plant a word in the mind, and you will reap an act. Plant the act and you will reap a habit. Plant a habit and you will reap a character. Plant a character and you will reap a nature. Plant a nature and you will reap a destiny.” –Unknown. We believe the right word to sow is the Word of God and so have we pursued the dream to reach children in and out of school with the word of God.

These outreaches have been done in different schools in Jinja, Kampala and Nakasongola among which include Shiproy Primary School, God’s Gift Primary school, Help Primary school, God’s Gift primary school, Lakeside Primary School, Masese CDC primary school, Day Star Primary School and Lungujja Progressive. At least 4,534 children have been reached through these programs with 2,134 children giving their lives to Christ and 4,800 children booklets and tracts distributed.

FILM MINISTRY

In our community film ministry this month, we were yet blessed to reach and affect community through the film ministry.

This month we engaged the DANIDA community with the Jesus film show in the community trading centre. This film show was aimed at reaching and impacting this rather unreached community visually. Through this outreach, this community that usually assembles in times of local community meetings, disasters like deaths or accidents had a reason to meet on a cause that was different from any of the usual causes; a cause that did not distinguish between age and sex; Jesus. As we embarked on this ministry outreach in this community that has over 800 households, over 800 people gathered on this community ground to watch the Jesus movie.

As the movie came to the end, through the alter call, about 569 people raised their hands to make Jesus their personal Lord and savior. This was followed with a moment of saying the sinner’s prayer and prayer of commitment. We also made a distribution of Christian literature including 400 children booklets and 600 tracts to the adults. The new converts were encouraged to join the community bible teaching churches so as to be groomed in their Christian walk.

THE COMMUNITY BIBLE CLUB

The community bible clubs have been tremendous registering a huge increase in numbers this month. The clubs at Bulange and Kirinya have born testimonies to this. The other clubs at  Makindye, Busaabala, Kitigoma, Mafubira and Kikalamoja. There has also been a tremendous change in the clubs of Nauyo, Bulucheke and Bududa as well as reported by the facilitators in these communities.

The Bulange Bible Club

Bulange club as the pioneer club has steadily been growing both in numbers and discipling of the children. Today on average 105 children come weekly for the community bible club activities. As the year kick started, with the development of the “Raising Hope” curriculum designed as a rehabilitation tool to help children having psychological, spiritual and physical challenges, we have engaged the children in this curriculum since the beginning of the month and the children have not only learnt but applied these teachings in their lives. Two weeks ago a lesson learnt from one of the topics was forgiveness and the children were tasked to find someone to forgive in the life challenge. The following week the children came back with testimonies of how they had forgiven the people who had hurt them. One such testimony was from Samantha a teenager at the club who confessed of how she got insulted by a friend and on the brink of opening her mouth to insult her back said “all of a sudden I remembered that memory verse we had learnt from last week’s lesson. It was like someone was reciting back to me the same memory verse we had learnt. Instead of insulting her back, I shut my mouth and inside me forgave her and walked away. Interestingly we became friends again. I wonder what would have happened if I had insulted her back.” a testimony to which the rest of the children roared in laughter. It’s because of such testimonies that the clubs have steadily grown as these children are transforming to become young teachers and leading their fellow children.

This month 2,123 children have on average attended the clubs every weekend and 105 have given their lives to Christ this month alone. We are grateful for the tremendous work the facilitators are doing in equipping the children.

PRAYER REQUESTS

As we look forward to engaging new communities and implementing these programs in them, we ask you to pray with us in these areas.

Ø     Pray for our mission to Kamuli district this month of April that even as we engage this new community, God will connect us with genuine but ministry hearted individuals. As pray for the grounds that even as we undertake the trainings, they will be implemented and that they will bear fruit.

Pray for our prison outreaches. There is a great need for Luganda Bibles in the prisons. Pray that God will raise partners to support this program and providing the bibles.

Pray also for our follow-up missions outreached scheduled for May 2014to Adjumani.

Pray that God will avail us with finances and the necessary logistics to implement and support the programs in these communities.

We still believe God for a mission’s car. Please pray with us in this area tooWe are delighted to have a partner like you and feeling privileged to have confiding in what we do. We once again thank you for your generous support and contributions towards the success of the ministry. We pray that the good Lord will generously bless and increase you. we cease not to pray with and for you. As you continue to support us, we would like to remind you of a scripture that has continuously blessed us. “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.” 1 Corinthians 15:58

May the good lord bless you