FHLM May 2015 Update-Youthz News, SOAR News, Uganda News, Missionary News

Greetings from Masaka and all of us at Faith Hope Love Missions (FHLM)!

Youthz News

Our Holiday Bible studies on Monday and Wed afternoons continued to bring in many youth from all walks of life and denominations. I thank the Lord for these days as Pastor Sammie and I are able to sow the Word of God into these youth and help it to come alive and become practical in their lives.

We had another Craft Day on 05 May. This time many of the young ladies came because we made bead bracelets. The ladies made some lovely bracelet with very interesting designs. Some of the other youth worked on art collage boards with fabric, and paper. Angela made a beautiful board. She braided paper for the boarder and then over the fabric she attached a braided paper heart. Such talent!

09 May we had our monthly Movie with a Message Day and we watched the last movie of the Left Behind series—World At War. Since the youth were anxiously waiting to see the last of this series they were captivated by the movie and at the end had many comments. Frank said that he knows the devil has power, but as the movie showed we serve a mighty and more powerful God and as long as we put our trust in Him He will protect and take care of us. Others had similar comments. I am thankful for these days and the impact these movies make in the youths walk with the Lord!

It really hit me during this school Holiday how important the center is for the young people of Masaka! I was talking to a few of the youth and I asked them what they would do during Holidays before they started coming to the center. Many said they would spend the whole day, sleeping, loitering on the streets with friends or watching bad movies all day long in a local “gangster” movie house. None contribution to their growth and development, but the center gives them a place to make good friends, to be in an environment that is conducive to stimulating their brains with good, Godly things instead of the rubbish of this world!

SOAR Youthz News

The week of 11 May was a Joint Help Uganda (HUG) and FHLM Youth Week. We had a full on week from 10am to 6:30pm, with revision and study groups in the mornings, lunch, Basic computer Training and Practicals in the afternoon and Bible Time in the evening. During Bible time we watched sections of the History Channel’s “The Bible” and then the youth either had a Bible Quiz and discussion or Bible Drama acting out the story of Moses & the early years of Jesus. It was a wonderful week!!

Our Joint Youth Week ended on Saturday with an amazing day of food, fun, and adventure! After a yummy lunch, and lots of laughter watching the youth preformed comedy skits, we ventured out for a 3 hour walk/hike seeing the sites around Masaka! Wow we have amazing landscapes just outside our door!

Back to school! Alpha, Babirye and William stated back to school on 18 May for their 2nd Term of the year. Both Alpha and Babirye are still at Masaka Secondary School, in secondary 3 and secondary 4 and William is at Nile Vocational studying electrical installation.  Mid-May Alpha also made a change in his living accommodations and moved into the boy’s quarters at Aunt Liz’s house. This change is for the best, as the youth he had been living with were sometimes not practicing Godly ways and the environment was not conducive for him to revise (do homework) in. Even though he is getting free accommodation, this change means that FHLM is now be fully responsible for his monthly food, healthcare, and general needs. If you wish to help with these needs we ask for you to contribute $20.00 per month to supplement for the costs. Thank you for prayerfully considering this!

David started exams on 18 May and will be finished his 2nd Semester at NIAAD on 30 May. He had quite a May, as he was asked to be a photographer for the school guild at an opening of a new hospital wing. Than low and behold he became a celebrity out of it, as he was on the weekend news on two of the national TV stations. Many of his Masaka friends rang him saying they saw him on TV. At the end of May he was also part of a school art exhibition in Kampala at Centenary Park. This event inspired him to have an art exhibition in Masaka! On 23 May he traveled back to Masaka for about 24 hours to be a photographer for our big International Marathon. All of these were wonderful experience for him!

Faridah celebrated her birthday on 05 May at university! She is very busy doing research for her final project and working hard in her last semester to keep up her 4.8 GPA! It sounds like she is on track to receive a second scholarship, this time for her accounting degree. She should finish up with exams and her project by the end of June. Please pray that God continues to guide and speak to her about her classes.

Uganda News

24 May was a huge day for Masaka, putting it on the map with the 1st Annual Masaka International Marathon! There were runners from UK, Kenya, Canada, China and of course Uganda! I didn’t personally participate, but was a “cheerleader” for all the runners! However our SOAR Youth William along with 3 of his classmates from Nile Vocational ran the 10K. They all did very well all coming in the top 10! And Soweto Youth Fellowship had 15 runners participate doing the ½ marathon (21K). Next year we hope to have a team from FHLM!

Missionary News

We have been getting ready for missionary, Kristina Sargent, arrival on 17 June. She will be coming for 10 days to assist with the youth of FHLM and the Center. Kristina is a social worker and counselor in the states, so we will be putting her expertise to work. Besides doing general ministry work, during her time here she will be holding a week long Adult Youth Workers’ Training and also special After School Life-Skills Trainings for the youth. We are very blessed to have her come and are looking forward to all the Lord is going to do through her during her stay. Please pray for her, that the Lord prepare her spiritually, emotionally and physically for her time in Masaka. Thank you!

On 23 May I traveled to Kampala to obtain an important clearance letter from the Ministry of Gender and Labor for the renewal of our NGO. God certainly gave His favor that day, as normally one is asked to return in 2 weeks time to get the letter, but that day I was handed the letter there and then. The next step is turning in the full packet of information to the NGO Board. Please pray that the Lord’s favor remain with the ministry during the approval process with the NGO Board. Thank you!

By God’s grace and donations and prayers from you all we are able to continue serving the Lord here in Masaka! I thank you all!

Love and Blessings,

Rita Bulegeya

Director-Faith Hope Love Missions