Arise, shine; For your light has come! And the glory of the Lord is risen upon you. For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, And deep darkness the people; But the Lord will arise over you, And His glory will be seen upon you.  -Isaiah 60:1-2

Dear Friends and Family,

Thank you all for praying for us while we were on furlough in the States. It was a full schedule of visiting and doctors appointments. While there was a lot going on we were also blessed with some rest and fun activities as well.

My health appears to be much improved though I am still being observed and treated. When we came to the States we originally thought that I would need either surgery or radioactive treatment for my thyroid. The Dr. decided against both for the time being. He said the lump on my thyroid was close to my vocal chords and it was too risky to remove it for fear of damaging them. He also said he tries to avoid radiation if he can because of possible side effects. His opinion was to test my thyroid every 6-8 weeks and adjust the medicine accordingly with the hopes of putting the disease into remission. His plan is over the course of at least 18 months. After which they will reevaluate what to do if it is not in remission. They are also treating me for anemia as the levels continued to drop while I was there. The last update on my health is my eyes. They began to swell while in the States. My Dr. was afraid it was the graves disease and sent me to an eye specialist. They did many tests on my eyes and could find nothing the matter with them that would cause swelling. The eye Dr. believes it must be an irritation or allergy. Please pray that now that we are back in Uganda it will go away. Pray my health overall will continue to improve.

While in the States we had many opportunities to share about the ministry.  Some times it was with large groups and other times it was one on one.  We also got to share with some potential missionaries who are still praying about going on the mission field in Africa.  Brian had the opportunity to share at a Bible College and a missions class.  We were also able to meet up with some friends who now live in America but used to live in Uganda.  These were couples we had the privilege of doing their marital counselling as mixed couples in Uganda.  It was fun to catch up and see how they are adjusting to being married and in the States now.

The kids would probably say the funnest part of their trip was getting to go to Disneyland.  I guess I would say it was pretty fun as well.  I also enjoyed the amount of time we were able to spend with my family, especially my dad.  It had been such a long time and we don’t know when we will be able to go back. I am thankful for the kids being older that these are memories they can cherish.

This year has started off with many new beginnings for the Arise Christian Fellowship family.  Since the beginning of our church our worship team has been a  great blessing to our body as well as to so many others.  Recently we were able to bless them in return with a bass guitar. Ruth who plays bass has been faithful rain or shine to find away to have a bass to play on Sunday mornings and for worship events.  A gift was given towards the purchase of a bass for the church and she was so happy to know that there would always be one there for her to practice and play for the church.

Another new beginning was the introduction of Elisa and Cathy.  An introduction is the traditional wedding where dowry is paid.  It is recognized by the government as a legal wedding. During the introduction the grooms family is introduced to the bride’s family.  They often play games and have dramas to make the event more fun.  Then the groom’s family will carry in the dowry which is many baskets filled with gifts, live animals and envelopes with money.  At the end of the introduction the bride is officially handed over by her family to the groom.

Arise Christian Fellowship also had their newest member dedicated.  Ariinda Nichole was dedicated this past month.  At Arise we do not practice infant baptism, instead we follow the example of Hannah in the Old Testament and dedicate our babies.  This is not so much for just the baby but it is the acknowledging that the parents as well as the church family will do what they can to raise the child for the Lord.

Last but not least is the children’s ministry.  They have been working very hard at putting together the story of Jesus’ birth.  To tell the story they wanted to incorporate song, dance, drama.  After much practice they performed on Sunday morning in front of the congregation.  It came out beautifully and the children were so cute as they shared their part of Christ’s story.  Pray that the children will continue to grow and know Christ more.

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 He was able to do during the Kanyike’s furlough.
• Praise God that Jill’s Medical treatment is going well. Pray she continues to do well with the medication for her thyroid.
• Pray for all the new beginnings that are taking place at Arise. Pray for Elisa and Cathy to grow in their marriage and for baby Ariinda to be raised for the Lord.
• 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 begin a new year of 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.
  

“And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.”                     —Rev.21:4

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!

Dear Friends and Family,

This month has been quite of a whirlwind of activity and emotion.  We finally have been able to travel to the United States as a whole family.  It has been a long 5 years in the making.  It has at times seemed impossible and like it would never actually come to pass but as we all should know “nothing is impossible with God” We are very thankful to all of you who have been praying and helping to make this come to pass.  It couldn’t have been more according to God’s perfect timing.

There is a bitter sweet beginning to our time here.  Liana was finally able to meet her grandma, my mom, but not long after she passed away.  When we first arrived in Ohio my mom was very alert and talkative with the children.  They were able to tell her stories, sing for her and there were lots of cuddles. Very soon after that she became less and less responsive.   The second to the last day we saw her she managed small hugs to the kids and the only words she spoke were “Brian, please pray for me”.  The day before we left Ohio we went to see her and she was not responsive at all.  Right before we were leaving the nurse came in to give her her meds and Luke said to her, “Can you give grandma a pill that will make her talk and play with us like she used to?” I started weeping and even the nurse looked as if she was going to cry.  As everyone was saying their goodbyes before leaving I really cried. I knew this was not just good bye because we were leaving Ohio but I knew in my heart this was the final goodbye and we’d never see her alive again. We left early the next morning for Illinois but in less then a week we were making the 6 hour car ride back to Ohio for her funeral.

 

 

Here is the Obituary in case you’d like to read it.

Phyllis L. “Susie” Wiencke (nee Bohn), age 80, of Lorain, passed away Tuesday, September 11, 2018 at Autumn Aegis Retirement Community, following a lengthy illness.A life-long resident of Lorain, Susie was born April 15, 1938 in Lorain and graduated from Lorain High School in 1957.  Susie and her husband, Gary owned and operated Quik As A Wink Carpet Cleaning for 35 years, retiring in 2008.She was a member of the former First Congregational United Church of Christ in Lorain and a member of Community Congregational United Church of Christ, Amherst. She enjoyed reading, word searches, and playing board games. Susie loved spending time with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Surviving is her husband of 62 years, Gary; daughters, Julie Bober, of Sheffield Village, Jenny Riddle, of Cornell, Illinois, Jan Bailey, of Elyria and Jill Kanyike, of Uganda, Africa; grandchildren, Dean, Aaron, David, Jesse, Rafe, Lillian, Luke, Laylee, and Liana; great-grandchildren, Cole, Logan, and Olivia; She was preceded in death by her parents, Ellsworth and Helen Julia (nee Kish) Bohn.

While we have been having our own time of mourning in the States, things have also been a bit crazy in Uganda.  One of the members of Parliament has been speaking out against the president of Uganda which has led to riots and acts of violence on both party’s sides. The parliament member is from near our neighborhood so much of what has been happening is near to our home and Arise Christian Fellowship.  It is hard to be away when people you know and love are suffering yet at the same time feeling relieved that I am not there with the children right now.  Please be praying for Uganda and for Brian’s safety as he has returned and is there without us right now.

In the midst of all the suffering that is going on there is one thing that is certain:  we serve a God who is worthy to be praised.  Not long ago we had the privilege of Worship Leader Jeremy Camp coming to Uganda.  He first hosted a worship conference which all of our worship team was able to attend.  He also held a free worship concert in conjunction with some local Christian artists, to which thousands attended and at least 100 received salvation.  Here is what some of our worship team members had to say about the conference and meeting him:

“He mainly talked about the reason we worship, the reason being God’s love for us. That is what causes us to worship, when we realize that His love is enough.”  

“He said the Lord wants us to worship Him in every state of emotion we have. We don’t have to wait to have the right words, we can just cry out to him, and half way through, He changes our song of sorrow and turns it into a cry of victory. Even when we are weak and we fall, we still fall into His arms and there is no safer place for us to be.” 

“He talked about the danger in worship, the fact that as you stand before the congregation to lead them in God’s presence, it is easy for people to fix their eyes on you and instead praise you, because of your talent. He talked about the real dangers of falling into pride. He said as we serve the Lord, it is important for us to remember that HE is THE Lord, not us! Whatever the crowds say, at the end of the day, God is our audience of one.” 

 

They were blessed by this opportunity and I believe have blessed us through their worship of God.

Thank you for praying for us and for the ministry in Uganda.

 

In Him,

Brian, Jill,

Luke, Laylee,

and Liana

PRAYER REQUESTS

• Praise the Lord for allowing our whole family to travel to States.
• Pray for Jill’s family, especially her father as they mourn the loss of her mom.
• Pray for provision for the Kanyikes to spend Christmas in Ohio with Jill’s family.
• Pray for Jill while she continues getting treatment for her thyroid while in  the states.
• Pray for the Kanyikes and their time in the states with family and friends.
• Pray for Uganda, there has been some unrest and many riots. Pray for safety and stability in the country.
• Pray for Arise Christian  Fellowship to be a light in the darkness as they worship the Lord in Spirit and truth.
• Pray for all the ministries of Arise Christian Fellowship as well as the other ministries we partner with..
• 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.

 

 

 

 

 

 

“…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 common place 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 vistors 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 back packs 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

• 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 care takers 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 a ll 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.

 

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 find 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.

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…they all have people…who have seen the changes in their lives and wonder why and how.

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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.”

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…adoption was almost unheard of by Ugandans.

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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.

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Her muslim family has seen this love and has been very touched by it.

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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.