Another year has quickly come and gone! 2011 was a year of triumph, growth, struggles, and successes for GGI and the team in Uganda. Progress both physically, financially, and spiritually continued to confirm God's blessing on our work while opening doors for more work to be done. As we prepare to celebrate our Savior's birth on Christmas, I'd like to share the highlights of 2011 as well as our vision for 2012. Everything that has been accomplished is because of generous giving from child sponsors, churches, individual gifts, and corporate donations. I am truly grateful for the financial, prayer, and physical support everyone has given in 2011 and say "thank you" for everything you've accomplished.
I want to first share and request prayers for Pastor Robert and Sarah during the holiday season. Pastor Robert's mother just passed away and he is going in for his fifth cancer treatment today. With 8 or so students living with them over the holidays and the loss of his mother, we ask that you pray for comfort and strength for them.
- Opened our 4th church with former Fountain of Hope teacher Godfrey as the new Pastor. Pastor Godfrey oversees the new church in the village of Ndolwa, 2 ½ hours away from Bukeeka, and is excited about sharing the word of God. A bicycle was also gifted to Pastor Godfrey to assist with his local transportation needs.
- Baptized hundreds of new Christian believers including 162 people from the Bukeeka area in a mass baptism in the Nile River in June.
- Raised the needed money for Pastor Robert's cancer treatment. So far the treatment is working.
- Built a new house for a single grandmother raising two grandchildren while living in a falling down mud hut.
- Assisted in building a new house for a family living in old mud huts which leaked water whenever it rained.
- Provided sponsor gifts to hundreds of sponsored children. With living conditions very basic, most of the children and families received items such as mattresses, blankets, shoes, shoe polish, socks, school composition books, soap, and food items such as rice and beans.
- Provide numerous gifts to widows and needing families through Sarah's Widow's Mite efforts. Sarah, Pastor Robert's wife, provides assistance to families and those in need while sharing God's love.
- Provided funding for Elisha's first year of college education. Elisha is a son of a witch doctor and is one of Bukeeka's first believers from Pastor Robert's church. Since accepting Christ years ago, Elisha has become a youth leader in the church and finished his high school education. His father attempted to blackmail him by offering to pay for his college if he came and continued on the family business of working for the spirits and becoming a witch doctor. Elisha walked away from his father's offer and instead prayed for a solution to his desire to attend college.
- Successfully held the 2nd annual Fountain of Hope Sports Tournament with eight district wide primary schools attending and hundreds of students and families partaking in the event.
2011 Building the Infrastructure Highlights
- Completion of Fountain of Hope's new boarding house where close to 100 students live during the school year. The boarding house includes separate boys and girls quarters, private courtyards, private bathing stalls, new toilets, and water catchment tanks for collecting rain water for washing.
- Completion of Fountain of Hope's new kitchen funded by Lutheran Women's Mission League. The kitchen includes two storage rooms and four energy efficient built-in stoves saving 50% in wood burning costs.
- Installed solar power and lights for the boarding house, toilets, kitchen, and general outside security.
- Construction of a new Fountain of Hope High School building for 8th and 9th grade classes and the completion of the first school year. The high school has generated additional participation by the local community and allowed many students the chance to continue their education beyond 7th grade.
Every year I'm amazed at how the Lord continues to use Fountain of Hope School, Pastor Robert, and the growing church in Bukeeka to help people and share God's love both spiritually and physically. In 2012, we place our hope and faith in God as we share with you our vision for the ministry.
2012 Vision for Outreach
- Start a child and widow sponsorship program in Ndolwa to support the new church and share God's love with the community. This sponsorship program is aimed at helping those in need no matter their age and showing the community what it means to live out the Christian faith through helping others. While traditional sponsorships focus on children, there are numerous widows and others desperately in need that this program will assist. Our goal is to find 10 sponsors willing to contribute $20 a month. To date we have signed up 3 sponsors.
- Purchase land for the Wabiyinja church - our 2nd church planted. The church has been meeting on borrowed land and has the potential to explode in attendance and outreach efforts once we establish a permanent home. Additionally, the land will be farmed to support a outreach food project to assist those unable to raise or purchase enough food for their families. Cost of land $9,000. Raised so far $3,000.
2012 Vision for Infrastructure
- Build permanent school classrooms for Fountain of Hope Junior School. In order to maintain our favorable status with the Uganda government and secure official certification for our school and remain open we must construct brick classrooms that meet building codes. This effort is the largest capital fund raising initiative we've ever attempted. The cost to build seven classrooms, a teacher's room, and an administrative room all with solar power is $145,000. Raised so far $41,000.
- Build a new Bukeeka Church and Multi-Purpose building. The growing Bukeeka Church continues to meet in Fountain of Hope's wooden classrooms. A larger permanent building will give the church a place to call home as well as provide a community multi-purpose building for adult education, community events, film showings, and the required assembly and testing hall for the school. Cost including solar power is $40,000. Raise so far $2,500.
- Build a new church for Wabiyinja. Currently meeting in a pole barn style building (ie cheap) they are positioned in an area full of potential believers. We wish to establish a permanent church for them to assist in growing and sharing God's word throughout the countryside. Cost to build their church and provide solar power $38,000. Raise so far $0.
- Lastly, we continue to purchase books for the Fountain of Hope Junior School to meet government requirements and ensure the teachers have the necessary tools to teach their students. Based on current prices and exchange rates the total cost remaining to finish purchasing the books is $8,000. Raised so far $0.
While it seems that the list is a never ending request for money, we are committed to changing people's lives and sharing God's love with them in relevant and meaningful ways. The building of an infrastructure not only allows the ministry to continue to operate but also contributes to a longer term vision for transforming Bukeeka into a center of Christian education and outreach. The new school classrooms, multi-purpose church building, and boarding houses will provide a meeting place for pastor training, adult training, evangelist training, Christian retreats and seminars. As always we pray for the Lord's direction and wisdom in all we do and ask for your prayers as well. He has led us successfully this far and we're confident He'll continue leading us where He wants us to be.
Blessings, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
John Kimsey, GGI
