And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith. —Galatians 6:9-10
Dear Friends and Family,
As we minister here in Uganda and try to share Christ, we often fin
d that it is by helping those in need who are already part of the body of believers that we end up reaching those who do not know Christ.
Our church, like most, is made up of people from different backgrounds and who are at various stages of their Christian walk. The one thing they have in common is that they all have people in their lives who are watching them, who have seen the changes in their lives and wonder why and how.
…they all have people…who have seen the changes in their lives and wonder why and how.
Twice a year at Arise Christian Fellowship we host a family day out. On this day the church members invite their friends and family who are willing to come to church for a day of fun and food. While we encourage the church to invite people all the time, the truth is they are more likely to come if there is food and activities. During the service Brian shares an evangelistic message. He invites people with questions to come and speak with him.
After church we go down in the gardens where there is a pool. There are yard games like Frisbee to be played and of course the pool to swim in. While the activities are taking place there is a time of fellowship where the church members can mingle with the guests and testimonies are shared. Often during this time family and friends of a church member will want to speak to us about how the person has changed and to ask questions about what we believe. The most wonderful moments are when you can see that they are longing for that change as well and you can pray with them to receive Christ. Before everyone leaves we have a little bit more worship and share a meal with one another. People often think of outreach as crusades and open air evangelism, all of which we also do, but just like Jesus said in John 13:35, “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
…adoption was almost unheard of by Ugandans.
When we first began the adoption process 7 years ago, adoption was almost unheard of by Ugandans. They have the mind set that it takes a village to raise a child so if a child ends up in a babies home that child is most likely cursed and rejected by the whole village as well or many other traditional ideas that are not usually the case.
Since we are viewed as Ugandans we have been sought out and interviewed and asked to share many times about why we would chose adoption. This past month Brian was asked to share with local pastors and government officials on the importance of adoption. He shared about the heart of God toward orphans. He shared how we are adopted in to God’s family when we are saved. He shared his personal testimony of being a Ugandan and being a father to adopted children. Children are a gift from God to love and care for. We love our children just as if they were born from us and are thankful that they are our children that God intended for us.
Being interviewed 2010
Sharing on adoption 2017
Her muslim family has seen this love and has been very touched by it.
In other news this month, a young woman from our church gave birth to twins. This story is one of ups and downs. The young lady was from a muslim background and got saved when she was a teenager. Last year she married and not long after her marriage her husband abandoned her. It was after that realized she was pregnant—with twins. The church family and my womens’ Bible study have stepped up and have been amazing at practically showing her the love of Christ by helping her to meet her needs.
Her muslim family has seen this love and have been very touched by it. When we go to visit her and the twins they often show up and ask us to pray for them and stay while we share with the young lady. We are praying for their salvation through this situation. We pray we would truly see God working in what could seem as a hopeless or depressing situation for good for the young lady and her twins and through the salvation of her family. (Romans 8:28) She named the twins Brian and Jill. Pray for continued support to come in for her and the babies as they have nothing but what we and the church family have been able to give them.
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 people who were reached through Family day out. Pray for them to accept salvation. Pray for our church to continue to share their testimonies with friends, family and the communities they are in.
- Pray for the pastors and leaders who heard Brian share about adoption. Pray that the Ugandan people will continue to become more open to adoption and remove the cultural stigmas against it.
- 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 the past month
- 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.
