“…The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”  Matthew 8:37-38

Dear Friends and Family,

As most of you know summertime is a very busy time for us in Uganda. Summer is when most churches plan their missions trips so it is also when we plan opportunities for them to be able to serve here with our ministry and with Far Reaching Ministries. Between the beginning of June – August we had about 60 people come through the guest house. It is such a blessing for us personally to be a part of their excitement and wonder of all the new things they are experiencing in Africa that now seem commonplace to us. It is also a blessing for Arise Christian Fellowship to see the heart of missions as they meet and hear the testimonies of the visitors.

As the visitors were coming through we were sending them in groups to both Masindi and South Sudan. In Masindi, they were participating in Far Reaching’s Love Covers outreach. During this outreach they minister to an entire school through VBS as well as providing all the children with backpacks of necessary items for school. After 3 days of children’s activities, the outreach ends with a parents meeting where the parents are presented with the gospel and are able to share a meal with the children, teachers and missionaries.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The visitors that went to South Sudan were teaching a refresher course for the chaplains and helping to interview them and record their testimonies.  Some of the visitors were also helping to prepare for and be a part of Calvary Chapel Cush/Nimule’s church dedication.

I would like to share a testimony from our worship leader as we sent her and the Arise worship team to join the visitors and lead worship in Nimule for the church dedication.

“The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few… Mathew 9:37-38”, This is the scripture that always comes to mind every time I visit Nimule in South Sudan. This was not just any visit, this was a special ceremony we had been invited to. Calvary Chapel Cush/Nimule was dedicating their new church building and I was invited to lead worship with my worship team. The worship team and I got to reunite with our two friends, Arise Christian Fellowship missionaries who are now serving in South Sudan, Ivan and Timothy. It was a joyful reunion! We also got to rehearse with the worship team from Calvary Chapel Nimule, and I must say our friends Ivan and Timo are really doing a great job training these guys! We were rather impressed with how much they had grown musically.

The FRM compound was overflowing with guests from all around the world, literally! We had visitors from Kenya, Uganda, USA and Russia! Fellowship with these brothers and sisters in the Lord was such a precious time. Yes, we were there to minister but it was a breath of fresh air to just sit back and listen to other believers share, talk and laugh and just have a great time.

The actual service for the church dedication started Sunday at around 9 am and did not end until 2:30pm. We began with praise and worship, which my worship team and I were so privileged to lead with help from the CC Cush/ Nimule worship team who sang back up. We started off with a celebratory song; Jabulani Africa which means rejoice Africa, which we replaced with Jabulani South Sudan. It was a glorious moment, the Lord’s presence was definitely in that place! It was a blessing to look out at the congregation filled with people from various nations, all lifting up their hands to praise and worship the Lord. It was like a picture of what heaven will be like, all of us worshiping the Lord with one voice. We then had a message from Pastor Don McClure, after which he officially dedicated the new church building to the Lord. Then began the speeches! We had speech after speech after speech from different people who have been a huge part of the chaplain ministry for a long time! I am forever grateful to the Lord for all the ministry opportunities He gives us, we could not do this without Him.”

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

 

In Him,

Brian, Jill,
Luke, Laylee,
and Liana

 

PRAYER REQUESTS

• Please pray for the Kanyike family–Jill’s mom went to be with the Lord several days ago. By God’s grace and just before her mom’s passing, Jill, Brian and the kids were able to have an extended visit for the first time in years.
• Praise God that the Kanyike family are finally able to travel as a family to the States for furlough and Jill’s medical treatment.
• Please pray for provision for tickets to travel and for medical.
• Praise the Lord for all that is being done to reach the people of South Sudan.
• Pray for those who come and minister in Sudan and Uganda for safety, health and fruitful ministry.
• Pray for all the teachings that took place this month. Pray that they will go beyond peoples ears to their hearts and lives.
• 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 continue in homeschooling.
• 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.

Dear Friends and Family,

This has been a very busy month of women’s ministry.  We’ve had guest speakers and visitors, we started a new book and I taught a women’s retreat.

In the summer months we get many visitors coming through the guest house.  More often than not they are just there briefly on the way to somewhere else.  This past month we were blessed to have a team from Maranatha Chapel in San Diego spend a couple of days with us.  Most people in Kampala are familiar with their church because we play Pastor Ray Bentley daily on the radio during rush hour. Annie Stone, the daughter of Pastor Ray, was on the team. She and her team came prepared to share with our ladies.  Annie taught a message on fear vs faith.  This message was so great for the ladies but it also ministered to me right where I am in my own life.  After the teaching the  ladies from Maranatha gave a gift to each our ladies. Each lady received a gift bag with a daily devotional in it. We are so thankful they took they time bless us with the Word and fellowship.

Our women’s ministry also began studying a new book.  We are studying through the book of Revelation. Before Revelation we had studied Daniel.  While we were in the middle of that study we had a visiting pastor who shared with us about the 2 books together and suggested we go straight into Revelation when we finished Daniel.  The ladies were very excited about that idea and asked me if we could.  I taught Revelation 7 years ago so I was excited to go through it again. There are a couple of ladies in my study from that time period but mostly it is a new group of ladies and I am enjoying their fresh ideas and difficult questions.  Every week we have a teaching and we also have a discussion.  Normally Bible study ends around noon but lately it can be nearing 2 before all the ladies have left.  It has really been a great time of getting deep into God’s word together as well as searching ourselves and our own faith and beliefs as we tackle each new chapter.

 

Every Year we are invited to share at a women’s retreat hosted by Calvary Chapel Fort Portal.  In the past I have been told the theme of the retreat or given a specific topic to teach on.  This year when I asked what the theme would be they told me that they would like me to come up with the theme and the topics for each session.

I prayed for a couple of weeks and could not come up with anything that I thought God wanted me to share.  As time was going on I began to wonder what I was going to do.  Then one night I could not sleep so I was praying about my kids paperwork and for their visas when suddenly I knew what the retreat was going to be about.  The theme for the conference was A Passport to Heaven!

The conference began with a reminder of how we are saved and that it is all about Christ.  The next couple of sessions focused on our journey there.  I shared with the ladies that when we get saved our lives change; we don’t just sit there doing nothing but we have to make the journey there.  I compared it to having a visa to travel but then just staying home.  One of the sessions was on the hindrances to our journey and how we can overcome them.

In between the teachings we had break out sessions.  We gave the ladies a simple spiritual gifts quiz and had them break into groups with people with similar gifts to discuss how they could practically be using those gifts in their everyday lives and for the edification of the church body.  I pray that they will really put into practice what they learned.  We ended the retreat with a teaching on reaching our final destination, Heaven. Heaven is just a joy to teach and such a motivation to keep on the journey even when it get tough.  We couldn’t help but end with an afterglow and communion thanking the Lord for what He has done, what He is doing and looking forward to what is yet to come.

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

 

In Him,

Brian, Jill, Luke, Laylee and Liana

PRAYER REQUESTS

• Praise God the whole Kanyike Family will be able to come to the States for furlough and Jill’s medical treatment.
• Pray for the finances the Kanyikes will need to cover all travel and medical expenses.
• Praise the Lord for all that is being done to reach the people of Uganda.
• Pray for those who come and minister in Sudan and Uganda for safety, health and fruitful ministry.
• Pray for all the teachings that took place this month. Pray that they will go beyond peoples ears to their hearts and lives.
• 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 continue in homeschooling.
• 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.

Dear Friends and Family,

This past month Luke and Laylee celebrated their birthdays. While celebrating their birthdays it got me thinking about the youth in Uganda.  Uganda’s population is 78% under the age of 17.  No matter where you go you find children of all ages.  Our church is no exception.  Most Sundays the Sunday school is more then double the adults in service.  If it is a school holiday or special event that number can even double again.

 

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One of the first things we noticed about the children was their hunger and poverty related illnesses

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Our church is situated just a couple streets above a large market place and an area that would be considered slums.  Most of the congregation and children come from that environment.  To try and reach the families that live there and provide a safe venue for the children to play, we arrange many different activities throughout the year, some more often then others, for the children to take part in.  One of the first things we noticed about the children was their hunger and poverty related illnesses.  We were thankful to the Lord that in 2017 we were able to begin giving the children snacks during Sunday School and extra curricular activities as well as breakfast after church.

Some of the activities we have been offering the children are Game nights, Christian movie nights, as well as outdoor games like net ball and soccer.  In all that we do the focus is teaching about Jesus and helping the children to develop a personal relationship with Him.  On Sundays the children are divided by age groups to be taught but during other activities, teachings and discussions are done with all the children together.  Twice a year we host a family day out where we invite the church members as well as the families of the children to come for food, swimming and fellowship.  We pray that as we minister to the children it would overflow to the parents and families to know Christ as well.

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In all that we do the focus is teaching about Jesus

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Since most of the children who attend our church attend without their families we like to do community outreaches and home visits.  We visit the homes of the children one by one to get to know their families and for their families to know us and understand what it is that we do with their children.  These visits also help us to better understand the home life and needs of the children we are ministering to.  The most recent community outreach we had was this past month.  We had a soccer tournament in a field with in the community.  The youth from our church played soccer with local teams comprised of children from the community.  It was really a lot of fun and the children made new friends while the adults also interacted with each other and many people heard the gospel as well as the testimonies of some of the older children.  Since the outreach we have had many visitors at church, mostly children but some adults as well.

Another way the Lord has opened the door for community outreach is by providing us the opportunity to share devotions once a week at a near by school.   This responsibility is shared between Brian and our Sunday School director Frank. We pray that the non Christian students and teachers would be touched by what they hear and the believers encouraged and strengthened in their walks.

With the rapid growth of the Sunday School and the many visitors coming to church, who will prayerfully continue coming, we needed more room.  We are very thankful that the Lord provided for us to expand the sanctuary by knocking down some walls and to take the floor below us which is divided into 4 rooms and a kitchen for the Sunday School.  Thank you to all who provided and continue to provide to make this possible.

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 all that is being done to reach the people of Uganda.
• Pray for those who professed Christ in the market place community. Pray for them to attend church and to grow spiritually.
• Pray for Jill. She will need to go to the States for treatment in August. Pray that the children can get visas and go with her.
• Pray for all the teachings that took place this month. Pray that they will go beyond peoples ears to their hearts and lives.
• Pray for Jill as she teaches at a retreat this month in Fort Portal.
• 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 continue in homeschooling.
• 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.

 

Dear Friends and Family,

This past month we had a wonderful time celebrating Christ’s resurrection. We began the season with celebrating with Palm Sunday. In Uganda, on Palm Sunday, everyone is carrying palm leaves. Boda drivers attach them to their motorcycles, cars have them attached various places and people walking down the street are waving them. It was no different at our church. Almost every person present was waving palm leaves throughout worship.

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In Uganda, they have a Good Friday parade in most villages…

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Next, we celebrated Good Friday. In Uganda they have a parade in most villages throughout the country reenacting Christ’s walk to the cross. In Kampala we were able to watch the parade as it came down the main street of the city. It was very emotional watching someone carry the cross while others were beating them and shouting insults. I know it was just an reenactment but it was very powerful. I pray that it was just as powerful to the crowds watching. I hope it caused many to realize what Jesus has done for them and even to have given their lives to Him. At Arise Christian Fellowship we had an evening good Friday service. The church was packed to almost standing room only. Brian taught through the last supper and crucifixion then we shared communion together, remembering what Christ has done for each of us.

 

 

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Easter Sunday was a beautiful service…the church was filled.

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On Easter Sunday it was a beautiful service. As expected the church was filled. We had an amazing time of extended worship. Songs about Christ’s resurrection just bring so much joy and hope, I am sure I wasn’t the only one that shed a tear as we worshipped. Brian taught on the resurrection and specifically that Christ died and rose again for us, for the world, because of our sin.

After his message he opened it up for prayer for anyone who needed it and the worship team led us in more worship. We celebrated together after service with tea and cake. A main part of the service was the children’s play. They acted the story of the crucifixion and resurrection. Luke played Jesus and the girls acted out sinners, and they all sang in the choir. It was so beautiful and we are very proud of them.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Our whole family got to participate in a fashion show.

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This past month we also had some interesting events occur. One of them was that our whole family got to participate in a fashion show. When we were first asked Brian and I were like just use the children but the designer really wanted to show a family collection. The designer is a young woman named Sylvia. Since our desire is to help people to become self supportive we agreed to be a part of it. The fashion show was part of a youth outreach hosted by a local NGO that is trying to promote youth development and providing opportunities to keep youth off the streets. Along with the fashion show there were dance and singing competitions . It was a really fun time for us as a family to be a part of something like this as well as knowing we were helping someone. The best news of the day is that Sylvia was the winner of the fashion part of the show and was given a check to help with her business.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Another interesting event happened to Luke. As adult Christians we understand that following Christ is not always easy. We know that “those who desire to live a godly life will suffer persecution.” I would say most children do not have this type of understanding. Luke has always been an evangelist. He loves telling people about Jesus, especially if he knows they are not a Christian. In the activities the kids participate in there are a lot of Hindus and Muslims. Luke is not new to hearing people reject Christ but what happened this month was completely different. Luke had been sharing Christ with one of the boys in his Karate class and the boy got really angry and told Luke that if he continued to talk about Jesus to him, he would have him beheaded. When Luke told me I think I was more shook up then him. When I asked him how it made him feel he said he was not so much scared because he knew he was going to heaven but was sad for the boy who was going to hell. Wow! I was really amazed that at such a young age he could have that type of understanding and compassion. I pray that Luke’s attitude and his love of Christ will only grow stronger as he grows older.

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 all that is being done to reach the people of Uganda.
• Pray for those who witnessed the parade of Jesus’ walk to the cross. Pray that many give their lives to Jesus
• Pray for Jill as she has been really ill. She recently found out she has been being misdiagnosed and actually has a severe thyroid disorder. Pray for the results of the thyroid biopsy she had recently, that the doctor will know exactly how to treat it so she finally begins to feel better.
• 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 continue in homeschooling.
• Pray for Brian as pastors and leads our ministry team at Arise Christian Fellowship.
• Pray for all the ministries and leaders.
• Please prayerfully consider becoming part of the Kanyike Family support team.

 

 “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.” Acts 4:12

Dear Friends and Family, This month we really have seen a testimony to the truth that, “He is working all things together for good….” A couple months ago we asked for prayer for a young man in our church called, Light. Light had been on his way home when he was hit and ran over by a truck. By the time Brian and our assistant pastor, Deo, got to the hospital it appeared as if Light would not make it. He was in a coma with severe wounds all over his body and one ear almost completely gone. That night Brian and Deo were able to comfort the family and one of Light’s brothers (who was almost going mad with grief) gave his life to Christ. He realized that without Christ there was no hope and no one to turn to on Light’s behalf. We continued praying for Light and miraculously he woke up and began to recover. This past month he came to church to testify of all God had done. It was really quite the celebration.    God used what seemed like horrible circumstances to bring many to Himself.   But even more then Light’s healing we celebrate in the way God used what seemed like horrible circumstances to bring many to Himself. On the day Light testified at church there was a lady with him whom we had never met. She was one of Light’s caretakers when he was in the hospital and was so moved by the people coming and praying for him and then by his complete recovery that she also wanted to give her life to Christ. She accepted Christ that very Sunday morning following Light’s testimony.       Another praise report and continued prayer request is for the muslim family of a young lady in my Bible study. Hajet came to our women’s Christmas party and since then she has continued to come with her sister in law, Peace, to Bible study. She has not participated in the discussions but she sits and listens to the message and allows us to pray for her. Recently her husband called Brian to ask for some counseling. They have not expressed any direct interest in salvation yet but the fact that they first of all accepted Peace being a Christian after many years of not accepting her and now are even talking with and associating with Christians in a Bible study setting gives us hope. It encourages us to pray even more fervently and to ask all of you to be praying as well. The women’s Bible study has actually just began a new study. We are studying through the book of Daniel.  We have many new women and the house is overflowing.  Pray for all the ladies to learn and apply what we are learning about integrity and prophecy in this study.

 

Calvary Chapel Conference:  there were over 300 pastors from many different countries. This past month Brian also had the privilege of being a part of the Calvary Chapel East African Pastors’ conference. He had the role as emcee as well as helping answer questions and help things to run smoothly behind the scenes. There were over 300 pastors from many different countries: Uganda, Kenya, Rwanda, Burundi, Congo, Tanzania, South Africa, South Sudan.  There were also quite a few missionary pastors there from USA, Canada and Israel. The theme of the conference was, “A Time Line of the End…and What That Means to Me.” The teachings were wonderful. Brian and I spend so much time teaching others that it is rare to be able to sit and listen. There were a couple sessions during the conference that really stood out to me and I learned things I didn’t even know that I didn’t know. One of the pastors did a teaching on the significance of the Galilean Wedding and how the different aspects affect the way we understand different scriptures. Another session I really enjoyed was from the director of Potters Field Ministries. He worked on the potters wheel as he taught from Jeremiah 18 and Isaiah 64. I am very visual and to watch being done to the clay while hearing the teaching and how it applies to us brought tears to my eyes. Question and answer time was definitely one of my favorite times as well.  Of course many questions were asked that I’ve heard many time since living in Africa, about how many wives you can have, witchcraft, etc. but there were many questions concerning prophecy that I did not know the answers to and was surprised by the answers and how clear it is when you look at history in light of prophecy. It was beautiful to see the honesty of the pastors as they asked for prayer… During the conference there was a lot of time for worship and reflection.  The pastors would meet at 6am for devotions and often spend late into the night in afterglow and prayer. It was beautiful to see the honesty of the pastors as they asked for prayer and also the love of the pastors who reached out to pray with or comfort those pastors who were struggling.  Our worship team was able to come out one of the days and lead the pastors in worship.   Thank you for praying for our family and for the ministry in Uganda. In Him, Brian, Jill, Luke,  Laylee and Liana (who turned four this month!)

PRAYER REQUESTS

• Praise the Lord for healing Light and for using his suffering and testimony to bring others to you.
• Pray for Hajet and her family.  Pray that they would continue to be open to hearing the gospel and would come to know Jesus personally.
• Pray for all the ministries of Arise Christian Fellowship as well as the other ministries we partner with.
• Pray that we would get all the official documents from the Lawyers so we can come home for furlough. It is looking more difficult then expected as well as more expensive. Pray for the finances for everything involved.
• Pray for Jill and the children as they continue in homeschooling. Pray especially for math.
• Pray for health and safety for the Kanyikes.
• Pray for Brian as pastors and leads our ministry team at Arise Christian Fellowship. Pray for all the ministries and leaders.
• Please prayerfully consider becoming part of the Kanyike Family support team.

Dear Friends and Family,

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

We also would like to thank each of you for blessing us through your support and prayer for our family and for the ministry in Uganda. We have been blessed to see all the Lord has done this past year in and through the ministry. We rejoice over the people who have turned to Christ and pray for the other for whom the seed was planted. Again we thank you for being a part of this ministry with us. We look forward to what new things the Lord has for our family and ministry in 2018.

God Bless You and have a wonderful holiday season as we celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus!

In Him,

Brian, Jill,
Luke, Laylee,
and Liana

 

 

 

 

PRAYER REQUESTS

• Pray for God’s direction for Arise Christian Fellowship and all the ministries this new year.
• Pray for the Lord to use us mightily for His Kingdom in 2018.
• Pray for us to raise our kids for the Lord, balancing home and ministry.
• Pray about joining our support team in this upcoming year.

 

 

Sing to the LORD, all the Earth; proclaim His salvation day after day.

-1 Chronicles 16:23

Dear Friends and Family,

Happy Thanksgiving!!

We have so much to be thankful for.  God has done so much for all of us, the most important of all sending His Son to die for our sins that we might have salvation and spend eternity with Him.

In response to all He has done for us my heart and thoughts turn to worship.  God created us for that purpose and there is something that seems to draw us ever closer to Him when we worship.

I thought in this spirit of thanksgiving and worship I would share about what has been happening with our worship team. God has been using them in many ways.  They bless our church, they are involved in missions both in the community and in other areas, they minister to other bodies of Christ .  I am sure you will be excited in all the ways God has been using  them.

Lets begin with our worship leader Evelyn.  Evelyn began leading worship at my woman’s bible study when she was just a teenager.  God gifted her with the ability to pick up the guitar and just learn to play whatever she heard.  Since then she has matured not just in music but in her personal walk with Christ.  She works for the Christian organization, Mission Aviation Fellowship, which flies missionaries to hard to reach areas.  We use them to fly in to South Sudan.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When we set out to church plant, Evelyn was right beside us and naturally fell into the role of worship leader.  At the church she not only leads us for services but she trains others who feel called to be a part of the worship team as well. She disciples the young ladies interested in worship as to the true meaning of worship, helping them to grow closer to God through their calling and to not look to be seen for their gifts but to use their gifts to help others see God.  At Evelyn’s workplace she leads the staff in worship during devotions and retreats.  Our church is very mission focused and Evelyn accompanies us on most of our missions to lead worship and to teach worship conferences.  While it already seems like God is using Evelyn mightily, I believe He has even greater things in store for her.

Arise Christian Fellowship started almost 3 years ago.  From the very start it has been mission focused.  I believe it is because the majority of the church came to know Jesus through outreaches and evangelism. In the short time the church has been established we have sent out 2 full time missionaries to South Sudan.  Both of the missionaries came from our worship team.

The first is Ivan.  Ivan has been ministering with Brian and I since before we were even married.  He has a very lively personality that carries over into his worship.  His joy is contagious.  Ivan was our first missionary we sent out.  He had gone on several mission trips to South Sudan and saw the incredible need there.  He is currently leading worship at Calvary Chapel Cush while training the nationals there in worship and how to lead worship.

The second missionary we sent out was Timothy.  Timothy was our drum player.  Unlike Ivan Timothy went only once to South Sudan before he felt the Lord was calling him to serve along side Ivan and Calvary Chapel Cush. Ivan and Timothy also minister through community outreach. There are many refugees and displaced people in Nimule, where they are located.  Each week they minister along side Far Reaching Ministries as the feed the refugee children.  They accompany the chaplains for evangelism and home visits, bringing worship to the lost and needy.  Besides ministering through worship, Ivan and Timothy lend a helping hand wherever there is a need, often this is in the form of construction work at the chaplain’s base.  We miss having Ivan and Timothy as part of our worship team but are blessed to see them reaching the people of South Sudan.

The last member of our worship team that I want to mention is Eddy. He is a very talented musician and songwriter.  He plays the piano and saxophone at church.  He uses his gift to teach others music, including Luke and Laylee. Eddy plays concerts to share his music as well as the gospel message.  This month he launched his very own album called Suubi, which mean Hope.

At the album launch Brian was able to address the crowds and share about hope and present the Gospel message.  We are thankful for those who received Christ and pray for God to continue to use Eddy and his music to do so.

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

 

 

In Him,

Brian, Jill,

Luke, Laylee & Liana

Luke, Laylee, & Liana

PRAYER REQUESTS

• Praise the Lord for all the people who are being reached through the worship team and all the ministries they are a part of.
• Pray for our missionaries to South Sudan. Pray that God would use them mightily to reach the lost and keep them safe.
• Pray for Eddy and for the success of his album and for those who heard the gospel during the album launch.
• Pray that we would get all the official documents from the Lawyers so that we can get Liana a passport and visas to come home for furlough. Pray for the finances for everything involved.
• Pray for health for all the Kanyikes. Sickness has been a real struggle for everyone, especially Jill.
• Pray for Brian as pastors and leads our ministry team at Arise Christian Fellowship.
• Pray for all the ministries and leaders.
• Please prayerfully consider becoming part of the Kanyike Family support team.

 

Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again.  But whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. 

John 4:14

 

Dear Friends and Family,

Summer is coming to an end but ministry is not slowing down. A couple months ago we wrote about a village called Bukuya. We shared how the people of this remote village are mostly animist or Muslim and are very wary of outsiders

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We felt the Lord showing us an opportunity to gain their trust through providing clean water…God answered our prayers through many of you

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At that time we felt the Lord showing us an opportunity to gain their trust through providing clean water for them. On Brian’s family farm there is a natural spring. We let the need be known that we wanted to tap into that spring to bring clean water to this village. God answered our prayers through many of you and we were able to tap into the spring and provide not one but two wells.

This past month we went to the village to present the wells to the people there. We first went to the well which is on the main road. We shared a time of worship and prayer for them. It was a sweet time and the men who we hired to build the well actually came and participated in celebration. Afterward we invited those who were there to join us at the second well which was a bit deeper inside the bush. We were quite surprised with the turn out. We had a great time of worship again there.

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He shared from John chapter 4 about Jesus being the living water…even the Muslims present stayed for the whole message.

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There were a lot of kids at this site so Evelyn, our worship leader, sang some motion songs. Since the majority of the people are not Christian they did not know the songs but they did try to join in and it was quite a lot of fun for everyone. At the well a message was shared by a friend visiting from my home church. He shared from John chapter 4 about Jesus being the living water. The well was going to provide the people with clean water but they would have to keep coming back to it. Jesus can give us living water. Even the Muslims present stayed for the whole message, we pray that the Lord word work that word into their hearts.

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…he gave us a goat as a thank you on behalf of the whole village.

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Brian then prayed to dedicate the well and for the people to understand what had been shared. The chief of that area then shared. He said that he was 45 years old and has never lived any where else and that this was the first time in his life there had ever been clean water in his village and was so thankful. He also said that we were welcome to come and feel at home there. Then he gave us a goat as a thank you on behalf of the whole village. We had brought sodas for the people and Brian’s mom had prepared some food and we left the people enjoying their new wells and having full bellies. Brian’s mom told us that after we left many more people showed up. We definitely will be planning a follow up trip in the future.

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Arise Christian Fellowship held its very first vacation Bible School

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This past month Arise Christian Fellowship held its very first vacation Bible School. Nikki Diana, a friend from my home church, joined forces with our children’s ministry to come up with the theme, The Great Treasure Hunt, based on Psalms 119:162. We were also joined by Jenise Gleason, who is a missionary elsewhere in Uganda who has a huge heart for children.

In Uganda, there is a 2 week semester break between August and September. School vacations are a great time to reach kids because many children in Uganda go to boarding school but on vacations they are at home. Our desire was to minister to the children in our own church as well as reach out to the children in the community around us. The first day of the VBS was spent fully at the church learning about God’s Word, memorizing the memory verse, playing games and doing crafts. The second day of the VBS kept with the treasure theme but focused more on the children (us) being God’s treasure.

The children made a craft where they had to paint a picture of themselves and put it in a frame they made. They had a Bible quiz and played a couple of games but after lunch they headed out into the community. As we headed into the community we were joined by the students from the Vision of Destiny school that meets on the floor below our church.

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Everyone walked down to a field just above the slums…to reach out to the children there

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Everyone walked down to a field just above the slums, where a lot of our children live, to reach out to the children there. It is important for children to have the opportunity to share their faith with others and recognize their faith is personal not just for the Sunday school teachers. Once at the field they began by playing simple games like Frisbee and tag, inviting the community kids to join in. In the end of course it turned into a soccer match which is just about everyone in Uganda’s preferred sport. Frank, our children’s ministry director shared with the children before the day came to an end.

We pray that many of the children as well of the families will desire to know more about God’s treasure and recognize the treasure they are to Him.

 

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 all the ministry opportunities we have had this summer and all the volunteers who have come through to help.
• Praise the Lord for providing the well in Bukuya Village. Pray for the people that they would come to know the true Living Water and for more opportunities to share with them.
• Pray that we would get all the official documents from the Lawyers so that we can get Liana a passport and visas to come home for furlough.
• Pray for health for all the Kanyikes. A nasty cough and infection has been going trough the house.
• Pray for Brian as pastors and leads our ministry team at Arise Christian Fellowship.
• Pray for all the ministries and leaders.
• Pray that the Kanyikes can begin to raise the airfare that their family will need to go on furlough this fall.
• Please prayerfully consider becoming part of the Kanyike Family support team.

 

But He answered and said to them, “I tell you that if these should keep silent,  the stones would immediately cry out.”  Luke 19:40

Dear Friends and Family,

This was an exciting month for Brian as he was able to go to  Israel.  My brother in-law has been a part of several archaeological digs in Israel and Jordan.  This year he invited Brian to be a part of a new dig at Shilo.  Shilo is where the tabernacle and ark of the covenant were located for 369 years.

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The land itself declaring God’s Word.

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This was a once in a lifetime opportunity that could not be passed up.  Many people wonder why archaeology is so important and I know there is probably a more detailed answer but I believe it is important because it reveals the truth of the Bible.  It is literally the land itself declaring God’s Word.

 

Brian getting a visa to Israel was not quite as easy as we thought it would be.  There are many Israelis in Uganda and we seem to have a good relationship with them as a country, so we thought no problem. The Israeli embassy is actually in Kenya so we had to send Brian’s passport to  them, along with required forms and documents they asked for.  We were told it would take 2-3 weeks.  Well 2 months and 5 days later Brian finally got his passport back with the visa in it.  This was actually a few days after when he was scheduled to fly out.  In between there they called almost everyday asking questions, wanting contacts of people in Israel and quizzing him on what archaeology is and what was he looking for in Israel. Another issue they had were the multiple South Sudan visas in his passport. We almost thought he would not get to go.

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We almost thought he would not get to go.

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Towards the end of our waiting we realized it was God working all things together for good.  On the night before Brian was originally scheduled to fly, and he still had not received his passport back, we received a phone call from our lawyer.  She called that we had been scheduled last minute to come in the next morning for court to finalize Liana’s adoption.  If Brian had received his passport on time he would not have been here and we would have missed this long awaited day.  After that Brian almost immediately received his passport and was on a plane to Israel!  God’s timing is perfect!

It is a dream of most Christians to one day visit Israel and to walk where Jesus walked.  It is something every pastor and Bible teacher should get to experience.  Being there makes the Bible come to life and gives a fresh realness to the truth you already know and have been teaching.

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Knowing that we were digging where the tabernacle had been…was amazing.

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This is Brian’s personal account of his time is Israel. “It was a privilege for me to be a part of the archaeological dig taking place at Shiloh.  Knowing that we were digging where the tabernacle had been and where the  ark and glory of the Lord dwelt was amazing.  Everyday we were finding many pieces of pottery other artifacts.  No matter how much we found, it never ceased to be a surprise and a wonder that we were holding pieces of history older than Jesus.

Walking where Jesus walked and reading the words He taught where He taught them was another blessing of being in Israel.  I believe the Bible is the inspired Word of God.  I believe it has the power to change lives and to lead and direct us.  Being in Israel strengthened what I already believe in ways that I cannot put into words.  It is like the Bible comes to life for me now instead of just being words I believe and teach. 

Another thing that stood out to me while I was in Israel, mostly immersed in history, was that God is not done with Israel yet.  There are still promises and prophesies to be fulfilled.  The more that is discovered to prove what God has already done, makes that which is still to come seem so much closer.

I am so thankful to my brother in-law for inviting me and for the whole ABR team for making me apart of their team at Shiloh.  I am blessed beyond measure for all I learned and that the Lord opened my eyes to in Israel.”

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

 

 

 

 

 

In Him,

Brian, Jill,

Luke, Laylee,

and Liana

 

PRAYER REQUESTS

• Praise the Lord for Brian’s wonderful  opportunity to go to Israel and participate in an archaeological dig.
• Pray that we would get all the official documents from the Lawyers so that we can get Liana a passport and visas to come home for furlough.
• Pray for the teams coming through and the outreaches planned for this summer.
• Pray for continued health and safety for all the Kanyikes.
• Pray for Brian as pastors and leads our ministry team at Arise Christian Fellowship. Pray for all the ministries and leaders
• Pray that the Kanyikes can begin to raise the airfare that their family will need to go on furlough this fall.
• Please prayerfully consider becoming part of the Kanyike Family support team.

 

 

 

“Behold, children are a gift of the Lord…”

Dear Friends and Family,

We are officially the Kanyike family!!!!!!!

It has been a very long process. We began the adoption process  7 years ago and this month we have finished.  There have been so many trials and hindrances along the way but we praise God that they were just logistical matters.  For us from day one our children have been ours, no one had to tell us or them, but it is nice to finally be recognized as a family by the Ugandan government.

I thought in celebration of the finalized adoptions we could look back on how far we and the children have come.

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…if God was not giving me children then there must be a reason…

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In May 2010 Brian and I celebrated our 4th anniversary.  From the very beginning we wanted to have children. After about 2 years and no children we went for every test imaginable but the doctors could find nothing wrong with either of us.  If you have ever struggled with infertility then you know all the questions and doubts that arise.  People would ask me about adoption and I felt that if God was not giving me children then there must be a reason so who was I to go and get one myself.  After sometime I was having lunch with a friend of mine  who has adopted several children.  I was sharing with her that children are a gift from God and that James tells us to help orphans is pure and undefiled religion, encouraging her in her calling as a mother. Something happened as I was sharing with her, it was like the Lord was speaking to me, giving me those verses.

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As soon as we saw Luke we knew he was our son.

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On the next Wednesday we had an afterglow and the pastors and elders were up front to anoint people with oil and pray for healing.  Out of the blue one of the pastors came up to me and asked if he and the elders could pray for me and Brian.  They prayed that God would give us a baby.  That very Friday a couple from our church who was adopting  told us that they had seen our son.  With in the next 2 days 2 more people told us about the same baby.  We knew it could not be a coincidence so we had to go and find out more.  As soon as we saw Luke we knew he was our son.  He even looked like us!

 

God is so amazing!  His gift to us was perfect!  Luke came home to us when he was 11 weeks old.  We have been thankful everyday of his life with us for the blessing he is to us and to all who know him.  He is  very sensitive, compassionate, artistic and intelligent.  This month he made 7 years old.

 

When Luke was about 1 1/2  we decided that we would love for him to have a brother or sister.  Around that time we had visitors at the guest house who were looking into international adoption.  We visited a babies home with them and gave the social worker there our contacts.  We actually met Laylee that day and fell in love with her because she was so tiny and so pretty.  She actually resembled Luke.  We were told that most the babies would be internationally adopted.  After several months we received several calls from the babies home saying they would like to meet with us.

 

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…Brian heard God say that He was doing something for us in an unexpected way.

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When we arrived for our meeting I first went in alone because Luke had fallen asleep in the car so Brian was waiting with him. They then began to tell me Laylee’s story which I had heard on our first visit there.  As soon as I realized they were talking about her I told them I need to go get my husband.   When we came back to the office they brought her to us and Brian heard God say that He was doing something for us in an unexpected way.   Luke immediately was trying to hug and kiss her.  We were certain she was to be ours but told the babies home we would go home and pray about it then give them our final decision.

While we prayed about it God brought to our memory several things that had happened with in the week before they called  that in retrospect were preparing us for this unexpected news.  As we were praying it seemed that every word spoken to us even by those who did not know we were praying confirmed what we already felt God had spoken. When we gave the babies home our final decision we assumed it would take a while or at least a couple weeks but in 1 week and 5 days all the legal paperwork  and home visits were completed and then Laylee Kyisa came home on March 30, 2012.

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I saw Liana and began to weep.  I knew she was my daughter.

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Liana became our daughter on November 10, 2014.  We had met Liana when my family was visiting in July, when we had taken them to visit Loving Hearts Babies Home.  As soon as we saw her we knew she was our daughter.  She even looked like Luke and Laylee.  At that time the necessary police reports and investigations were not yet done for her to be considered for placement with a family.  It appeared hopeless that she could ever be adopted .  At one point the Babies home even contacted us about another baby but when we went to the home I saw Liana and began to weep.  I knew she was my daughter.  God’s timing is amazing–they contacted us the end of October to see if we were still interested and we were told we could begin the process to gain custody.  From that point it was one miracle after another because every step of the way there would appear to be a hindrance and instead a blessing would result.

We feel so blessed that God has given us the children we have.  There is no greater gift then to be their mommy and daddy.

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

In Him,

The Kanyike family (now officially!)

Brian, Jill, Luke, Laylee, and Liana

PRAYER REQUESTS

• Praise the Lord for Brian’s wonderful opportunity to go to Israel and participate in an archaeological dig.
• Pray that we would get all the official documents from the Lawyers so that we can get Liana a passport and visas to come home for furlough.
• Pray for the teams coming through and the outreaches planned for this summer.
• Pray for continued health and safety for all the Kanyikes.
• Pray for Brian as pastors and leads our ministry team at Arise Christian Fellowship.
• Pray for all the ministries and leaders.
• Pray that the Kanyikes can begin to raise the airfare that their family will need to go on furlough this fall.
• Please prayerfully consider becoming part of the Kanyike Family support team.