FHLM September 2017 Newsletter; Director’s Update, Youthz Programs, SOAR Youthz

Greetings from rainy Masaka!! This month’s verse: Deuteronomy 11:14 That I will give you the rain of your land in his due season, the first rain and the latter rain, that thou mayest gather in thy corn, and thy wine, and thine oil. We are now in our late rainy season.

Director’s Update:

On 15 September I attended David’s Graduation Ceremony at Negndya International Academy of Art and Design (NIAAD)! It was such a lovely day full of joy and celebration of all David has achieved thus far. The days’ key note speaker was so inspiring telling the graduates this, “As artist you need to bring out what is in God’s creation—the unseen to the seen and transform the world thru your art. You need to reveal God’s beauty, because the key to your success is your closeness to God!” David said he loved the speech and it gave him inspiration and hope for his future. I see that David has become such an amazing young man of God and because of it his hands have been blessed. I’m so proud of him! I also thank God for his sponsors, may the Lord bless them abundantly for all they have done!

I thank you all for your prayers for Rogers U.S. Visa, but unfortunately he was denied the visa. We both know that God has a plan in all this, as He is a good and faithful God. That said, I’m now preparing to leave for the U.S. for this year’s furlough. I fly on 30^th September and will be visiting Ft Wayne, Indiana, Colorado Springs & Boulder, Colorado and San Diego, CA. I hope to see some of you while I’m back in the U.S.!  If you would like to set up at time to visit or want to know the details of my schedule please email me back. Thanks!

Youthz Program Updates:

That said this is a glimpse of some of our September School Holiday programs. Our time was full of fun and God Word! Here is what we have been up to:

GLOW Tea: On 02 Sept we had our 4^th Annual Young Ladies Tea Godly Ladies of Wisdom (GLOW). It was our best attended tea to date, 35 girls. It was a day filled with games, joy, and God Word! We were blessed to have Beatrice Nabitiri as our guest speaker. She spoke to the young ladies form Psalm 23, and how the psalm reveals David’s personal relationship with God. She emphasized that the Lord was David’s Shepherd and He is ours too! She said that we can relax when our Shepherd is with us because He is our security and we don’t have to fear. But we as humans always want, want, want but we need to remember John 10:11…”that Christ will meet all our needs” just as the shepherd meets the needs of his sheep. We also need to come to know Him, and accept Him as our Savior, our true Shepherd. That He is a good Shepherd and even if we are going through troubles or issues He is there for us and eventually our blessings will overflow when we keep close to our Shepherd and let Him reign in our lives. I’m very thankful for Beatrice and all she blessed us with that day!

Chapter & Verse: We continued with our Chapter & Verse Bible studies on Tuesday and Thursday afternoon, but during the Holidays we always change it up a bit. This Holiday we started a new study called “The Lineage of the King”; 16 different studies about the genealogy of Jesus. During the 4 week Holiday we did a deep study in the book of Ruth. The youth said they really like this study and that it help them understanding the verses better and see how much more is in every verse.

Life Skill Talk: On 06 Sept. Mr. Jerry Omitta from Uganda Christian Lawyers Fraternity came and spoke to the youth. We had very interesting day learning from him about Ugandan law, our rights as citizens, and what schooling is needed to become a lawyer. Many of the youth had questions about land, family, and personal rights. I thank you Jerry for his time and expertise!

Discipleship Class:  September 08, 09 & 13 the youth attended “Before You Leap Workshop” at the center. This training was developed by Campus Crusade for Christ East Africa division. It explored the single life of youth and how to be prepared for love, marriage and build healthy relationships. The most enjoyed and discussed sections of the class were; The Myths that Surround Love & Marriage, Ready or Not?, and God’s Design for Intimacy. I’m thankful to be able to bring this topic to the youth and talk openly about these things, as so many of them have false ideas and beliefs about love and marriage based on what their friends, and culture has told them.

SOAR Youthz Updates:

• Babirye: As a Secondary 6 Candidate she started back to school 2 weeks before the rest of the students and was immediately thrown into Mock Exams. Please keep her in prayer as the preparations for the National Exams that will be in November are intense. Thank you!
• Joseph: Finished his Industrial Training at Makerere University Farm Research Center on 08 Sept. During his training he learnt organic feeing of pigs, studied soils, artificial insemination and ultra sound use for cows & pig pregnancy, advanced technical uses for treating animals. He only had a 2 day break before he started back for his last term at Mbuye Agricultural College.
• Justine: She started back with the other secondary students; Joshua, Oliver, and Eddy on the 18th and is loving being in school. She said it has been a little adjustment because of the size of the school, but other than that she is fitting in and coping up! She and Oliver are best buddies since they are both in Senior 2 together.
• William: He started back for his last term of Advanced Electrical Installation at Nile Vocational School on 19^th
• Cephas: He continues to work hard at his studies at the Adult Literacy School, which doesn’t get term holiday breaks. We received his 2^nd Term Report on the 18^th and he did well. We keep encouraging him that with continued hard-work, discipline and determination he will finish well when he sits for the secondary 4 national exams next year!
• Alpha: He continued with his work/study program in video, photo and sound editing. By the way, he just completed our 1^st FHLM Video, so if you meet up with me during my travels you can buy it and also Bassoon Sounds CD.

Movie Day: On 23^rd Sep we watched God’s Club. It was a movie about a public high-school teacher, Mike, re-launching the Bible Club that his wife founded, following her death. When upset parents say there should be separation of church and state and want the school club stopped, a passionate dispute started and threatens to destroy their small town. With his job, personal relationships and even his faith in jeopardy, Mike must make tough decisions about the things that matter most. Here are a few of the comments from the many youth that attended this uplifting movie of strength, unity and love:

• Oliver: Sharing the truth, like Mike did, is challenging, but Jesus is the way the truth and the life so people need to be strong and courageous enough to share that.
• Eddy: Prayer can take away any situation, like the suicide that Victor wanted to do. It was not the answer, but prayer was. When we have problem we need to take them to God in prayer. He quoted Proverbs 3:6 says; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.
• Josh: Bible studies, like the ones in the movie, are good cause they help us learn about Jesus and the disciple dudes that hung out with Him. The studies that Aunt does here help us go deeper and help us understand the Bible better than just reading it by ourselves.
• Joshua: Just like the verse in the movie; Mark 11:25 “And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses.” , we need to be ready to forgive people that hurt or harm us like Mike did. He forgave the parents, and even the youth that vandalized his classroom and tried to burn his home. Mike was a great example of how to forgive people.

As you have read Sept was a full month of God’s faithfulness and goodness! Please pray for the youth the FHLM Board, and especially for Jane Franc, our Social Worker, in my absence. Jane is my “right hand” and very capable, but I’m asking for your prayers for God’s wisdom, strength, and guidance as she runs the programs, counsels the youth, deals the funds, and with any issues that may arise. Thank you!! And thank you all for your continued love, and support! Hope to see you see! Tell then may the Lord bless you and keep you.

In His Grip,

Rita

Director-Faith Hope Love Missions