Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.”
—Galatians 6:10
Dear Friends and Family,
We pray you all had a wonderful Christmas and New Year!
This past Christmas we had the privilege of having a young South Sudanese girl,
Jackie, stay with us. She had come down from S Sudan so we could take her to an eye clinic in Jinja, about 3 hours south east of Kampala. Jackie is 16 and since she was 9 she has suffered with an eye problem that she was told was cataracts. In Jinja there is a very modern hospital that will do cataract surgery for free. We went down the week before Christmas for her to have the eye exam and hopefully the surgery. The doctor who examined her eyes was very nice but he told us that it was not cataract but a calcification of the cornea. The surgery for that is considered a transplant surgery and the doctor was not certain it could be done in Uganda. Needless to say, Jackie was very sad and disappointed. Instead of sending Jackie back to S Sudan for Christmas we asked her to stay with us through the holiday since we would be traveling to S Sudan on December 28 and she could travel with us. Jackie is an orphan who lives with her elder brother’s family.
Opening presents
Church Christmas party
Jackie’s Family in Sudan
We had a special Christmas guest.
This was Jackie’s first time experiencing Christmas the way we do in the west. It blessed us to see her spirits lifted as we celebrated Jesus’ birth in so many ways. She was able to be a part of the Women’s Christmas party, the church Christmas party and Christmas
service, as well as to celebrate Christmas at Brian’s families house and open presents with the kids. We were very blessed by our time with her and are still trying to find a way have her eye fixed. Please pray with us for her to be able to receive proper treatment and healing for her eye.
…Brian was asked to teach the chaplains…
Far Reaching Ministries has their chaplain training school in South Sudan. On this trip Brian was asked to teach the chaplains for 2 weeks through the books of 1 and 2 Peter. Brian loves teaching and discipleship, so was very happy to have the opportunity to pour into 102 chaplains. He said that after the very first class he felt a connection to them. He, 
and I as well, are humbled at their sacrifice to follow the Lord no matter the cost. They were very open with us about their faith and families and they were not shy to ask questions when they had them. One Chaplain, James, said he had been seeking confirmation that this was God’s will for his life. He said that after the in depth study of Peter and time spent discussing it he now knows for certain he is on the right path. Most of the chaplains shared how they could relate with the person of Peter and what an encouragement it is that the Lord does not give up on us. The children also enjoyed sharing with chaplains and interacting with them. I believe the chaplains enjoyed them as well.
In Nimule we reconnected with Calvary Chapel Cush.
In Nimule we also had a great time reconnecting with the body of Calvary Chapel Cush as well as meeting new friends. We spent New Years Eve worshiping with them and enjoying the lively music an dancing of the Sudanese. The Sunday after New years eve Brian shared a message with the church about abiding in Christ. The church was happy to receive it and they even played a special song for him. We continue to pray much fruit will come from our trip and the ministry in South Sudan.
Thank you for your faith prayers and support of the ministry in Uganda and for our family.
In Him,
Brian, Jill,
Luke, Laylee,
and Liana
PRAYER REQUESTS
· Giving thanks to the Lord for the great things He has done during our trip to Sudan .
· Pray for the chaplains to continue to grow in their faith and understanding of God and His Word.
· Pray for our family as Jill has been fighting bronchitis and an asthmatic reaction for 3 months now.
· Pray for Jill as once again teaches Women’s Ministry at All Nations Bible College.
· Continue to Pray that we would truly “Arise and Shine” the light of Christ in this dark place.
· Pray for the leadership team at Arise as we pray and plan the ministries of this coming year.
· 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.
