FHLM Feb 2020 Newsletter

Greetings everyone! Well we just finished February, our Summer and hottest month—full of sunshine and dust!  Psalm 74:17 It was you who set all the boundaries of the earth; you made both summer and winter.

Director’s Update:

We held our 1^st Quarter Board meeting on 1^st Feb. As it was the first of the year we had many items to cover. We reviewed of all the potential SOAR Youth Sponsorship applicants and accepted those most needy. That said please welcome Benita Nakawuki and Milly Nassuuna! These two young ladies are now in the program and have started Secondary 2. We do not have a sponsors for them, so if the Lord leads you to assist either of the girls with their school fees and requirements we would be so grateful! By doing so you are securing their futures. If you are led please contact the Director at reetsindiego@yahoo.com The Board also reviewed the current SOAR Youth, the youth program schedule for 2020 and addressed our current rental situation. I’m thankful for all of the member’s contributions, knowledge, and guidance. They are a blessing from God.

Grace Mukasiine, our new Social Worker, officially started on 10^th Feb. She has already been a blessing, especially to me, as I have been “wearing all the hats” of the ministry. She has also instantly connected with the youth. Along with that she has put her social worker skills of “youth action plans” and “counselling and assessment” into play. We are so happy to have Grace on our team!!

Youthz Update:

Well the secondary students were to return to school on 3^rd Feb, but in typical Ugandan fashion they were delayed 1 week and reported 10^th Feb. The delay was due to their school, Masaka Secondary, being a “training” school for the new Ordinary Level Curriculum that was to be rolled out country wide at the start of this new school year. I say was supposed to be, because after all the plans, training and other things the Ugandan Parliament rejected the curriculum when they sat on 05 Feb. But finally the Cabinet approved on 10^th Feb.   

That said, our secondary youth (Hanisha, William, Milly, Benita, Immy, Eddy) are now in 1^st Term of the new school year, but in our “extra” week we had some fun programs the week of 3^rd Feb. We had another Computer Training class and this time we had a whole afternoon of practicals in Word. The youth practiced their typing skills, bolding, fonts, underlining, and highlighting.

We also painted the sitting room of the Centre emerald green and added murals. What started this whole painting idea was our trip Mbale in December. On our trip we visited Lluwanda Children’s Home and they saw a mural with “We Are Children Of God” and a “Prayer Request” black board, so they asked to paint that at our Centre. It was a great day fulfilling their wishes and seeing how God is using them to bless those that come to visit the Centre with words of encouragement and truth!   

With fun also comes work, so we had a Centre compound clean up day to get the compound “jungle” under control and neat and tidy for us and all our visitors.     

We are back to our evening Tuesday & Thursday After School Bible Studies. We are finishing up Ezra and starting in 1^st Corinthians. During our study in Ezra the youth have learned about Godly leadership through Ezra’s life and writings.      

Oliver: She will be starting technical school at Nagenda International Academy of Art and Design in August studying Fashion & Design. Until she starts art school she is taking a tailor class Monday & Wednesdays and Tuesday, Thursday & Friday she is taking computer training.  These classes will “kick start” her for the next level of schooling! We praise God that she can continue education and that her future is bright!  

Justine: She started Secondary Advance Level (S5) studies at Masaka SS on 24^th Feb. She excelled in her Secondary 4 National Exams in Math, & Commerce, so she will study Math, Economics, and Geography in S5 & S6. Though she is bright, A Level education is not easy and different from O Level, so please keep her in prayers. 

Saturday Programs:

Movie Day: We watched Overcomer on the 15^th. I had heard that this movie as good but it was GREAT and such a blessing to us all! If you haven’t seen it please do so, as you’ll be encouraged and blessed too. Here are a few ways the youth were inspired and impacted by the movie:

• Hanisha: Always forgive each other just like what Hannah said to her father, “If Jesus can forgive me for all I’ve done then I can forgive you”.  Also we have the best father in God! I am a child of God like Hannah!
• Eddy: Never blame God for your situation. Mr. Thomas said “not to look back or at the past but to push forward with God”. He lost his sight, but that is when God allowed him to see Him.
• Justine: Coach John had a plan for his team, but God has a better and bigger plan for his life.  The life of Hannah, and her father were changed because of Coach and that is when Coach found his identity in Christ, not in his job or even his family.

Please read the whole chapter of Ephesians 2 and you’ll being to understand where your IDENTITY lays!!           

This month’s Outreach Day was on the 22^nd at Nurture Children’s Home. It was a day of learning about Forgiveness! Though all of the youth participated, Oliver and Justine led the programs for the day. Oliver opened with a fun “ice breaker” and a getting to know the new FHLM team members. Than, I, Aunt Grace and Immy led us in some praise and worship and it was fabulous.

Justine was next up teaching everyone about Forgiveness from Matthew 6:14-15 For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins. Wow! Justine was so well prepared and I like the way she explained the word forgiveness. She said that we have to forgive because we were forgiven first when God sent his beloved son Jesus Christ to die for us so that our sins are forgiven. She added that forgiving is a sacrifice; you need to give in and let go of the person that has wronged. If we don’t forgive we stay with burdens and they become heavy on us which will lead us to sin. She finished by praying for the children that ‘God may help them to learn how to say sorry to the ones we hurt and forgive those who hurt us.’

Then each child was given a picture of an empty cross and our memory verse from Mathew 6:14-15. The SOAR Youth and we “aunties & uncles” helped them write the words, ‘forgiven your sins’ in the empty cross. We also helped the children shade/ color their pictures.

I personally enjoyed everything about the outreach and I hope the children were blessed too. My prayer is to see SOAR youths grow up as responsible persons and servants of God.  (Written by: Grace Mukasiine-FHLM Social Worker)

On the 29^th we had a Baking Class with the SOAR youth. Eddy was our chief chef. We learned how to bake banana bread and raisin oatmeal bars. We had two groups each with 5 people so Eddy and Aunt Rita took us through the procedures. Everyone was engaged in learning because it was new to all of us. Each group made it’s mixtures as prescribed and took it to the oven. Eddy and William were watching over the oven as others played games and had fun as a family. After some time we had to taste what we had cooked and wow it was so yummy and everyone enjoyed!! (Written by: Grace Mukasiine-FHLM Social Worker)

Prayer Request:

Please continue to pray for our youth as they have began a new school year. We pray that it is not full of challenges and if there are challenges that they lean upon God and trust in His guidance and wisdom.

We also ask for prayer for our Centre, as there have been several meetings with the land ladies, the children that proceed over the estate of their late father. The children are in a family wrangle and are not sure about keeping their property. We pray for family unity, agreement, and a solution for us to continue to reside at the location.   

Well that is all for now. We pray that God continues to move in your lives and bless you for all you do, say, pray and are to this ministry and to all of us!! Thank you and have a wonderful March!

Have a blessed day and weekend!!

In His Grip,

Rita Bulegeya

Director-Faith Hope Love Missions (UG)