Hello once again from the dusty dry heat of Uganda!
Yesterday I sent out a brief update of some of the happenings here in Uganda, however, I had far more to share. Below you will find many more updates about what’s been going on here!
But before we get right into it, I’d like to thank God for working through a great friend of ours, in Manitoba, who almost instantly donated enough funds to cover the costs of the boys who are returning to school on Monday. The donation will indeed cover their first term and this new school year. God bless you – you know who you are🙂
SYF Program Updates… Next on the list is an update on other happenings within the project of SYF…
At the beginning of 2016, God compelled me to restructure quite a few programs and build every program upon a solid rock foundation of God’s Word. With a zeal and fire in my spirit I have spent many long days and hours in my office restructuring several programs and even adding one or two new ones to the calendar.
Ongoing… We continue to have our Youth Literacy Classes which is available for youth who are not able to attend a primary school (due to a variety of reasons, but usually school fees). This class is designed to help those youth learn the basics of English, Mathematics and Luganda (local language) equipping and empowering them to someday return to school or join a vocational school in the near future. I have now been teaching our Youth Literacy Class since the end of December. As enjoyable as it has been, we are praying for a teacher who can fill that position once God equips us with the necessary funds to pay a qualified teacher a regular salary. We are also in need of a Christian counsellor who can help us offer much-needed counselling sessions to our growing number of youth who suffer from emotional and spiritual challenges, including addictions and self-destructive habits. Please keep all these needs in your prayers as we trust that the Lord will provide in His time.
Our tailoring class continues to operate, however on a smaller scale until I can fully restructure it as well. We also continue to have movies (with a message), craft-making days (called “Gifted Hands”), Youth Fellowship (every Wednesday evening), and Dance. Our Dance program has been resurrected and is now under new leadership of our brother, John. He has a God-given gift in dance and has now stepped up to the plate to lead SYF Dance into freedom in Christ through their dance moves! Dance will be one of our sources of promoting outreach and evangelism in the near future.
New Programs… We’ve also added two new programs to the weekly schedule, including “GLOW”, which stands for Godly Ladies of Wisdom. This new program is for girls only and is led by Rachael, a gentle, loving and spirit-filled woman who just happens to be one of our assistant directors at SYF. It is proving to be a great program for young women who desire to know the Lord. The second program follows GLOW every Saturday in “Junior Fellowship”. This new program is designed for street children under 14 years of age which allows us to hold our regular Youth Fellowship with youth 14 and above (as stated in our constitution) uninterrupted by the younger children. The topics discussed at Youth Fellowship (14 and above) can usually leaving the young ones lost and asleep, therefore, it has been a topic of discussion and an area of decision to develop a Junior Fellowship catered just for the young ones. We have partnered with “Let’s Serve Christ Ministries” which ministers to street children of all ages, therefore, this allows us to legally have the Junior Fellowship in our Youth Centre facility but under the operations of Let’s Serve Christ Ministries.
Leadership Training At the beginning of February, Rachael (assistant director) and I taught a three (3) day Leadership Training workshop which was open to any and all youth for free. The training was based on a Christian developed program called EQUIP. We had over 20 young people attend the workshop three (3) days in a row! It was packed with valuable information meant to empower and equip people and motivate them to understand their God-given purpose in life and to not give up. It also helped the young people realize and understand that we are all born to be leaders. It has only been a few short weeks since the training, however, I am very happy to report that we have witnessed some radical changes in many of the youth who attended the workshop. They have taken much of what they have learnt and have already begun applying it to their lives with purpose. It is so great to see the fruit that is coming from it. I give a great big thanks our board of directors for voluntarily contributing funds to cover the cost of materials, photocopies, and even lunch on each day of the workshop for the students. God is great!
Discipleship Training Rachael and I are now planning our next training session which will be on discipleship. God recently revealed to me that rehabilitation is not necessary if someone receives proper discipleship. As I discussed this with our board members they agreed that more discipleship training is required so that whatever temptation, challenge or addiction a young person is struggling with, they will have the knowhow, wisdom and knowledge from God on how to overcome such things, propelling them to be victors and not victims.
We have been looking into discipleship materials and have discovered a great teaching resource called the Freedom in Christ Discipleship Course. It is an award-winning course from the UK proven to be effective for Christians, enabling them to become fruitful disciples. We are yet to order it as it completely depends on God’s provisions for us to purchase the materials. The course materials vary in cost, however, the materials we are hoping to get cost approximately 100 pounds, which is approximately $190 CAD. If you have these materials or other discipleship materials similar to it and are willing to share it with us or direct us to where we may order it, please let me know, I would greatly appreciate it! Otherwise, please pray that God will enable us to fulfill His call so that we may disciple these youth in His best way.
Help us! We are currently seeking an organization in Canada that may be able to assist us in issuing tax receipts to those of you who would like to donate to our mission here in Uganda. Unfortunately, due to a busy schedule and very little time in a day I have been unable to make the necessary searches and connections to find a suitable charity in Canada that can help us on this issue. If you know of an organization (that specializes in receiving and sending the donations and can issue tax receipts to donors), please get back to me with the necessary information and details. This can help me make a way forward and remove the ongoing absence of tax receipts for those of you who are patiently waiting until we have that ability. Thank you kindly!
Final word Thank you for taking the time to read through all the happenings here in Uganda, my apologies for writing a novel! However, I simply want to emphasize my gratitude to each and every one of you for your various and important methods of support (prayers, financial, encouragement, etc.). Even after being here for a few years, new things arise everyday – simple and extraordinary. With God’s amazing grace He continues to enable me to be here to fulfill a good and perfect will. I don’t know how long it will be, but I am grateful to all of my family and friends for their patience, love and never-ending support.
May the Lord truly bless each and every one of you and may He shine upon you wherever you may be and whatever you may doing.
“Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.”(2 Corinthians 4:16)
With love,
Kurt – kurt@sowetoyouthfellowship.org