The Kanyike Update- April 2020

Come, my people, enter your chambers, And shut your doors behind you; Hide yourself, as it were, for a little moment, Until the indignation is past.   

Stay Home and Stay Safe!

This is a saying we have all heard multiple times over the last couple of months as the world has faced the Covid-19 pandemic.  What I found comfort in is that while this is the first time for me to go thru something like this it is not the first time for God and as always He has been with His people thru it.

Recently, someone posted, “I didn’t expect that when we change our clocks earlier this year that we were changing them from standard time to the Twilight Zone.”  I wholeheartedly agree. As most of you know when the Covid crisis began our family was in the States for my dad’s funeral.  At that time I wasn’t really aware of what was happening in the world.  I was caught up in my own grief and in spending time cleaning out my dad’s house going through over 100 years of memories,  That in and of itself was surreal. The memories flooding back that I didn’t even know I had forgotten and the new things I discovered and learned about my family. 

When we had finished my dad’s house and said goodbye to my family we headed to California.  Our purpose in going was to visit my home church and many of our supporters.  Our first stop though, when we reached California, was Disneyland.  After all the sadness and stress, we felt the kids (and us) needed to go to the happiest place on earth.  Again, Disneyland is far from reality.  We were in another world unaware what else was happening in the real world. 

After Disney we went to stay with someone from my church, a wonderful woman named Denise.  It was there that we first heard about how serious the virus was becoming.  At church people were greeting each other verbally or with an elbow bump but hugs were far and few between as people were beginning to practice social distancing.  We were meant to have 3 weeks at my church, visiting supporters and having opportunities to update people on the ministry in Uganda.  That time was not meant to be.  Things got serious very quickly and before we even really began to comprehend what was happening, we could no longer go to church, meet in large groups, or go out to eat and the stores were almost empty. 

With everything closing down, after much prayer and confirmation from others, we made the decision to return to Uganda earlier then expected.  One of the last things we were able to do was to see our “oldest daughter,” Amina and our new “grandson,” Xavier.  Though our time was short I am thankful for the friends and church family we were able to see.

Returning to Uganda was another twilight zone experience.  As soon as we exited the plane we had to go through a medical check.  We passed the check but because we had come from the USA, our passports were taken and we were taken to a government authorized hotel for 14 days of institutional quarantine.  We were blessed with our hotel and room though, it was pretty big and had a beautiful view.  I believe they had mercy on us because of the children. We heard horror stories from others who were taken to different hotels.

During the quarantine we were not allowed to leave our room.   Everyday a health team would come, accompanied by a soldier, ask us questions and take our temperatures.  We prayed a lot, for ourselves, that we would not get sick and for the world that this virus would be overcome.  If you registered a temperature they would take you from quarantine to an isolation facility in a hospital.  I had nightmares of being separated from my family and of my children being taken from me. These bad dreams led us to even more times of prayer. 

While at times it was hard having 5 people in one room for so long, we managed to keep ourselves busy.  Everyday we did school with the kids. It was good to catch up and review some of the areas the kids struggled with as well as learn some new things.  Besides school I tried to get the kids to burn energy by playing kids dance videos and Laylee’s ballet teacher sent video classes. We watched church online as well as Brian leading church for us with the kids being our worship team. We stayed in contact with the outside world via Messenger and What’s app. At the end we were all tested for the Covid virus and spent an extra 2 nights in quarantine as we waited for our results. We praise God that all our test results came back normal and we were given discharge papers to go home.

Though we are home now, the country is on lockdown.  No personal vehicles are allowed at all. There is a 2 pm curfew for cargo and delivery vehicles and 7pm curfew for people on foot.  Everything is closed except for food markets and hospitals. Brian has been in contact with church members over the phone and internet as often as he can.  We have managed to get food to those members who normally live day by day and are really suffering during this lockdown.  We are very thankful that up to this point there have been relatively few cases of the virus in Uganda.  We pray it stops there.

Thank you for praying for our family and for the ministry in Uganda.  We are praying for all of you as well.

In Him,

Brian, Jill,

Luke, Laylee, and Liana

PRAYER REQUESTS

· Thank you for praying for the  Kanyikes during their time of quarantine.
· Pray for the World during this time of Covid 19.  Pray for many people to turn to the Lord during this time.
· Pray for the Kanyike family as they figure out how to best minister  to the church and community during this time.
· Pray for the people of Uganda who normally live day to day and now cannot work and so cannot provide for their families.
· Pray for Brian as he pastors and leads the ministry team at Arise Christian Fellowship now from home and over the phone.
· Please prayerfully consider becoming part of the Kanyike Family support team.

The Kanyike Update- March 2020

The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; Blessed be the name of the Lord.—Job 1:21 

Dear Friends and Family,

This past season has been a bit of a difficult time for our family. Within a short period of time, 2 of our beloved dogs passed away: one from cancer and one from an unexpected accident.  One week later our house was robbed, which according to the police most likely was someone who works with us and we have trusted.  Shortly after these incidents, the hardest hit of all arrived when we got the phone call that my dad had passed away.

Below is his obituary:
Gary William Wiencke, age 81, passed away peacefully on Saturday, January 18, 2020, at Autumn Aegis Retirement Community in Lorain, Ohio. He was born August 23, 1938, to Ellsworth and Gladys (nee Pember) Wiencke in Elyria, Ohio. He graduated in 1956 from Berlin Heights High School and came to Lorain in 1957. From 1956 to 1962, he was part of the Army Reserves, obtaining the rank of Corporal. He worked for American Ship Building from 1956 until 1959 and had various other positions for companies such as Great Lakes Towing, Ripple Motors and Lee Wilson Engineering. Gary was also the owner and operator of Quik as a Wink carpet cleaning in Lorain for 35 years, retiring in 2008. He was a member of the former First Congregational United Church of Christ in Lorain and a member of Community Congregational United Church of Christ in Amherst. Gary enjoyed hunting, fishing, and reading. Surviving are his daughters, Julie Bober of Sheffield Village, Jenny (Tim) Riddle of Cornell, Illinois, Jan (Chris) Bailey of Elyria and Jill (Brian) Kanyike of Uganda, Africa; grandchildren, Dean, Aaron, David, Jesse, Rafe, Lillian, Luke, Laylee and Liana; great-grandchildren, Cole, Logan and Olivia; a brother, Chris Wiencke; and a sister, Mary Sartor. He was preceded in death by his wife of 61 years, Phyllis “Susie” (nee Bohn) Wiencke in 2018 .

We would like to thank all of you who made it possible to return for my dad’s funeral and who have sent kind messages of condolence or flowers.

On a happier note… Before coming to the states for my dad’s funeral Calvary Chapel Fort Portal asked us to help them host a youth camp.  Their church has a youth outreach program called, The Lighthouse Club.  The club is designed to disciple teens and young adults while also providing fellowship and a safe place to have fun.

The theme of the conference was “Christlikeness”.  The topics covered were: Evangelism, Salvation, Baptism, Purity, Self Presentation, and Vision for the Future.  Our team from Arise Christian Fellowship was asked to lead worship, to help with the mentoring, coaching, as well as to teach the youth how to boldly talk about their faith to their peers in school. It was a  pretty full day, starting at 6:30 am going up till 7 pm in the evening. We started off with a short time of worship and Evelyn, our worship leader, shared a short devotion from 1 Samuel 3 about when God called Samuel. She told the youth that they are never too young to be called and used by God.  There is quite the misconception by many in Uganda that you can not be called into ministry unless you are married, so for many of the youth, the idea that they can already be used by God and be active in the ministry is a new concept.

After the main teachings, the youth were divided into different groups to talk about and try to apply what they had learned. Some of the worship team members were coaches, two of the team were judges, also helping as counselors for the kids along with the Youth Camp team organized by Calvary Chapel Fort Portal. By the end of the day, the youth had become like little brothers and sisters, as we had gone through a rather intense day of ministry with them, from devotions to having them watch videos of the Way of the Master to giving them an in-depth study on the meaning of the great commission to taking them through their personal presentations of the gospel. We saw quite a few of them admit to sin and conviction, even saw some tears, while others stepped up to the challenge of the personal presentations with confidence. For us, the most important part was seeing them understand what they had been taught and seeing them bond with each other, which made the whole day. I am also blessed by all our worship team learned and their own personal growth through participating in this youth camp. They are usually called to lead worship and train other worship teams, so this was a bit out of their normal realm of ministry but all the same, God used them and they were happy to join in the other aspects of the youth camp and to play a part in these youths lives. 

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

                          In Him,

                          Brian, Jill,

                          Luke, Laylee,

                          and Liana

PRAYER REQUESTS

  • Praise the Lord for the ministries taking place in Uganda and South Sudan
  • Pray for Jill’s family as they mourn the loss of her father and as they try to close up his house.
  • Pray for the Kanyikes to raise the funds they need to cover what was lost in the robbery as well as their trip to the USA for the funeral.
  • Pray for Arise Christian Fellowship while the Kanyikes are away. Pray for those who will be teaching and for the congregation to remain strong.
  • Pray for those who attended the youth camp. Pray they grow stronger in their personal relationships with Christ as well in their desire to share Christ with others.
  • Pray for Brian as pastors and leads the ministry team at Arise Christian Fellowship. 
  • Please prayerfully consider becoming part of the Kanyike Family support team.

The Kanyike Update- Christmas Outreaches

“...And you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins.”    —Matthew 1:21

Dear Friends and Family,

As the holiday season has come to an end and we are jumping into the new year, we wanted to take time to share about the Christmas outreaches that have taken place.

As part of our church ministry, we reach out to the market place and the people who work there.  This is actually how Arise Christian Fellowship began.  Many men came to the Lord and the church was born.  The women in the market place have been harder to reach.  Many of them have had very hard lives and are caught up in practicing witchcraft.  As I was preparing for this year’s women’s Christmas tea the women from the market place were really on my heart, that they would really understand the true meaning of Christmas and why Jesus came.  There are a couple of ladies from church who come from the market place so in the days leading up to the Tea they were really helpful in reaching out and inviting other market ladies to come.  I planned for 2 teachings and a light meal, as well as Christmas cookies and tea. 

The first teaching was looking at Mary and her finding out she was going to be the mother of Jesus.  It was designed to help the ladies to relate better to what was about to happen through the birth of Christ.  I invited Kim Wargi to come down from South Sudan and share this teaching with the ladies.  When I was sharing with her about the theme I shared how the first teaching I wanted to be about the human side of the Christmas story and the second teaching to be more evangelistic focusing on Matthew 1:21 where it says, “And you shall call His Name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins”.  In my heart, I really wanted to teach the evangelistic message but since I was inviting Kim to help teach I let her choose and immediately she asked if she could teach about Mary.  It was a beautiful confirmation. 

On the day of the conference, we had a huge tropical storm.  I was afraid the market ladies we reached out to would not come because even the ladies from my Bible study were 2 hours late.   We began the tea with Christmas carols and food and eventually as the rain slowed down more and more ladies began to come.  Kim’s message really touched the heart and emotions of some of the ladies who came and they shared with us after.  My evangelistic message on why Jesus was born was also well received and a handful of ladies from the market stayed after and Brian was able to talk to them in their language more in detail about salvation.

Leading up to Christmas we also had a desire to reach out to the community around the church.  On Christmas Eve we planned a day of outreach in the community, games, and activities happening back at Arise Christian Fellowship, and to end the day with our Christmas Eve program and message.  So many people came to the outreach.  At first, it was mostly children and it was so fun to see all the kids playing on the bouncy castle and receiving gifts from “Father Christmas.”  After some fun and games, we served everyone who was there a meal.  Laylee wanted to help serve the children to be sure there were no “starving children in Africa.” It was a blessing to see so many children and even adults who most likely were not going to get a Christmas dinner all eating and enjoying Christmas together.   

Towards evening we began the Christmas program. All the youth from the baby class up to young adults performed a Christmas cantata of sorts with songs and dances as well as performing the Christmas story. The worship team led us in Christmas carols and Luke joined them to play Mary Did You Know on the piano. 

By the time Brian came up to share the Christmas message the hall was overflowing and most of the gardens were filled with people. There were about 400 adults and children from the community there to hear the “True Meaning of Christmas,” which was the title of Brian’s message. We could not have even imagined the turnout we had and pray for all who came to make a personal choice to follow Jesus. After the message, we had a baptism and we are very happy to tell you that Luke publically declared his faith in Christ and was baptized as well. We ended the evening by cutting and sharing Christmas cakes with as many people there that we could. We praise God for what he is doing at Arise Christian Fellowship and in the community around us.

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

             In Him, 

             Brian, Jill, Luke, Laylee, and Liana

PRAYER REQUESTS

· Praise the Lord for the ministries taking place in Uganda and South Sudan

· Praise the Lord for all the people who were reached both in the market place and the community outreach around Arise Christian Fellowship

· Pray for the women who attended the Christmas Tea.  Pray that they continue to hunger for God’s Word and to know Him more.

· Pray for those who have received Christ to continue to come to church and receive discipleship.

· Pray for the new year and what the Lord has in store for the Kanyike family and for the ministry.

· Pray for Brian as pastors and leads the ministry team at Arise Christian Fellowship. 

· Please prayerfully consider becoming part of the Kanyike Family support team.

The Kanyike Update- December 2019

As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving.                                             — Colossians 2:6-7

Dear Friends and Family,

It is exciting to look forward to the new year, knowing all that the Lord has already done. The theme through the Christmas season has been Jesus, what he has done for us and who we are in Him. 

For me personally, this season started quite unexpectedly. Early on a Monday morning I received a call from South Sudan from Vicky Bentley. She had a family emergency and need to go back to the States. She asked if I could teach that weekend. I told her I could. Later I came to know that it was not just a teaching but it was a 2 day conference where I would be teaching 6 times as well as having questions and answers. I began to understand about being ready in season and out of season! 

With my own Tuesday women’s study on Spiritual warfare, there was not much time for preparation. Vicky told me that the theme of the conference was Being Complete in Christ but that I could adjust it as needed. I prayed about what to share and I realized that the topic of Who I Am In Christ kept coming up during my spiritual warfare Bible study. I wondered if the Lord had been putting this on my heart so I would be ready for this conference. I went and found my notes from when I had taught this a couple years ago. The opening verse for that study was Colossians 2:10 “and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power.” When I showed my notes to Vicky and told her that opening verse I was amazed to find out that was part of the theme verses for the conference. Their verses had been Colossians 2:6-10. It was definitely confirmation for me that this is what I was to share with the ladies in South Sudan. 

We left on Wednesday but did not make it to border of South Sudan before dark so we spent the night in Northern Uganda and crossed the border on Thursday morning. I spent most of the day Thursday studying as well as seeing old friends we had not seen for about 2 years and getting a tour of all the new construction that has taken place during that time. The conference was Friday and Saturday. I have to say that it was amazing. I could see God’s hand in every little detail. Over 600 ladies attended. I had 3 translators: one for Arabic, Dinka, and Madi. There were 2 other teachers: Sarah shared once on Friday and Kim Wargi shared on Saturday. Though we never met to discuss our teachings it was as if we had arranged them together. There were topics and verses I wanted to share but didn’t have time to get to and then Sarah or Kim would say and teach that exact thing.

You would think that with the amount of ladies who attended that it would not be personal but the ladies were very interactive and expressive.  During the 2 days we heard many testimonies and answered many questions.  Many churches were represented and in between each session they would take turns leading us in worship.  Some of the ladies had put together a drama that showed the effects of going to the witch doctor compared to turning to the Lord in prayer.  

At the end of the conference the ladies presented me with a 50kg grain sack of peanuts they had harvested as a thank you for coming and teaching them and to share with the women at Arise. They asked if next year we would come back and teach a marriage conference.  Please pray that this could come to pass.

While we were in South Sudan, Pastor Michael of Calvary Chapel Cush, asked Brian to share the Sunday message at both services. The first service is an all English service and the second service is translated into Arabic. After the service they had an altar call and a time of prayer for any one who needed it. Many people came forward to be prayed for. Luke also was part of the service as he was asked to share about himself with the church and to perform a duet with our missionary to South Sudan, Ivan. I was very proud of Luke as he stood in front of hundreds of people and both shared and played the piano.  

That evening, Pastor Michael told us that the whole service had been broadcast over the radio station RMC.  Brian and Luke were both in shock that so many people all over South Sudan had been reached by what they had shared.  After church we went on a couple of home visits.  It is nice to meet with people in their homes and get to know them and their families more personally.  We were fed a lot of yummy Sudanese food which I had been missing.  We were also able to visit a young girl, Jackie, who has stayed with us a few times in Kampala for medical care.  She just recently had her appendix removed and we were happy to see her recovering nicely.  While this trip was unexpected for us it was definitely according to God’s timing. 

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

In Him,

Brian, Jill, Luke, Laylee, and Liana

Prayer Requests:

  • Praise the Lord for the ministries taking place in Uganda and South Sudan
  • Praise the Lord for His timing and for helping Jill get all she needed accomplished to teach the conference in South Sudan
  • Pray for the women who attended the conferences in Nimule. Pray that they continue to hunger for God’s Word and to know Him more.
  • Pray for those who came forward after Brian’s message at Calvary Chapel Cush. Pray for those who received Christ to continue to come to church and receive discipleship.
  • Pray for all the Christmas/New Year outreaches and ministries at Arise Christian Fellowship. 
  • Pray for Brian as pastors and leads the ministry team at Arise Christian Fellowship. 
  • Please prayerfully consider becoming part of the Kanyike Family support team.

Kanyike Update October 2019

Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” —Matthew 19:14 

Summer is always a crazy time for us in Uganda. For most of the summer we have teams coming in and out of the guest house to serve with various ministries that Far Reaching Ministries has in Uganda and in Sudan. It is amazing to be a small part of what God is doing in and through so many peoples lives. While the summer keeps us busy at the guest house it is also a busy time at church and in the neighborhoods. 

The Ugandan school year begins at the end of January and ends in November. The school year is divided into three terms with a break in between each term. The longest break besides the end of year break is after second term. This term break is 3 weeks at the end of summer. At Arise Christian Fellowship we always try to plan something to reach and occupy the kids during this time. When school is in session we have about 80—100 children. When school is on holiday that number can double. 

This year the Sunday school teachers decided to focus on the gifts each child has and teach them how to use their giftings to worship God and minister to others. For almost 3 weeks the youth were meeting and learning about gifts and trying to figure out what their gifts were. Many of the youth love music so there was a lot of singing and dancing as well as playing sports. 

On the last Sunday of their school holiday most of the church service was taken over by the children. They were serving in various ways, some helping behind the scenes while others used their gifts publicly. We had a choir sing 4 songs, where the youth took turns singing solos as well as in unison. Some of the teens danced to contemporary worship music. A group of girls traditionally danced to worship in the Luganda language. Another group of children recited from scripture and our own Luke played the piano. 

It was such a blessing to see this future generation becoming aware of their gifts and how to use them. As child after child shared something with us I was moved to tears thinking how awesome our God is that even a child can know Him and have faith to publicly serve and follow after Him. 

The only group that did not share in some way was our youngest class which is our largest class. On this day of children’s service there was a huge downpour and because most of our children come on their own from the slums they could not make it. We decided to postpone their performances and service till they could all be there so no one was left out.

During their term break the youth did not just learn about singing and dancing for Jesus but they learned about how to share His love with others who do not know Him.  They put this into practice by having a sports outreach. The theme they came up with for the outreach was “Christianity is Fun” We went a little bit further than the churches neighborhood to a neighboring slum area.  The youth who are gifted in sports, particularly soccer, gathered children from that neighborhood together to play sports with them.  

Sports, like soccer, are a big deal here in Uganda. Therefore many children wanted to be a part of the event both as players and spectators. Before the games began the youth served all those present a breakfast of porridge.  After breakfast they broke up into 3 groups: Soccer, netball, and spectators.  The games continued till late afternoon with a break for sodas and cookies in the middle.  During the break our youth took the opportunity  to share their testimonies with others and tell them about Jesus.  They were also able to get to know these children and hear about their lives.  

I believe it was very beneficial for both groups of children, for the ones we were trying to reach and for our youth to realize that there are youth with similar backgrounds and struggles as them.  At the end of the day the youth from Arise once again served these children whom they now knew a bit better and gave them a hot meal.  By the end of this outreach there were so many children that we actually ran out of food.  We are very thankful for those who contribute towards our children’s ministry and help make outreaches like this possible.

While Luke, Laylee and Liana have enjoyed participating in the church activities, they have also been having a busy summer of activities.  Luke was part of a large chess tournament.  There were hundred s of children there.  He won 4th place in his age division which is 9-12yrs old.  We are so proud of him, he only turned 9 this summer. He was then invited to be part of a delegation of Ugandan chess players to a competition in Holland but we had to decline at this time as he is so young to travel alone and neither Brian or I could go.  Hopefully, in the future he will get another opportunity since he is very passionate about chess.  

All of the children have been taking Karate.  This summer they had their testing to move to the next belt.  It was a strenuous test but all of the children passed.  Laylee and Liana moved up to an orange belt and Luke received his purple belt.  We are very proud of all our children and their commitment to the activities and groups they belong to as well as their love of Jesus.

Thank you for praying for our family 

and for the ministry in Uganda. 

In Him,

Brian, Jill, Luke, Laylee, and Liana

PRAYER REQUESTS

  • Continue to pray for my family as we prepare for the loss of my father.  Pray for my father to be comfortable and not to be afraid.
  • Praise the Lord for the ministry and spiritual growth of the youth at Arise Christian Fellowship. 
  • Pray for the youth to continue to use their gifts and share the love of Jesus even when school returns.
  • Pray for the youth who attended the outreach to come to know Jesus and to find a good Bible teaching church to attend if Arise is too far.
  • Pray for all the outreaches and ministries of Arise Christian Fellowship.  
  • 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 Family Update- September 2019

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

Each month we share about the different ministries that take place through Arise Christian Fellowship and FarReaching Ministries.  As I was reviewing all the things that have taken place in this last month, one thing has really stood out to me: the emphasis of teaching or sharing God’s Word.  It is the foundation of all the ministries, outreaches, and events that take place.  Isaiah tells us that God’s Word will not return void, Romans tells us that faith comes from hearing God’s Word and 2 Timothy tells us to teach what we have learned to others who might teach it as well.  As I review and write about what is happening in the ministry here in Uganda, I pray that all of these are being fulfilled and are a testimony to others.


This past month I started a new women’s study on Tuesday mornings at my house.  We happened to start on my birthday which is also in the birthday week of a couple of the ladies in my study so it seemed like a good day to begin and begin with lots of cake. During our last study, I taught a series on Everything unto the Lord.  It was based on scriptures and lessons the Lord was teaching while I was sick and having just lost my mom.  This current study I have called Suffering, Spiritual Warfare and The Armor of God.  

The theme came about at the end of our last study when many of the women were questioning and sharing about how much suffering we all seem to keep going through.  I definitely could not argue with that.  We began the study looking at the verse from John 16:33, where Jesus says, “In this world, you will have tribulation, but take heart I have overcome the world.” We talked about how there is such a misconception and false teaching in the world today that Christians will not suffer if they have enough faith. Jesus never taught this and the life of the disciples and Paul definitely did not reflect this. After every teaching, I always give the ladies discussion questions to take home so they keep studying and meditating on what we’ve been learning throughout the week.

After I gave them homework to study deeper, the Lord gave me my own homework. That night I got a phone call that my dad is dying and I should come right away. As I write this I am currently with my dad who is not well but still has not passed. I came without my children. I want them to remember their Papa the way he was when we were here last year. Also, my sisters needed a lot of help getting his affairs in order. I only have 3 days left here and am torn, happy my dad is still alive but sad to leave knowing the inevitable is coming and I won’t be here. I am glad I came when I did though, my sisters needed me and while I know they wish I could stay longer, I know I am leaving them with things ready for when the time comes. Please keep my family in prayer, it truly has been a season of suffering.

This past month we also started a new fellowship. It meets on Thursdays at 4 pm in an area called Kireka West. It is about half an hour from the church and where we live. The Fellowship came about because of a young lady in our church called Peace, of whom I have written before. She is the mother of 2 sets of twins and her husband abandoned them when she was pregnant with the second set.  Because she lives so far away it was too expensive for her to come to church every week and there are no churches in the area where she lives because it is a very Muslim area. Peace comes from a Muslim family, though she herself is a Christian. Brian and I have been helping her with transport once a month but she really needed more fellowship than that. Also, because of our help after Peace’s husband left, her Muslim family members have been more open to listening to Bible teaching. All of these factors, plus prayer led us to start the fellowship at Peace’s place. So far there are about 6 people attending and we are praying that more would join us.

Every year there is an organization called Journey Together that hosts a retreat for missionary women. The goal of the retreat is to bring missionaries together to be refreshed through God’s Word, fellowship and counseling if needed. This year the topic was Walking in the Light.  Our worship leader from Arise Christian Fellowship, Evelyn, was asked to come and lead worship with one of the missionary worship leaders.  Besides leading worship Evelyn was also asked to share her testimony with the ladies. Evelyn said it was a privilege to be able to serve these women who are giving so much to serve here. She was also excited to have the opportunity to share the great things the Lord has done in her life as an encouragement to the women there and as a reminder to herself. There were about 45 missionaries from all over Uganda and South Sudan who attended. We pray they all returned to their areas of ministry ministered to and refreshed in the Lord.

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

In Him, Brian, Jill, Luke, Laylee, and Liana

PRAYER REQUESTS

  •  Praise the Lord for the ministry and spiritual growth of the members at Arise Christian Fellowship.
  •  Pray for my family as we prepare for the loss of my father.  Pray for my father to be comfortable and not to be afraid.
  • Pray for my new women’s Bible study, that we would truly learn what God’s word says about suffering.
  • Pray for the new Fellowship in Kireka West.  Pray for Peace and for her Muslim family to be reached.
  • Pray for all the outreaches and ministries of Arise Christian Fellowship.  
  • Pray for Brian as pastors and leads the ministry team at Arise Christian Fellowship. 
  • Please prayerfully consider becoming part of the Kanyike Family support team.

The Kanyike Update- July 2019

Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.            

 Galatians 6:10

             
This past month we had a very big surprise. Amina came to visit! She surprised all her friends and family. Only Brian and I knew. We didn’t tell the children and when they woke up in the morning Amina came to breakfast. They went crazy. Luke and Laylee were laughing/crying and hugging her. Liana was in shock, she just sort of stood there staring like she couldn’t believe it was real. She actually remained that way for a couple of days. For those of you who may not know, Amina is like one of our children. She lived with us for many years before getting married and moving to the USA. 
Amina originally comes from western Uganda near the border of Congo. Her family is Muslim and did not take kindly to her becoming a Christian. In fact, at one point after failing to get her to recant her faith with threats from the Imam and local witch doctor, they actually signed her death certificate. It was during that time in her life that she came to live with our family. Since then the Lord has done amazing things to begin to heal the relationship between her and her family. Before she left for America to get married her father began to talk with her and since then has met with Brian several times whenever he comes to Kampala. On this trip Amina went back to her village to see her whole family and she said it was the first time she ever remembers her mother giving her a hug. We continue to pray that not only will their relationship be restored but that they would come to know Jesus as Amina does.

While Amina was here we got to celebrate two birthdays.  We celebrated her birthday and we celebrated Brian’s birthday.  For Brian this was a big year, he turned 40 years old!  It is hard to believe how time flies.  It seems like yesterday I was marrying a young 26 year old pastoral intern.  At Brian’s birthday dinner which consisted of family and a few close friends, someone suggested we go around and say 40 things we know to be true about Brian.  While there were many funny tidbits  spoken about him, it was touching to hear all the wonderful characteristics people saw in him and how they have been blessed by him both personally and through the ministry.  I was particularly moved at how the children described him as protector, provider and care giver.  To be honest there was nothing spoken that I did not agree with, I give thanks to the Lord that He has allowed me to be the wife to Brian and to serve along side him in the ministry.

While Amina and Brian were celebrating birthdays in Uganda, South Sudan and Calvary Chapel Cush were celebrating in South Sudan.  Although South Sudan still experiences unrest they rejoice to have received their independence from the Islamic North after 30+ years of war. On July 9, 2011, eight years ago, South Sudan became the world’s youngest country.  We continue to pray for peace and for the young country to grow and develop with their faith in Christ.  Far Reaching Ministries and Calvary Chapel Cush have been instrumental in helping this to come to pass.  
Last year Calvary Chapel Cush had the grand opening of their new church building.  This year, just 2 days before independence day they celebrated their 1st anniversary.  We have sent 2 missionaries from Arise Christian Fellowship to minister with the church there.  At the beginning of this year after serving 2 years in South Sudan our missionary, Timothy, returned to Uganda. He is now serving at Arise but he still has a heart for South Sudan so we sent him back to join in the anniversary celebration.  He and Ivan, our other missionary, led the church in the worship program for the church’s celebration.  Along with worship, Pastor Michael preached and the chaplain drill team performed.  It was a wonderful celebration of what God has done as we continue to pray for what He will still do. 

Back in Uganda, at Arise Christian Fellowship, this month kicked off our Soccer outreach season.  I’m sure I’ll have more to say as the season goes on but this is a time of a lot of outreach and evangelism as soccer is a big deal here and draws many spectators.  So far we have only had one game, which the church team won.  From that one game we have already had 4 new visitors to the church who were invited by team members.  We pray for this soccer season, not just that our team will do well but that many people will be reached by the team and those church members who go to evangelize.

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

In Him,             

Brian, Jill, Luke, Laylee, and Liana


Prayer Requests

  • Praise the Lord for the ministry and spiritual growth of the members at Arise Christian Fellowship. 
  • Pray for Amina and for the ministries the Lord has called her and her husband to in the USA. Pray for her family to come to know Christ.
  • Pray for South Sudan to truly have independence and end its fighting. Pray for the gospel to spread throughout the country.
  • Pray for Jill’s health to continue to improve. We praise the Lord for the healing that has already taken place.
  • Pray for all the outreaches and ministries of Arise Christian Fellowship. Pray for the soccer outreaches to bear much fruit.
  • 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- June 2019

And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. 

2 Timothy 2:2

Dear Friends and Family,

This past month we celebrated Luke and Laylee’s birthdays. Luke turned 9 and Laylee 8. It is so hard to believe how fast time has flown by. It seems like just yesterday they were babies. We love them so much and are so proud of them.

On Luke’s actual birthday I was teaching a women’s retreat in Fort Portal. Every year Calvary Chapel Fort Portal hosts a women’s retreat and I come and share.  For the past couple of years since the original church planters left, I have been in charge of the theme and all the teachings.  In those couple of years I have also been going to Fort Portal to train up the ladies on how to lead, counsel, and teach, that they might raise up leaders and teachers from within their own church.  This year I was very blessed when they told me they were ready to try and organize the retreat themselves and that I would not be the only teacher.  

The retreat was 2 nights and three days. I went with our worship leader Evelyn, who led all the worship for the retreat. The theme of the retreat was Salt and Light.
I have to say, after many years of retreats this one turned out to be one of my favorite retreats ever. I believe the women’s hearts were stirred up with a fire that Evelyn and I agreed we had yet to see as they endeavored to serve each other and to teach God’s word correctly . We had great times of fellowship and discussion. The ladies were open and quick to answer questions or give opinions. I honestly think some of the conversations could have gone on for hours and continued to be fruitful. While I still did a majority of the teaching, the ladies who also taught did very well and I was very proud of them. There were a few surprises along the way, as to be expected for their first try at organizing the retreat. I ended up with more sessions then I had been told about and was reminded of the exhortation in 2 Timothy “to be ready in season and out of season.” It is quite amazing what happens when you are so reliant on the Spirit, those teachings turned out to be my favorite of those I taught at the retreat.

While we were in Fort Portal Brian was asked to teach 2 Sunday services one for the English speakers and one for the native speakers.  When Brian and I first got married, Brian pastored there for almost 4 months while the missionaries were on furlough. This is how we came to have such a personal connection with a church that is 5 hours away from where we live in Kampala.  Brian taught from Numbers which, when he first told me, I thought was quite interesting as it is not a book you normally think of a guest speaker sharing from.  The message Brain shared was about when the Israelites finally were entering the promised land yet there were still enemies to conquer.  The message was so applicable for our lives lived for Christ in a fallen world.  We have victory in Jesus but must put on the armor of God and fight battles everyday.

Almost 4 years ago Brian and I were asked by missionaries Jo and Greg Clarkson to be the godparents to their son Israel.  We have enjoyed being part of his family immensely.  Recently, Jo gave birth to a baby girl.  While she was at the end of her pregnancy and for a short while after giving birth we were blessed to have Israel stay with us.  It was so much fun to have him join in all the kids activities and Luke loved having a “little brother”.  Before Jo and Greg returned to Fort Portal, they asked us if we would also consider being the godparent to their new baby, Lindiwe.  Of course we said yes and  we feel very privileged to have this responsibility to help care for these precious little ones.  While we were in Fort Portal they had the baby dedication for Lindiwe so that we could be a part of the festivities.

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

                           In Him,

                           Brian, Jill, Luke, Laylee, and Liana

Prayer Requests

  • Praise the Lord for the ministry and spiritual growth of the members at Arise Christian Fellowship and Calvary Chapel Fort Portal.
  • Pray for all the women who attended the Salt and Light retreat. Pray for the women leaders being raised up at CCFP.
  • Pray for Jo and Greg as they serve the Lord and for Israel and Lindiwe to grow up in the Lord.
  • Pray for Jill as she will be going this month for a check up and review of her thyroid and blood clots.
  • Pray for the Children of Arise to continue to grow in their knowledge of Jesus and for their families to know Him as well.
  • Pray for Jill and the children as they homeschool. Pray for the children to be excited about learning.
  • 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 2019

All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and  is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work. —2 Timothy 3:16-17

Dear Friends and Family,

This has been quite a busy and exciting month of ministry in Uganda. We have had outreaches, conferences and many types of celebrations.

Vicky Bentley, Brian and I were invited to South Western Uganda to teach at a conference. The conference was arranged by Moses Ouni, who has been there in the past teaching Inductive Bible Study. IBS is an important skill for pastors here as many have not had proper schooling or Biblical training. There are also very many pastors in Uganda who do not teach the whole​ counsel of God’s Word but instead teach topical messages that they think the people want to hear or that will get their congregations to tithe more. We were excited to be apart of these follow up conferences teaching verse by verse. Vicky and I taught through the book of James with the women.

Brian taught about 150 pastors and leaders through the books of 1 and 2 Timothy. He experienced quite a range of beliefs and opinions about the word of God.  There were even a couple of men who said they were more concerned with what their denominations taught then what the Bible said. On the second day of the conference, his numbers increased and we think it’s because people were interested in hearing more from this controversial teacher who held Gods word higher then church teachings.  After the conference many pastors asked for Brian’s contacts so they could call and ask him to teach more to their churches and congregations.

This month at Arise Christian Fellowship we have had some great times of celebrations. As you may know many of our church members were living rough lives before salvation. Many were involved in drugs, alcohol, and lived in extreme poverty. Since coming to Jesus we have seen lives completely transformed and turned around. People who had given up and had others give up on them all of a sudden were full of hope and wanting to do more with their lives as a testimony of what Christ has done for them. We have in the last 4 years celebrated those who have given testimony and even said goodbye to some whose changed lives have led them to better lives and jobs in different areas of Uganda and the world. This month we celebrated with 2 of our brothers who were able to go back to school and have now graduated with degrees. We are so proud of them and look forward to what the Lord has for them in the future.

Another joyous occasion we got to be a part of this month was Paul Ocen’s wedding. Paul works for an organization in Uganda that trains Sunday School teachers and holds children conferences. Paul has trained our Sunday School for Christmas and Easter programs. He has also traveled to the FRM base in Sudan to train the Sunday School at Calvary Chapel Cush. When Paul announced that he was engaged he asked if Laylee and Liana could be flower girls in his wedding . We were very happy to allow them to be a part of the celebration. It truly was a very beautiful wedding and we were very proud of the girls and how well behaved they were through out the service and photos. We pray that they will have a blessed marriage and that it will be a testimony to others of Christ’s love for His church.

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

In Him,
Brian, Jill,
Luke, Laylee,
and Liana

  • Praise the Lord for the ministry spiritual growth of the member at Arise Christian Fellowship.
  • Praise the Lord Jill continues to do well with the treatment for her thyroid. Pray for her to remain healthy.
  • Pray for all the people who attended the conference in SW Uganda. Pray they will heed and apply the things they learned.
  • Pray for all the ministries of Arise Christian Fellowship as well as the other ministries we partner with..
  • Pray for Jill and the children as they homeschool. Pray for the children to be excited about learning.
  • Pray for Brian as pastors and leads our ministry team at Arise Christian Fellowship.
  • Please prayerfully consider becoming part of the Kanyike Family support team.

The Kanyike Update–November 2018

“And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.”                     —Rev.21:4

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!

Dear Friends and Family,

This month has been quite of a whirlwind of activity and emotion.  We finally have been able to travel to the United States as a whole family.  It has been a long 5 years in the making.  It has at times seemed impossible and like it would never actually come to pass but as we all should know “nothing is impossible with God” We are very thankful to all of you who have been praying and helping to make this come to pass.  It couldn’t have been more according to God’s perfect timing.

There is a bitter sweet beginning to our time here.  Liana was finally able to meet her grandma, my mom, but not long after she passed away.  When we first arrived in Ohio my mom was very alert and talkative with the children.  They were able to tell her stories, sing for her and there were lots of cuddles. Very soon after that she became less and less responsive.   The second to the last day we saw her she managed small hugs to the kids and the only words she spoke were “Brian, please pray for me”.  The day before we left Ohio we went to see her and she was not responsive at all.  Right before we were leaving the nurse came in to give her her meds and Luke said to her, “Can you give grandma a pill that will make her talk and play with us like she used to?” I started weeping and even the nurse looked as if she was going to cry.  As everyone was saying their goodbyes before leaving I really cried. I knew this was not just good bye because we were leaving Ohio but I knew in my heart this was the final goodbye and we’d never see her alive again. We left early the next morning for Illinois but in less then a week we were making the 6 hour car ride back to Ohio for her funeral.

 

 

 

Here is the Obituary in case you’d like to read it.

Phyllis L. “Susie” Wiencke (nee Bohn), age 80, of Lorain, passed away Tuesday, September 11, 2018 at Autumn Aegis Retirement Community, following a lengthy illness.A life-long resident of Lorain, Susie was born April 15, 1938 in Lorain and graduated from Lorain High School in 1957.  Susie and her husband, Gary owned and operated Quik As A Wink Carpet Cleaning for 35 years, retiring in 2008.She was a member of the former First Congregational United Church of Christ in Lorain and a member of Community Congregational United Church of Christ, Amherst. She enjoyed reading, word searches, and playing board games. Susie loved spending time with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Surviving is her husband of 62 years, Gary; daughters, Julie Bober, of Sheffield Village, Jenny Riddle, of Cornell, Illinois, Jan Bailey, of Elyria and Jill Kanyike, of Uganda, Africa; grandchildren, Dean, Aaron, David, Jesse, Rafe, Lillian, Luke, Laylee, and Liana; great-grandchildren, Cole, Logan, and Olivia; She was preceded in death by her parents, Ellsworth and Helen Julia (nee Kish) Bohn.

While we have been having our own time of mourning in the States, things have also been a bit crazy in Uganda.  One of the members of Parliament has been speaking out against the president of Uganda which has led to riots and acts of violence on both party’s sides. The parliament member is from near our neighborhood so much of what has been happening is near to our home and Arise Christian Fellowship.  It is hard to be away when people you know and love are suffering yet at the same time feeling relieved that I am not there with the children right now.  Please be praying for Uganda and for Brian’s safety as he has returned and is there without us right now.

In the midst of all the suffering that is going on there is one thing that is certain:  we serve a God who is worthy to be praised.  Not long ago we had the privilege of Worship Leader Jeremy Camp coming to Uganda.  He first hosted a worship conference which all of our worship team was able to attend.  He also held a free worship concert in conjunction with some local Christian artists, to which thousands attended and at least 100 received salvation.  Here is what some of our worship team members had to say about the conference and meeting him:

“He mainly talked about the reason we worship, the reason being God’s love for us. That is what causes us to worship, when we realize that His love is enough.”  

“He said the Lord wants us to worship Him in every state of emotion we have. We don’t have to wait to have the right words, we can just cry out to him, and half way through, He changes our song of sorrow and turns it into a cry of victory. Even when we are weak and we fall, we still fall into His arms and there is no safer place for us to be.” 

“He talked about the danger in worship, the fact that as you stand before the congregation to lead them in God’s presence, it is easy for people to fix their eyes on you and instead praise you, because of your talent. He talked about the real dangers of falling into pride. He said as we serve the Lord, it is important for us to remember that HE is THE Lord, not us! Whatever the crowds say, at the end of the day, God is our audience of one.” 

 

They were blessed by this opportunity and I believe have blessed us through their worship of God.

Thank you for praying for us and for the ministry in Uganda.

 

In Him,

Brian, Jill,

Luke, Laylee,

and Liana

PRAYER REQUESTS

  • Praise the Lord for allowing our whole family to travel to States.
  • Pray for Jill’s family, especially her father as they mourn the loss of her mom.
  • Pray for provision for the Kanyikes to spend Christmas in Ohio with Jill’s family.
  • Pray for Jill while she continues getting treatment for her thyroid while in  the states.
  • Pray for the Kanyikes and their time in the states with family and friends.
  • Pray for Uganda, there has been some unrest and many riots. Pray for safety and stability in the country.
  • Pray for Arise Christian  Fellowship to be a light in the darkness as they worship the Lord in Spirit and truth.
  • Pray for all the ministries of Arise Christian Fellowship as well as the other ministries we partner with..
  • Pray for Brian as pastors and leads our ministry team at Arise Christian Fellowship.
  • Please prayerfully consider becoming part of the Kanyike Family support team.