Author: Brian and Jill Kanyike

The Kanyike Update – April 2023

Posted on by Brian and Jill Kanyike

“He is not here; for He is risen, as He said…” Matthew 28:6

Dear friends and family,

HE IS RISEN! HE IS RISEN INDEED!

This past month we had a very nice time preparing for celebrating Jesus’ death and resurrection. As we prepared there were other new beginnings taking place amongst our church members as well.

Recently, two of our church members, Wilbur and Leona, announced to the church their intentions of getting married.  In Uganda the process of getting married is quite long.  Of course there is the normal courtship / dating time.  When the man wants to take the relationship further he doesn’t ask the girl to marry him, he has to ask the father and uncles.  This is called the visitation.  At the visitation the man will go with who ever would be his bestman and one of his uncles.  They will meet with the male heads of the girl’s family and there they will discuss dowry and whether the family believes the match is acceptable. The man normally comes with some gifts to show his seriousness about the marriage proposal and his ability to pay dowry. After the families come to an agreement, then the man may ask the girl officially to marry him. After the girl accepts his proposal they then publicly announce their intentions to the church. 

The reason behind this is twofold. First because the government requires at least three weeks of gazetting before a marriage so that if anyone knows of a reason the couple shouldn’t get married then there is time for it to be revealed and dealt with.  Secondly, the couple will rely heavily on friends, family, and church members to cover the costs of the dowry and wedding expenses.  The church announcement will then kick off wedding meetings about once a week where money will be raised to cover these costs as well as the planning of events. 

Before the actual wedding, the couple will have an introduction.  The introduction is a huge event, sometimes even bigger than the wedding.  It is where the two families are officially introduced, the dowry is paid and the girl is “given” to the man and his family.  It is very colorful and sometimes even involves a lot of acting, dramas and comedy.  During this event sometime before the girls is handed over, after the gifts are given and dowry paid, the boy is required to eat a whole chicken. Wilbur and Leona this past month completed all the visitation, church announcement and Introduction, now we are looking forward to their wedding.

Starting with Palm Sunday the passion week was filled with activities and outreaches to make people aware of what the meaning of Easter is and what Jesus did for them so they could be saved. On Palm Sunday, palms are being waved all over. You see them in church being waved as we sing Hosanna and as Brian teaches about the triumphal entry but you’ll also see them decorating the front of businesses or tied to motorcycle taxis. With Uganda being a somewhat Christian nation this time of year is played out openly and in the streets.  On Good Friday, many different churches come together and reenact the procession of the cross, literally in the streets.   The cross is carried from one end of the city to the next.   This year we saw it 2 times on the roads of Kampala.

At Arise Christian Fellowship we celebrated Good Friday and Easter Sunday with services at church as well as visitations to the needy families in our church to deliver chickens.  The chickens are raised and sold by some of our church members so it blesses both the giver and the receivers.

On Good Friday, Brian taught about the last supper and Jesus’ arrest and crucifixion.  Together as a church body we took communion and reflected on what Jesus’ death meant for us.  On Easter morning we celebrated Christ’s resurrection.  The second largest religion in Uganda is Islam.  Currently they are celebrating Ramadan just as openly and passionately as Christians celebrate Easter.  Brian shared major differences between their’s and our celebrations with the #1 being the foundation of Christianity and our hope, the resurrection of Christ.  No other religion has that evidence or hope. Along with the message of Christ’s resurrection the church celebrated through special music and performances from the youth.  We ended the celebrations with a light meal together.

Thank you for praying for our family and for the ministry in Uganda.

In Him,


Brian, Jill, Luke, Laylee, and Liana

PRAYER REQUESTS

  • We are so thankful  for the many ways the Lord has blessed us and for everyone who supports us and the ministry in Uganda.
  • Please pray for Wilbur and Leona as they take the steps to finalize their marriage.  Pray for the many young married couples in our church to build their marriages on the truth of God’s Word.
  • Pray for Arise Christian Fellowship as they continue to reach out to the market place and surrounding communities. Pray for those who have recently received Christ to grow in understanding and in a personal relationship with Him.
  • Continue to pray for  Luke and Laylee as they learn to navigate online school. Pray for the Kanyike children to get called for their citizenship interview.
  • Pray for Brian as he pastors and leads the ministry team at Arise Christian Fellowship.
  • Please prayerfully consider becoming part of the Kanyike Family support team.

The Kanyike Update – March 2023

Posted on by Brian and Jill Kanyike

I will worship toward Your holy temple, And praise Your name For Your lovingkindness and Your truth; For You have magnified Your word above all Your name.

Psalm 138:2

Dear Friends and Family,

This month Arise Christian Fellowship celebrated completing the New Testament on Sunday mornings.  The church began just over 8 years ago.  It began as an outreach to the market people. This was no easy task as many of them suffered from alcoholism and drug abuse. When the ministry first began there, Brian was actually advised by the local officials to run away because it was too dangerous.  God had other plans and within a short time there was a Bible study meeting under a tree outside of the market with 20—30 men and a study meeting in a little shop with market women.  

After hearing a teaching on Baptism, Brian was asked how they could be baptized.  We began to look for someplace nearby  that they could get to on their own and we saw a sign with a pool on it.  When we talked to the owner it turned out she was a Christian and was very happy to let us use the pool for a baptism.  We then asked if she would ever rent out her restaurant on Sunday for a church service and she was actually very excited to do so. 

The church began the day of the baptism. The next Sunday we began the book of John. While we have had some guest speakers, special occasions and the time off during covid, Brian has taught book by book, chapter by chapter, verse by verse just like Isaiah 28:10 says, “For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept, Line upon line, line upon line, Here a little, there a little.”  and Acts 20:27, “ For I have not shunned to declare to you the whole counsel of God.”

The week after finishing the book of Revelation, we celebrated and reflected on all the Lord has done and taught us as a church.  We had a afterglow with times of worship, times of prayer and of testimony.  One of our worship leaders shared with us the testimony of how recently both his children fell sick at the same time and his daughter who is 3 almost died, needing blood transfusions.  He shared how it was scary but he knew the church was praying for them and helping them when they needed help. He rejoiced that now the children are both well and in church. We had quite a few visitors.  2 were construction workers who have been helping with the renovation of the guest house and 1 was the husband of a lady who has been attending on her own.  All 3 of them accepted the Lord that day.  We are excited to see what the Lord has next as we continue to teach and study His Word.

Since finishing the Book of Revelation, Brian has been praying about where he should teaching from on Sundays.  He has decided to teach through the book of Mark. Many of the people in our church, who have been there since the beginning, have been serving in various ministries around the church and in the community.  We are now beginning to raise up the next generation of “servants” or ministers.  Mark shows Jesus as our servant king, so what better way to begin this next step of discipleship.  Mark 10:45, “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for.

Uganda is both north and south of the equator.  Where we live is just 35 minutes North of the equator.  This causes the seasons to be very mild and the hours of daylight and night time to be almost equal. The weather stays pretty consistent with just one rainier season and one hotter season.  Our hotter season begins in December and ends around Easter.  Because of this, we consider this time Summer.  The school year ends at the beginning of December and begins in February.  This means schools have only just begun for this year.  My kids also just started their new years.  Luke and Laylee are now in middle school.  I wanted them to have more experience with structure and how to use a computer so I have enrolled them with an on line Christian school called Liberty University Online Academy.  We have had a few technological challenges but are slowly getting the hang of it.  Having to spend less time teaching them as freed me up to spend more time focusing on schooling Liana.  She has some behavioral challenges that make learning difficult for her so she really needs the one on one attention.  I would definitely ask for prayer as we all navigate this new school year and online experience.

Another exciting event happened this month.  Our 3rd God-child was born.  A little sister was born to our other God children, Israel and Lindiwe. Her name is Keziah Jean.  She was born in the States so we cannot wait for her to come so we can meet her in person.  Congratulations to her parents, Greg and Jo Clarkson.

Thank you for praying for our family and for the ministry here in Uganda!

In Him,

Brian, Jill, Luke, Laylee, and Liana

PRAYER REQUESTS

  • We are so thankful  for the many ways the Lord has blessed us and for everyone who supports us and the ministry in Uganda.
  • Please pray for the men and women who are being raised up to serve in the church and in the community.
  • Pray for Arise Christian Fellowship as they begin the Book of Mark.  Pray for those who have recently received Christ to grow in understanding and in a personal relationship with Him.
  • Pray for all the children who have recently returned to school.  Pray for Luke and Laylee as they learn to navigate online school. Pray for Liana and Jill as they attempt to overcome Liana’s learning challenges.
  • Pray for the Kanyike children to get called for their citizenship interview.
  • Pray for Brian as he pastors and leads the ministry team at Arise Christian Fellowship.
  • Please prayerfully consider becoming part of the Kanyike Family support team.

The Kanyike Update

Posted on by Brian and Jill Kanyike

“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you…” Matthew 28:19-20

Dear Friends and Family,

Happy 60th Independence Day to Uganda!  Uganda received independence from England 60 years ago.  One of the lasting influences from those days is the freedom of religion, specifically  Christianity.  Uganda is by name a Christian country and the ability to share the gospel openly, anywhere is a privilege most countries do not have.  After saying all of this, the truth is Christianity in Uganda is “a mile wide but only an inch deep” as the saying goes.  Ugandans are very traditional and most Christianity is mixed with witchcraft and other traditional beliefs and practices.  Uganda is a country where human sacrifice, especially child sacrifice, still takes place.  As missionaries in Uganda while it is easy to share the gospel it is a more challenging task of discipling people in obeying and following God’s Word above all else.

This month we have had the privilege of helping others who we have been discipling to begin their ministry of discipleship of others.  Recently, two of our church members moved to other areas outside of Kampala.  They have tried commuting on Sundays to come to church at Arise but during the week they began Bible studies at home.  These Bible studies have really grown and the people seem hungry for God’s Word and to grow in their knowledge and relationship with Him.  We recently had a get together at Arise Christian Fellowship with these Bible studies and with the members of our church for a baptism.  Everyone came to service where we worshipped together and Brian taught on baptism and the importance of discipleship and being in fellowship.  After church we had the baptism of 54 people and a small meal together to celebrate each persons decision to follow Christ

At Arise we have had various activities and outreaches taking place for the youth.  On Saturdays we have youth group, on Sundays we have Sunday school, during the week there are various community youth outreaches and on Wednesdays we have been showing a Christian movie.  During the most recent school holiday we had a worship camp.  During this time the worship team taught the youth all about why and how to worship and provided music lessons for those interested.  Through these youth activities we have had quite a number of youth ask to be born again and to be baptized, including our own daughter, Liana.  During the church baptism we were privileged to be able to baptize this next generation od believers.  We pray that they would continue in the way of the Lord and not depart from it.

Brian and I have been blessed to also help out other ministries around Uganda and South Sudan.  Fort Portal, Uganda and Nimule, South Sudan are like second homes or families to us.  This past month the assistant pastor and his wife from Fort Portal returned from their furlough in the states.  We have known them for many years, we did their premarital counseling and are the god parents to their children.  We enjoyed our time with them praying and looking forward to what God has in this next season of ministry for them. 

On that same note the Russians returned this past month as well.  We were so happy to have them back with us.  This time around though they are not to be with us in Kampala but we prayed for and commissioned them to go work with the church in Nimule.  Sasha will be pastoring as he disciples and raises up a national pastor.  Arise Christian Fellowship has another missionary already there called Ivan, who leads the worship team.  He is excited to have some fellow missionaries from “Uganda” join him .  I look forward to travelling both to Fort Portal and Nimule sometime soon to be a part of what God is doing through these faithful ministers.

Thank you for praying for our family and for the ministry in Uganda.

In Him,

                                                       Brian, Jill, Luke, Laylee, and Liana

Prayer Requests          

  • We thank the Lord for everyone who supports us and the ministry in Uganda.
  • Pray for Arise Christian fellowship as they disciple and raise up future teachers and disciplers.
  • Please pray for the men of Arise who are reaching their communities through bible study and home fellowships.
  • Pray for the youth of Arise who have made public commitments to Christ and for the 54 people who were baptized.
  • Pray for Greg and Jo Clarkson and all of the ministry team at  Calvary Chapel Fort Portal.
  • Pray for Sasha and his family as the minister in Nimule South Sudan.
  • Pray for Uganda as they enter their 60th year of independence. Pray for continued religious freedom and for many people to truly come to Christ.
  • Pray for Brian as he pastors and leads the ministry team at Arise Christian Fellowship.
  • Please prayerfully consider becoming part of the Kanyike Family support team.   

The Kanyike Update

Posted on by Brian and Jill Kanyike

 Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man. Luke 21:36

Dear Friends and Family,

This has been a very interesting time in Uganda, our family and the world. It seems only fitting that recently Brian started the book of Revelation. He did not start it because of the events taking place in the world but it is literally where he is teaching by going book by book, chapter by chapter, verse by verse through the Bible. It has been a interesting study for the church as many of them have ever done more than skim through the pages and decide it was too difficult to understand or too scary to read. I believe now through hearing teaching on it, instead they are now expectant and excited.

Every week after church there are deep conversations about the Book of Revelations but also world events and how they all relate. I know even at home with the children the conversation and questions continue. One Sunday after church Luke said, “These things would make a great movie”. That inspired us to restart our movie night at church, which had been shut down since covid. We are currently showing the Left Behind series. While it is fiction, many of the events seem similar to some of the events happening in the world today and it has been eye opening for people that Jesus really is coming back soon for His church and they need to be ready. Before the movie we share a bit what is going to happen and review for newcomers what has already taken place. After the movie the Gospel is given. So far we have had one young man named Wilson ask to get saved. We are praying that many more will make the decision to not be left behind.

On Sundays, if someone has a testimony we often will let them share.  This past Sunday Luke out of the blue said he had something to share.  I was a bit of a testimony of how he shared Christ with a friend who doesn’t believe in God but really turned into an evangelistic message on the realities of hell and how it is our unbelief, not God, that sends us there.  I know the Book of Revelation and the subsequent conversations and movie have made these truths so real to him.  It was a proud mommy moment to hear him share these truth with the church.

If learning about tribulations has not been enough then seeing and hearing about them has really shown us they are all around us. I wrote a while back that FRM had held a refresher course for the chaplains. After that we learned of about 15 who had various sicknesses and injuries. They were sent down on the bus to us in Uganda to receive proper treatment. The night they arrived you would not have know the seriousness of some of the ailments. They were happy, social and almost immediately upon arrival broke into praise and worship. It turned out many of them were very ill with Hepatitis. Thankfully the type they had is very treatable and we expect a full recovery.

One of the chaplains was suffering from 2 old bullet wounds where the bullets had remained in, one in his head and one in his leg. The doctors were able to operate to remove the bullet in his head but they said they could not remove the one in his leg but they cleaned the area very well. One of the chaplains has been suffering from the effects of chemical warfare for years. He was here being treated for some new symptoms. Another of the chaplains had an injury to his eye that required a lens transplant. He was very blessed because the doctor who performs that surgery is only in the country 3 days a month and happened to be here just at that time. Another chaplain thought he had a slipped disc or some sort of back problem and it turned out he had a small benign tumor pressing on his back. Praise God they were able to remove it without any complications. The last chaplain came a bit later when Wes Bentley saw an injury on his leg that looked very infected. It turned out that he came just in time as it was tetanus. We are so blessed to be here at the guest house not just ministering to the lost of Uganda but to the heroes of the faith serving God on the front lines of both spiritual and physical battles.

At Arise Christian Fellowship one of our members, Robert, had his own trial recently. His home is in the slums near the market place where people live very crowded together. Someone nearby left their iron on and it caused a fire. We praise the Lord that Robert and his family were not home when it happened so no one was hurt but everything was burned. When things had cooled down and he and his wife were walking around they found their Bible scorched but not destroyed. It reminded me of in 2 Cor. 4:8-9 “We are hard pressed on all sides, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair;  persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed.” He was very thankful when we were able to give him a new unscorched Bible, though he says he will always keep the other one as a reminder of God’s faithfulness.

Thank you for praying for us and the people we are blessed to serve.

In Him,

Brian, Jill, Luke, Laylee and Liana

Prayer Requests

  • We thank the Lord for everyone who supports us and the ministry in Uganda.
  • Pray for Arise Christian fellowship as they go through the book of Revelation. Pray that they would truly be ready for Christs return. Pray that the staff and church would be stirred up to share Christ with others.
  • Please pray for the many chaplains who have been treated for sickness and injury recently.
  • Pray for Jill and the children as they have all had a bacterial stomach infection.
  • Pray for Robert and his family, as well as any other who were affected by the fire in the slums near the marketplace.
  • Pray for Brian as he pastors and leads the ministry team at Arise Christian Fellowship.
  • Please prayerfully consider becoming part of the Kanyike Family support team

The Kanyike Update

Posted on by Brian and Jill Kanyike

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. Colossians 3:16

Dear Friends and Family,

The summer of mission teams is coming to an end. It has been quite a busy and fruitful season for ministry in Uganda and in South Sudan. It has been a blessing to have the guesthouse continually full of people, with fellowship and worship happening all the time.
This past month was the chaplain’s refresher course in South Sudan. We had around 30 people from many different places come through to help teach and encourage the chaplains that came for the refresher. Over 300 hundred chaplains turned up. Many have been on the front lines facing extreme conditions. This time is set aside for them to continue their training as well as to give them a time of rest and spiritual renewal or fill up. It gives them an opportunity to share what the Lord has been doing in their area of ministry and testify of the things they have seen and done. It is also a time when they can receive medical care and checkups that might not be available where they have been.

Besides spending time in South Sudan with the chaplains, the team also spent time with Canaan Farms in Masindi. There they hosted a large Pastors/Leaders conference as well as a women’s conference. Some of the team were also able to visit and minister at the school, Sanctuary of Grace, while they were there. The focus of the pastor/leader conference, as well as the refresher course, was the End Times. The theme of the Women’s conference was Wake Up and Cast Off (Live in the Fullness of Love).


For some of the team, it was a reunion with us as they had been here before. A couple of the team members used to live here and minister with us. For other team members, it was their first time, and we enjoyed getting to know them. The world is really small when it comes to missions. I met a family who lived and ministered in Europe when I did and were close friends with a couple who I had served with in Austria and Albania. For the most part, though it was such a large team, everything went smoothly, though we had one lost passport (it was found) and about a dozen cases of malaria. We praise God how he is able to work every detail out and make not just a team but a family out of strangers in Christ.

This was our last month with the Russians who had been staying with us.  Sasha, Sveta and their baby, Taya were with us for about 3.5 months.  They very much became part of our ministry team at Arise Christian Fellowship and part of our family,  we already miss them so much.  While they were here we also had 6 other Russians come through.  One couple, a pastor and his wife, came just for 2 weeks and the others for a month.  The wife of the pastor said many things that have stayed with me and encouraged me with my ministry here as well as to continue to pray for Russia. 

One evening when we were talking about the following week of ministry, I was talking about evangelism in the marketplace and the slums and she was surprised.  She asked if we could just go into public places and neighborhoods and share openly about Christ with strangers.  I told her yes that that is actually part of our ministry and how the church started. She looked at me and said,  “that sounds like a beautiful fairytale”.  On the day the couple were to leave the husband had gone to the market with the evangelism team and she attended my women’s study.  When her husband returned and she realized it was almost time to leave she broke into tears.  She said that though they had been here shortly she felt at home, like the home of her youth in Russia, not the Russia of today, and asked us to remember to pray for Russia. 

Among the other four Russians that were here were a pastor who has come a couple times before to teach the chaplains and Natasha who used to be a missionary here with us.  She came with her daughter and 8 year old granddaughter. All of the Russians took part in the Masindi conferences and in the refresher course in South Sudan.  They also spent time with Arise and Natasha and her family joined in with our worship team.  As the Russians prepared to go back, the church laid hands on them and prayed for them and their country.

Lastly, I wanted to share that a beloved member of our church, one of the original men from the market, has passed away.  His name was Blessing.  He was hit by a large vehicle while riding his motorbike home form the market.  He has left behind his wife and 3 year old son.  Please pray for his family and for the church as we grieve his untimely death, though we are confident he is rejoicing in the presence of the Lord.

Thank you for praying for our family and for the ministry in Uganda.

In Him,

Brian, Jill, Luke, Laylee, and Liana

  • We thank the Lord for everyone who supports us and the ministry in Uganda.
  • We are thankful for the many people who come through Uganda and South Sudan each year who desire to share the love of God with the people.
  • Please pray for for the pastors and leaders in Masindi as well as the chaplains who came for the refresher course.
  • Pray for the team members who came through to not only have ministered but they left being ministered to as well. Pray for those who had malaria to be completely healed.
  • Pray for the Russians who have now returned to Russia. Pray for their ministries and for their country.
  • Pray for Blessing’s wife and son as they grieve for him. Pray for the church to be a comfort to them.
  • Pray for Brian as he pastors and leads the ministry team at Arise Christian Fellowship.
  • Please prayerfully consider becoming part of the Kanyike Family support team.

The Kanyike Update

Posted on by Brian and Jill Kanyike

“Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Messiah.” -Acts 5:42

Dear Friends and Family,

I hope you all are enjoying the summer. In Uganda, while it’s hot or warm all year, December, January and February are our summer. This time of year is kind of a combination between spring and fall. It rains on and off and we have some cool days and some very warm days. While we are not in our summer, summer in the States and Europe bring many visitors to Uganda and through the Far Reaching Ministries Guest House. We are currently preparing for a couple very large teams as well as we are currently hosting a family from Russia, who have been very involved with ministry in our church.

Sasha, Sveta and Taya

Before the Teams begin pouring in with the help of Sasha and Sveta, we have been trying to take the time to really get to know the people in our church better. It has been a blessing to get to know where people live and how many people are in their family. Most of our church comes from a near by slum area. Visiting the people in their homes blesses them as well as opens the doors to witness to the many neighbors who all live very close together with them. We have actually seen some of these neighbors come to church. Visiting the church members at home also opens our eyes to what true needs they may have. Living in a developing country like Uganda the needs can seem overwhelming, we obviously can’t meet all of them and that is not what we are here for. While personally ministering to people, as we share the gospel verbally we can also give some help to meet some pressing physical needs such as food or medical care. Sasha and Sveta have shared with us how these home visits have blessed them as much as the people who have been visited have been blessed. I believe as word has gotten round that home visits were taking place we were also specifically invited homes to visit families, meet new babies and to share a meal with some of our church members.

At the FRM guesthouse we have quite a few nationals who serve along side us. When we started home visits at church we also had some visits to the staff of FRM.  Some of the staff we have visited in the past but for some it was the first time.  It is quite interesting because we live at the guesthouse and see these people almost everyday so it seems that they are part of our family and home. In reality they actually go home to their own homes and families.  Most of those who work at the guesthouse also attend Arise Christian Fellowship but through the visits we learned more about their personal ministries outside of work and church.

This month at the church we were able to dedicate 2 of the babies from the families visited. During the dedication we shared with the parents that the dedication is really more for them than the baby.  It is their public commitment to raising their child in the ways of the Lord.  At each of the dedications the church also committed to coming along side the families and children to help them in their pursuit and service of the Lord.

As well as visiting families, this month we were invited to come to Calvary Chapel Entebbe and share with the Sunday service there.  Brian taught the service and Sahsa greeted the church in Russian and played a song of worship in Russian for them.  The church has recently taken on a new pastor so it was good to meet him and to encourage him in the ministry.  We are good friends with the founding pastor of the church and Brian is on the Board so we have been involved with the church for many years. We look forward to seeing what the Lord is going to do for their church in this new season.

Thank you for praying for our family and for the ministry in Uganda.

In Him,

Brian, Jill, Luke, Laylee and Liana

Happy Father’s Day!

Prayer Requests

  • We thank the Lord for everyone who supports us and the ministry in Uganda.
  • We are thankful for the many people who come through Uganda and South Sudan each year who desire to share the love of God with the people.
  • Please pray for the families that have been visited. Pray that they personally know the love of Christ and have been encouraged in their faith. Pray for the neighbors and family members who heard about Christ that they would come to know Him.
  • Pray for the babies who are being born in the church, for their parents to raise them with a strong faith.
  • Pray for the Russians who have been staying with us and for the ministry they have been doing alongside us. Pray for their country.
  • Pray for Brian as he pastors and leads the ministry team at Arise Christian Fellowship.
  • Please prayerfully consider becoming part of the Kanyike Family support team

The Kanyike Update – April 2022

Posted on by Brian and Jill Kanyike

And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.
Galatians 6:9-10

Dear Friends and Family,

Christ Is Risen!  He is Risen Indeed!

Soon we will be celebrating the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.  I pray that you are blessed, that your faith is strengthened and your hope refreshed as you reflect on what Jesus has done for us and the future He has prepared for us.  I look forward to sharing next month all that He has done through out this season as we have many things planned to let people know of Christ’s love for them.

This past month has been a very busy and fun time of visitors.  During the severe covid times we had absolutely no visitors.  This made for a very lonely guesthouse.  As things began to open up we were thankful when visitors started to return.  This past month we had our first big team come through.  They came through to help some fellow missionaries build a house about 3 hours from where we live.  We knew most of the team from their previous mission trips to Uganda and Sudan.  They were able to spend a couple of days on either side of their construction mission to do ministry with us at Arise Christian fellowship.  The team was from Old Paths Chapel in New York.  They commented how whenever they pull up to the gates of the guesthouse they feel like they are coming home.  For us whenever they come it is like having family come to visit. 

It is amazing how the family of Christ fits together no matter where you’re from or how long you’ve known each other, you are family.  While they were visiting, Pastor Harley was able to teach at the church.  He taught on the Women at the Well and how Jesus finds us and meets us where we are.  We can bring anything to Him because He already knows and wants to help or forgive.  We also had a BBQ and a time of prayer and worship at our house after church for the team and other visitors we had staying with us, along with some of the ministry team.  It was very beautiful.  We were many nationalities present and again it was like a big family sharing and fellowshipping together.  

While Pastor Harley was teaching many of the other team members went to help out with our newly reopened Sunday School.  Since March 2020 there has been no Sunday school.  The president did not let churches reopen Sunday school till recently when all the students were allowed to go back to school.  Before covid we often had more than 100 children present for Sunday school.  As we reopen, pray for God to call and raise up more teachers.  We were very thankful to have the team there to help out for the reopening.  The team saw there was a need for the older children who were new to the church to have their own Bibles.  We were blessed that they took a collection amongst themselves and bought them Bibles along with some extra Bibles for the children who are yet to come.  Weekly we are seeing more and more children flood in.  Most of the children come from a nearby slums.  We try to provide them with a snack during Sunday school and a bigger bite and drink afterwards before they go home.  We are thankful for a generous provider from my home church who helps with this ministry.

Another event that took place this past month was the Board Lords Chess tournament.  Luke and Laylee have been taking chess lessons for quite awhile.  Liana had just began 2 weeks before the tournament.  The host of the tournament was a Christian and the day was very evangelistic.  Since Brian is a pastor, they had Brian share and pray during the award ceremony.  Both Brian and I had the privilege to be part of the award ceremony, presenting the winners with their awards.  If you have ever seen the movie Queen of Katwe, the kids’ teacher, Christine, is in the movie and helped the real life Phiona.  The chess program the kids belong to is called Dove Chess Academy.  It provides lessons at schools, for homeschoolers and they reach out to children in the slums or from troubled homes, just like in the movie.  We are blessed that our kids are able to be part of it.

Thank you for praying for our family and for the ministry in Uganda.

In Him,

Brian, Jill, Luke, Laylee, and Liana

Prayer Requests

  • We thank the Lord for everyone who comes through the FRM guesthouse to minister in Uganda and Sudan.
  • We are thankful for the many partners who make the ministry here possible
  • Please pray for the lives that were touched through the New York team and for the team members as they return to the States.
  • Pray for the Sunday School at Arise Christian Fellowship. Pray for teachers and for all the children who come.
  • Pray for The Dove Chess Academy. Pray for the ministry they have to children all over Uganda from various backgrounds and faiths. Pray for them to be a witness of Christ.
  • Pray for all the activities, outreaches and services we have planned for the Passion Week.
  • Pray for Brian as he pastors and leads the ministry team at Arise Christian Fellowship.
  • Please prayerfully consider becoming part of the Kanyike Family support team.

The Kanyike Update

Posted on by Brian and Jill Kanyike

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing,
give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Dear Friends and Family,

This year, so far it seems that there has been a continuing theme of prayer.  According to 1 Thessalonians 5 we are to “pray without ceasing”, so this theme should not be surprising.  Last month, I shared how we had started the year, after our bout of covid, with an afterglow and prayer service at church.  That service inspired the wife of our media director, Esther,  to take time to pray a step further.  While prayer is a part of every service and ministry we have at Arise Christian Fellowship, Esther thought we needed a day set apart specifically for prayer and fasting.  We have now started, on the first Saturday of the month, to have a day of prayer and fasting at the church.  Whoever is able gathers at the church at 2pm, following the worship teams’ practice.  The worship team members who are able to stay,  open the prayer time with some worship while individuals have a time of personal prayer, reflection and repentance.  After that there are organized times of prayer where the people pray for specific things such as the church, the country, world events, etc.  There is also time for the people to break into smaller groups and pray for one another for whatever prayer requests they might have. 

1 Thessalonians also says to “rejoice always” and to “give thanks in all circumstances”. Throughout the time of prayer there is also times of rejoicing and of people giving thanks. The times of thankfulness I believe are so encouraging for everyone who is there. First of all it points to the One who is able to answer our prayers as well as secondly, building faith in those who are petitioning the Lord for something specific. This time of prayer is helping people to learn to draw near to God and rely on Him. It has also been a good opportunity for the church to better get to know one another and to help each other through prayer. After the time of prayer is over, around 6pm, we break the fast together. This ends the day with food and fellowship. I believe those who come leave both spiritually and physically satisfied.As we launched the monthly day of prayer and fasting, it became evident that many people in the church have amazing testimonies to share. Testimonies are our own personal experiences with God. They can often reach and encourage people in a way that they couldn’t be reached before. This month we opened up time during the Sunday service for those who had a testimony they wanted to share so they could share it with the church. The first Sunday, our missionary to South Sudan, Ivan, and his wife were there. Last year, Ivan got married during the time of the strict Covid operating procedures. Only 20 people were allowed at the wedding. Now that the COVID restrictions are relaxed, Ivan wanted to come and share his testimony with the whole church of how he and his wife met and married. His testimony was very encouraging as many people in the church want to be married but feel like it will never happen or that they are getting old. Ivan is in his 40’s and shared how while there were ups and downs in is life as a single man it was as he focused on the Lord and served Him whole heartedly that he met his wife, who was also serving the Lord. This was exactly what many of the single people needed to hear.

Another testimony that was shared this month was that of Bright. Over the last 2 years he has gone through much. First he was in a terrible accident where he was hit by a car while riding a small motorbike. He almost died. After he recovered from the accident he was attacked and beaten almost to death. This was during a time when people were desperate for food and money after so many lockdowns. This beating landed him in the hospital for quite a long time. There was even a point where we were not sure if he’d be able to walk. Bright shared that during these near death incidents the Lord truly made His presence known and it also convicted him of his lifestyle. He loved the Lord and was coming to church but his “wife” was not really his wife. After he was well they shared the truth of their relationship and have taken the steps to make their marriage legal. This was also a needed testimony as many people in Uganda are “married”, meaning that it is in word only not legally. This has a lot to do with not being able to afford dowry or thinking that they need an extravagant wedding. We have taught and encouraged against these false marriages but Bright’s testimony was from personal experience and I pray will be received by those who need to hear it.

Thank you for praying for our family and for the people in Uganda.

In Him,

                          Brian, Jill, Luke, Laylee, and Liana

Prayer Requests

  • We thank the Lord for how He is working amongst Arise Christian Fellowship .
  • Please pray that many people would come to our day of prayer and fasting. Pray that they would experience God answering and moving in their lives
  • Pray for all the people who have had Covid that they would be completely healed from the lingering symptoms.
  • Pray for Ivan and his wife as they continue to serve the Lord together and grow in their marriage.
  • Pray for Bright and his wife as they truly walk together in marriage now.
  • Pray for everyone who has heard the testimonies of Ivan and Bright that their faith will be strengthened.
  • Pray for Brian as he pastors and leads the ministry team at Arise Christian Fellowship.
  • Please prayerfully consider becoming part of the Kanyike Family support team.

January 2022 Kanyike Update

Posted on by Brian and Jill Kanyike

 “… And His name will be called
Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”

–Romans 12:12

Dear Friends and Family,

Happy New Year!!

This year the holidays began to feel a bit more like normal.  Last year, I remember Christmas was the children and I’s first Sunday back to church after the lengthy lockdown and the government forbidding children under 14 in church.  Even then we still had to meet outside, which was actually pretty nice.  This year we started the holidays in church and had fun decorating, preparing the Christmas performances and making the sanctuary festive.

The first of our holiday events was a women’s conference.  This was the first conference we have had since Covid first arrived.  It was so exciting.  We invited the ladies from the church, the ladies from my women’s Bible Study, and even some ladies from South Sudan signed up to come.  The theme of the conference was Thanksgiving.  We had 4 Sessions.  The first was Give Thanks, the second was Thankfulness in All Things, the third was Thankfulness is a Sacrifice, and the last was Thankfulness for Christ and the Body of Christ.  It was really a special time of fellowship.  Vicky Bentley taught along with myself and our worship leader, Evelyn. We had planned on 40 ladies and almost 60 came.  I saw ladies that I had not seen since before the pandemic. 

In the middle of the day we had break for tea and snacks.  This tea time lasted twice as long as what we had planned because the fellowship and catching up with one another was flowing so beautifully. I heard many stories of how the ladies had been affected by covid.  Some had had covid and recovered others were mourning the loss of loved ones.  All seemed to have had some financial strain due to the lockdowns.  After the conference one young lady who had been living in sin came to me in tears saying how the message on Thankfulness is a Sacrifice was so convicting and she did not want to continue in her sin.   I was able to counsel her and pray with her.  We ended the conference with worship and communion, focusing on all the Lord has done for us and how no matter what is happening or has happened we always have a reason to give thanks.

On Christmas Day we had a Christmas service at the Church. We sang Christmas carols and had a few special performances. Luke played the piano for a couple of carols. We are so proud of him and his commitment to practice and play for the Lord. Brian gave a Christmas message titled, The Meaning of Christmas. When I was growing up I thought everyone knew Christmas was celebrating the birth of Christ. As a missionary of many years now, I know that this is not the case. For many people in Sudan and Uganda hearing the meaning of Christmas is a surprise to them. Christmas is more associated with a time to eat nice food and get new clothes for the upcoming year. As a family we read through the book of Luke, one chapter everyday till Christmas so that by Christmas morning the children hopefully could understand the significance of why Jesus had to be born. I pray for the church members and all of those who came to church “just because that’s what you are supposed to do on Christmas”, that after Brian’s message they understand what the true meaning of Christmas is. After church we had fellowship and my kids had stocking filled with treats to hand out to everyone.

Every Christmas we try to reach out and help the most vulnerable in our communities.  This year we were able to deliver chickens and other necessities to 10 families in need.  As well as focusing on our community FRM was able to deliver a shipment of much needed medical supplies to the Nuba Mountains in South Sudan .  We are thankful also for the pilots from Mission Aviation Fellowship who delivered them for us. The medicines were received just before Christmas and were a very welcomed Christmas gift by the chaplains and the people they minister to there.

Thank you for praying for our family and for the ministry in Uganda.

In Him,                                                   

Brian, Jill, Luke, Laylee, and Liana

PRAYER REQUESTS

  • We rejoice and thank the Lord for the ability to meet together to celebrate the birth of or Savior. 
  • We also give thanks that there have been no more terror attacks in Uganda.
  • Pray for Arise Christian Fellowship as we meet and fellowship together.  Pray for all the people who have heard the messages on Thankfulness and the meaning of Christmas to take it to heart.
  • Pray for the many needs within the community, physical and spiritual.
  • Pray for Jill and the Kanyike children as the new school year is about to begin.
  • Pray for Brian as he pastors and leads the ministry team at Arise Christian Fellowship.
  • Please prayerfully consider becoming part of the Kanyike Family support team.

Kanyike Update – 2021 in Review

Posted on by Brian and Jill Kanyike

“… in everything give thanks; for this is
the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. ”
—1 Thessalonians 5:18

Dear Friends and Family,

Happy Thanksgiving!!

The last couple of years have been difficult for many of us. Whether it has been personal suffering or the trials that have come from the Covid epidemic, we have all been affected in some way.  One of the wonderful blessings of being a Christian is that no matter what we are going through is that we have hope.  That hope enables us to give thanks always no matter what we are going through.

Last month I shared our thankfulness that churches in Uganda are once again allowed to be open.  This month our thankful hearts are overflowing as the church has been brimming over with people seeking fellowship.  To better serve all those coming on Sunday mornings we were blessed with the provision to make some improvements to the church.  We added a small stage with extra lighting so the worship team and pastor could be better seen in the sanctuary, the overflow room and the live video broadcast.  We had added an overflow room after the first lock down but after we opened up this second time we quickly realized that even that was no longer enough space.  This past month we were able to turn the entry way into the Sunday school rooms into a second overflow room.  We are really praying that all those who have been coming will continue to do so and that they will grow in their relationship with the Lord and truly become part of the Arise ministry team.

Another thankful moment was when Rob Wargi, a missionary from South Sudan was down in Kampala and was able to share with the church.  We can not even remember, since the time of covid began when we were able to have a guest speaker.  That step towards normalcy, as well as his message, was a real encouragement to the church and to myself.  It was a full house and a storm came so Rob redeemed the time with a lengthy message and the worship team with much worship. The congregation responded happily and laughed and commented throughout to show their appreciation and their thankfulness.

It has not only been the people from our church that are excited for church to be back.  Many of the churches we help out are experiencing the same overflowing services that we have been. On Wednesdays Brian has been meeting  with a couple of local pastors who while being pastors have a desire for further discipleship.  In many cases in Uganda you will find pastors who have never gone to Bible College or had any type of biblical training besides what they have learned on their own. One of the pastors that Brian has been discipling, Nelson, had been meeting in a small store front.  During the lockdown they began meeting in a larger unfinished structure.  They were using a tarp for the roof.  Now that the rainy season has come we were blessed to be able to help them to acquire sheet metal to cover the roof and keep the growing congregation dry.

As I have been saying, we have so much to be thankful for.  We are very thankful for the many of you who pray for us and support the ministry.  I now as a very serious prayer request.  Recently we have had 2 terror attacks, 1 thwarted terror attack and as I write this one that is under investigation.  ISIS has claimed responsibility for the attacks saying that Uganda is a crusader state, persecuting Muslims.  The fact is Uganda has many Muslims but they support countries and host refugees from Muslim countries (including Afghanistan) that persecute their own people.  The attacks have all been around the outskirts of the city, targeting predominantly Ugandan restaurants and buses.  Please pray for the safety of the Ugandan people and for us as we minister to them.

Thank you for praying for our family and for the ministry in Uganda.

MERRY CHRISTMAS and HAPPY NEW YEAR !!

We would like to thank all of you for blessing us through your prayer and support of our family and for the ministry in Uganda.  This year we have had many blessings like weddings, births and outreach despite the ongoing covid pandemic. As a  church we have mad e the most of the times we can meet together to pray, worship and fill ourselves with the teaching of God’s Word. The church has grown both in number and maturity. We look forward to this coming year to see what God has in store. You are in our thoughts and prayers as we enter this new year. God Bless You this holiday season as we celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus!

In Him,

Brian, Jill, Luke, Laylee, and Liana

PRAYER REQUESTS

  • We rejoice and thank the Lord for answered prayers and for those he continues to answer.
  • Pray for Arise Christian Fellowship as we meet and fellowship together. Pray for all the changes and updates taking place to accommodate the growing church. Pray for the newcomers to feel at home and to begin to grow and for the regulars to go deeper and really make the most of being able to worship together.
  • Pray for Nelson and the other pastors who are ministering to people who have been longing for fellowship and seeking the Lord during lockdown.
  • Pray for safety and an end to the terror attacks taking place in Uganda. Pray for those who have lost someone and for those who have been injured.
  • Pray for Brian as he pastors and leads the ministry team at Arise Christian Fellowship.
  • Please prayerfully consider becoming part of the Kanyike Family support team.