Paul and Barnabas appointed elders for them in each church and, with prayer and fasting, committed them to the Lord, in whom they had put their trust. Acts 14:23
Dear Friends and Family,
Recently I shared about the church growing and maturing. It has been such a blessing to see the members grow and desire to serve the Lord according to the gifts they have been given.
Some of the people who have been serving have served with Arise Christian Fellowship since before the church even began and we were still meeting in our home. One of these is the Assistant Pastor, Deo Mukasa. Deo, went to Calvary Chapel Bible College with Brian and they graduated together. When Calvary Chapel Entebbe was first beginning he was a part of the church plant there. When Brian first felt called to begin the market ministry here in Kampala and we were have a Bible study at our house, he felt led to ask Deo to come and help out and assist him. For 10 years now the 2 men have served side by side.
As the Lord has been raising up more and more volunteers to serve at our church Deo has felt the Lord stirring his heart to plant a church in his village, a suburb to the west of Kampala, where he grew up. He said that about one year ago he was visiting and someone in the village asked what he was doing these days and he shared that he was a pastor at a church in Kampala. He was then asked why didn’t he come and share Jesus with the people of that village? Deo says that those words stayed in his mind like they were being said over and over. Then one day when he was reading his Bible he was reading about God punishing the Israelites for doing evil in His sight and how then after sometime they cried out to Him and He heard them and sent an army to deliver them. Deo says that the story pierced his heart and he felt that the man asking him to come was like the Israelites finally asking for God’s help and that the constant replaying of that request was the Lord calling Him to share Jesus with this village. Since January Deo has been going every Wednesday and evangelizing and sharing a Bible study with anyone that would listen. Like the beginning of Arise Christian Fellowship, they have just been meeting outside. A couple of people from our church have joined Deo in his mission to reach the people of Bujuuko. As they have been faithful to share Jesus, a lady from the community has been moved to offer them a room to meet in. With this blessing the team will hold their first Sunday church service this month.
I have said that Deo is not alone on the church plant team for Bujuuko. As He has been praying and going there to minister, a team has formed around him to help out. They began going with him just to pray but now they have all found a place where God wants them to serve.
First there is Wilson. Wilson is a young man in his twenties. Deo has been discipling him. When Deo started going out to Bujuuko on Wednesdays Wilson would go with him. On the church plant team he is helping with evangelism and logistics. He is like the Timothy of Paul in the Bible.
Next we have Hope. Hope is very active in our church. She loves to sing and dance. She serves in the Sunday school. She also translates for my Women’s Bible study. Deo says that he is “vocally challenged” when it comes to singing. As the prayer and evangelism times turned into a study he began to pray for someone to lead worship. When Hope heard this request she felt the Lord nudge her to step up and volunteer to help.
The final member of the team is Peace. Peace is better known by most as Nalongo. Nalongo means mother of twins. She is not just a mother of one set but of two sets of twins. Peace has been a part of our fellowship for many years. We have known her pretty much since she got saved from her Muslim family over 14 years ago. Peace has been helping in our Sunday school and is part of Women’s Ministry. Peace is amazing with children. She is serving along side Deo teaching the children.
Recently we had a sending service for the whole team as they prepare to launch Sunday Services at Arise Bujuuko. Deo gave his testimony of how God called him and what the response has been there in Bujuuko. He introduced the members of the church planting team. Brian and the elders laid hands on them and prayed for them. The church also had some gifts to present to them to help them get started: chairs, and amplified speaker and a keyboard. After the service we celebrated with the cutting of a cake. Brian and I, the team and the whole of Arise Christian Fellowship are excited to see what God is going to do.
Thank you for praying for our family and for the ministry in Uganda.
In Him,
Brian, Jill, Luke, Laylee, and Liana
PRAYER REQUESTS
- We are so thankful for the many ways the Lord has blessed us and for everyone who supports us and the ministry in Uganda.
- Please pray for all the volunteers at Arise Christian Fellowship, both old and new. Pray for them to be filled with the Spirit and gifted for the ministries they are doing.
- Pray for the new church plant, Arise Bujuuko. Pray for the team to be filled and encouraged, pray for many people to come to know Jesus.
- Pray also for Pastor Deo as he takes on the role of Senior pastor. Prat for him to be filled with the Spirit, led and guided in the new ministry.
- Pray for the Kanyike children as it seems likely they will be called very soon for their citizenship interview.
- 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.
