The Kanyike Update–March 2017

Train up a child in the way he should go,
And when he is old he will not depart from it.

-Proverbs 22:6

Dear Friends and Family,

Arise Christian Fellowship is growing. As the members are maturing and beginning to share their faith we are beginning to see new faces at church. No area of the church is growing faster then the children’s ministry. On any given Sunday we have at least 100 children but usually more.

Jesus said “Let the children come”. He also told us to become like a child. Children have such a pure, fearless, unashamed faith. I see it in my children as they share wi

Luke sharing at soccer outreach

th anybody they meet and seek out Muslims and Hindus when we are out to talk to and share with. We see it in the children at church and how they share with their friends and the children in their neighborhoods and how fast the Sunday school is growing.

 

 

 

 

 

 


On any given Sunday we have at least 100 children…


While having so many children come and want to learn is a blessing it has also been a difficulty when it comes to space. The space we rent for the church has 2 large rooms. We use one for the sanctuary and one for the children’s ministry. In the children’s ministry room we began with it divided into 2 groups 0-8, and 9-14. With the numbers so high we quickly had to take out the older children to make room for more little ones. The older children have been meeting outside under the thatch roof where the church began.

We have been praying about what the next step for the children’s ministry should be as all spaces are almost too full. There has been an empty floor below ours where we rent and we have been praying about whether we should try to raise the money to rent that floor or talk to the landlord about using it just on Sundays until they rented it.


…it has also been a difficulty when it comes to space


As we were praying a good friend of mine approached us about introducing her to our landlord because she was interested in renting it for her ministry. My friend’s ministry is called Vision of Destiny. It is sponsorship program to help children in the slums of Kampala, Uganda get an education, get 2 meals a day, and have a chance at a better life.

 

The younger kids in their

Sunday school groups

 

Older kids meeting outside

After asking us to introduce her to our landlord, she went on to explain that her missions organization was looking to use an international home school curriculum to teach the students they had graduating from Primary school to high school. They wanted to rent the floor below us for their school. They have about 14 students. She asked if our church could be their spiritual covering. We could share devotions with her students and they could attend our church and be apart of our youth activities. In return for helping her we can use their rooms on Sundays for extra Sunday school space at no cost. We could not believe how the Lord answered our prayers. We met with the Landlords, who are Christians, and they were very happy to help out and to rent the floor to her ministry for the school. School has been meeting for about one month now. Brian has met most of the parents and is teaching devotions on Wednesday mornings.


We could not believe how the Lord answered our prayers.


 

 

 

 

 

 

Here is an excerpt from their newsletter. “It’s a time for new beginning for Vision of Destiny. We take the kids all the way through high school and on in to either vocational training or university. So, a decision had to be made about where these guys will be attending high school….. And I’m proud to announce they will be attending our very own high school! Having our own school will allow us to spend much more time with them which means a greater impact on their lives.

Pray for us as we take this HUGE LEAP of faith! We have found a building near the slum (but not in the slum) that is perfect for a high school. It’s a great facility and the top floor is occupied by a really amazing church. Our kids will be able to be involved in their Sunday worship and a really amazing youth group (another bonus). We are stepping out in faith to begin in this building. “

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 He is doing in lives of the men and women at Arise Christian Fellowship.
  • Pray for all the children who attend Arise. Pray they come to know the Lord at a young age and continue to have childlike faith.
  • Pray for the new school meeting on the floor below the church. May we be used to minister to the students as well as their parents.
  • Pray for Jill as she balances her ministries with homeschooling the children. Pray for the children to want to learn and obey.
  • Pray for health and safety for our family.
  • Continue to Pray that we would truly “Arise and Shine” the light of Christ in this dark place.
  • 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.

 

Kanyike Christmas Update

Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.  Luke 18:16

Dear Friends and Family!

Merry Christmas!

As we prepare to celebrate Christmas–Jesus’ birth–it strikes me that God sent His Son as a little baby. God loves children. I believe that children are never too young to begin learning about Jesus and can come to know Him at a very young age.

Currently, at Arise Christian Fellowship there is a lot happening among the youth. Before I share with you all that is happening I want to share how it all began. After having finished a new believers class and a discipleship class we felt that these young Christians needed to begin to also serve in the church. Before putting them in any position to serve we offered them a short course on servanthood, how to serve like Jesus.

Throughout our studies some weren’t sure what God is calling them to and were willing to try anything. Others were very sure of what God is calling them to and had strong desires to step out in those areas of ministry. The #1 calling we found the students expressing (both men and women) was to children. This was the beginning of the amazing children’s ministry / outreach that is developing within the church and our community.


The following Sunday we had over 75 children in children’s ministry!


As a church most of the outreaches we have had have centered around sports. Our first children’s outreach was no different. In Uganda, soccer or football as they call it, is the center of all extra curricular activities for adults and children alike. Anywhere you go you will most likely see a soccer ball being kicked around. There is a field not far from our church where children and young adults can be seen playing soccer daily. We met there and arranged the kids into teams. Our volunteers from church gave them some pointers on how to kick and play fairly then we let them play. Afterwards we had a evangelistic Bible story and served them snacks and water. We invited them all to church. The following Sunday we had over 75 children in children’s ministry!  We really believe that the harvest is ripe amongst the children and Jesus is still saying, “Let the little children come to me”.

As we started having so many children come to Sunday school, we quickly realized that many come from poverty stricken families.  They are hungry, in need clothes and some are sick.  This has led to us praying about how we can best help the children physically while ministering to them spiritually. As of right now we are trying to meet the hunger issue.  We can’t be at their homes everyday to make sure they eat but on Sundays when they come to us we can be try to serve them something so their tummys are full and they can concentrate on what they are learning about Jesus.  Continue to pray with us for guidance on other ways we can show Christ’s love for them through meeting needs and provision to do so.


Continue to pray with us for guidance…and provision…


Another one of the volunteers at church felt called to minister to the children thru music.  He meets with the children before Sunday school for a time of children’s worship. This allows the Sunday school teachers to sit in on worship in the sanctuary before they teach.  He is also meeting with the children on Tuesday evenings after school.  Currently they are practicing to share something special with the church for Christmas.

Another one of our volunteers felt led to oversee our movie night outreach.  Since he has been using it as a platform to evangelize and invite people to church we have had a full house the last Friday every month.  We show a Christian movie that is followed by a short message. Besides the evangelistic opportunity this is, it also provides a safe place for the youth to gather together.

As we reflect on the love God showed to us by sending Jesus to be born, to live and to die for us, let us also extend that love to others.

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

In Him,

          Brian, Jill,

         Luke, Laylee,

          and Liana

 

 

 

 

 

PRAYER REQUESTS

  • Praise the Lord for all He is doing in lives of the men and women at Arise Christian Fellowship.
  • Pray for all the new volunteers. Pray that they would do all unto the Lord and for His glory.
  • Pray for the children’s ministry at Arise Christian Fellowship. Pray for all the teachers and children.
  • Pray for the upcoming Christmas service and children’s program. Pray that everyone would know that Jesus is the reason for the season.
  • Pray for health and safety for our family.
  • Continue to Pray that we would truly “Arise and Shine” the light of Christ in this dark place.
  • 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.

The Kanyike Update–November 2016

The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.  2 Timothy 2:2

Dear Friends and Family,

Happy Thanksgiving!

As always this month we have so much to be thankful for.  We are thankful God has blessed us with health and family and provision.  We are thankful that the Lord has allowed us to be a part of His plan for Uganda. We are thankful for Jesus and His willingness to die that we might live. We are thankful for you, all of our friends and family who support our family and ministry here in Uganda.

A couple months ago we wrote about Pastor Doug Calhoon and his family and how God was calling them to leave Uganda and Calvary Chapel Fort Portal to work with a church plant in New Zealand. Before leaving the church was turnedpastor-nicholas over to the assistant pastor Nicolas.  They asked me if I would be willing to come and spend sometime with the women leaders to help them with the transition as well.  Calvary Fort Portal is like family to us so of course I said I would.  This month we spent a week there with the church and the leaders.

 

I have taught Women’s leadership many times, as it is part of the course that I teach at All Nations Bible college.  The difference between how I normally teach it and how I taught this class in Fort Portal was huge.  The class normally runs once a week for about four months.  In Fort Portal I taught it in 11 sessions over 3 days from 10 – 5 each day.  I don’t think I have ever done so much teaching in such a short period of time.

25 ladies came for the training.  Some are currently serving in leadership in women’s ministry, children’s ministry, or the worship team.  Others feel called to some form of ministry and thought the training would help them to see which way the Lord is directing them.  Along with the teaching the women had homework to complete on their own and after each session we had discussions about what they were learning.  It was quite intense for them as well as for me.

ladies-1 ladies-2ladies-3

In our 3 days of teaching we covered a variety of topics that can help prepare a leader for their ministry as well as to equip any believer in a deeper relationship with Christ and ability to minister to other believers.  We covered relationship building, leadership, evangelism, discipleship, counselling, studying, teaching and event planning.  While it was quite a lot to cover in a short time, I prepared something like a handbook for them.  This way they can refer back to it if they have questions or need guidance in a particular area we covered.

 

ladies-prayerMy favorite parts of out time together were the times of discussion and prayer.  In all of my teaching I always include discussions because I believe it helps the listeners to become doers also.  It also helps me to see if the ladies are understanding what I have been teaching and shows me areas that may need more time spent.  The ladies were very open and honest about the struggles of the ministry as also shared testimonies of how God was leading and using them.  Their openness to share was an encouragement to me as a wcc-port-royalomen’s leader as well.  At the end of each day we broke up into groups and prayed specifically for one another, for our ministries and personal lives.  I believe by the end of the training we were all drawn closer together and that they have a foundation not just in head knowledge but in unity to lift one another up as they serve the Lord together.  I look forward to the next time I get to go spend time with these precious women.

 

 

cc-port-royal-2Besides the women’s leadership teaching we were also able to spend some one on one time with the pastor and his wife as well as another missionary couple there.  It is a blessing to see how God is working in their lives and how the transition has gone so smoothly.  It truly shows that the church belongs to the Lord.  Our last day in Fort Portal was a Sunday so pastor Nicloas asked Brian to share the message and Evelyn led worship.  Pastor Nicolas is going to come and share with Arise when Brian has to travel next month.  We look forward to having him come and bless our church.

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

In Him,

Brian, Jill,

Luke, Laylee,

and Liana

kids-sign-off

PRAYER REQUESTS

  • Praise the Lord for all He is doing in lives of the men and women at Arise Christian Fellowship and Calvary Chapel Fort Portal

  • Pray for all the women who attended the leadership training. Pray they would be certain of the calling on their lives and apply the things they have learned.

  • Pray for the Kanyike family as Brian has traveled to the states for 3 weeks and the children and Jill will remain in Uganda.

  • Pray for health for our family. That we would not get sick so often. 

  • Continue to Pray that we would truly “Arise and Shine” the light of Christ in this dark place.

  • 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.