FHLM Jan 2017 Newsletter: Director’s Update, Youth Programs
Happy New Year Everyone! I hope you and yours have had a great new year thus far! This year God gave me this verse and I believe it is for the ministry and me to stand on! Joshua 1:9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” So we are standing strong and courageous on His promises and seeing how He moves us in 2017!
Director’s Update:
On 7th Jan we all attended the wedding Mukisa Rock & Chelsea Green. Rock had previously been a SOAR residential and school sponsored youth with us for 6 years. It was a lovely day full of love and joy.
I’m officially a Resident of Uganda! On 17th Jan I traveled to Kampala to make payment and pick up my Uganda Certificate of Residence. I praise God for the provision and that I don’t have to have work permits anymore!!!
Praise Report for answered prayers to the building-Youth Center issues. Masaka District has decided to renegotiate the contact for the building and extent an offer to us at a rate of 750,000 shillings ($230.00 U.S.) per month. We will be sharing the cost with another youth organization that resides in the building, but this is still a big expense for us, as the district requires 6 month of rent in advance. Please pray for the provision for the 6 months of rent. Thank you!
I also ask you to pray for FHLM to be able to purchase land in 2017 and stop throwing money away each month on rent and have a permanent location for the Masaka Youth Center! We have identified a piece of land with a building on it and it is not far from our current location. They are asking a price of 175,000,000 million shillings ($50,000 U.S.). If you are interested in finding out more about our future youth center—in Jesus’ Name–please email me and I can send you the vision that God gave me 4 years ago, more details and pictures. Thank you!
I also have a personal prayer request for my health. When I was in the states I had a routine exam and they found elevated thyroid levels. Per their instructions I had a retest in Kampala 3 weeks ago and the levels were still high, so the doctor ordered an ultra sound scan and they have found a lump on my thyroid. I have been referred to a doctor in Kampala for another scan and consultation. Please pray that the Lord will heal me even before I go back to Kampala and if that is not His will, that the doctors be of solid, Godly wisdom for the treatment. Thank you!
Well as you will read it has been a busy last month of the 3rd Term Holiday! This is what we have all been up to! Enjoy!
FHLM Programs:
We had our 4th Annual Prayer, Praise & Fasting Retreat Camp-out from 13-15 Jan. This year’s theme was, “It’s Not About Me”, based on the verse John 3:30, “He must increase and I must decrease”. We had an amazing camp this year!! Not only was it the most youth we’ve ever had, 33, but we saw the Holy Spirit move mightily! During our 1st day of Prayer Walk one of the youths, Joshua, received a vision of a phone screen with a message on it saying, ’watch what you are doing’. He believed this was a warning to the youth about how they abuse their cell phones and social media and how it is taking them away from relationships and a relationship with God! This was a big discussion point around the campfire on Saturday night.
Our 2nd day Bible Study, It’s about God, not about you! A Bible Study on Inner Strength, revealed many things to the youth. Babyire said, This is what I learnt from verse in Hebrews 4:7; to always listen to the voice of God. Many times God calls us and we instead harden our voices and hearts. We then fail to say yes to Him and do what He would want us to do. It is not good, for example if you disobey your parents or anyone else, you have also disobeyed God and that means you have hardened your heart. You need to obey. And remember that God uses only those who soften their hearts and obey Him. So, if you want God to use you, be soft and sweet to Him. So, we need to put our trust in God and surrender all our lives to Him. Remember we need to decrease for God to increase!
This year we did something unique to past camps. On our 2nd day each team set out on foot into the village of Ndegeya and did Door to Door Evangelism. When we returned to camp I heard nothing but excitement and joy from each team, as they told stories of people getting saved, sharing the word of God with people, and praying for many. That afternoon 7 people got saved! I praise God for all He did through us that afternoon—to Him be the glory!
Alpha said, “This camp has been so much different than the others. I myself saw people getting back to God. Oh my, I love that! In Psalm 29:4 it says, “The voice of the Lord is powerful; the voice of the Lord is majestic.” It is true some youths lives changed, which was good and we heard God’s voice in different ways in this camp.
On 20th Jan we had our bi-annual Equip Leadership Training. This time we learnt about “Cultivating People Skills in our Leadership”. Our theme verse-“For I have given you and example that you should do as I have done to you.” John 13:15. Many of us came to understand that the way you see yourself is the way you serve other people and that leadership is relationships. Overall we all learnt a lot about our relationships with others and the Lord. We are so grateful for these Equip trainings.
The week of the 23rd of Jan. we had our Second Session of Freedom in Christ and then that Friday we went off-site at Timothy Girl’s High School for Steps to Freedom. Within the 4 days we discussed topics like; Truth=Freedom, Loving Others, Where are you Going?, and Keeping Going. During our Truth=Freedom session we learnt that declaring the truth of the Word of God over the lies that we have believed about ourselves can break down strongholds in our minds that have built up over the years, giving us FREEDOM! From the following testimonies you can tell all of these sessions were very powerful:
Jane—“I had a lie within me that marriage is a ground of suffering and misery and decided not to get married. I thank God so much that in the FIC classes there was Session 10, under the topic Truth = Freedom. I now know the truth that marriage is compared to the Kingdom of Heaven. In the Bible, Matthew 19:12, 22:2. I had a stronghold of unforgiveness, anger, and holding grudges, but I learnt “stronghold busting”. I am now getting free from that day by day. May God bless the person who compiled FIC and Aunt Rita who took an initiative to start classes with us.”
Joseph—“That Freedom in Christ is too much good for the youth! It helped me to realize who I am.”
Movie with a Message Day– On 21st we had the long awaited viewing of Queen of Katwe! If you haven’t seen this movie yet it is a must see! It is set in Katwe, a slum area of Kampala, Uganda. As you can imagine, this movie spoke deep into the hearts of our youth and their situations. After watching the movie we had discussion time. Here are some of the youth’s comments: Oliver-“We are all champions, no matter our situation, God can bring us through”, Alpha-“When you have determination like Fiona, it creates confidence. It is good to have a passion to be a champion, but always be yourself and never lose sight of God”. Pastor Sam-“God will avail people, like coach, to make us champions in our lives. God gave her (Fiona) a gift to help the whole family for the long run!”
Fun Days! Throughout the month we had craft & board game days for the youth to relax and enjoy fellowshipping with each other. We made bracelets, and bottle cap pens. Of course, we had some very rousing games of Monopoly!!
January was an awesome month and a wonderful start to the New Year! I pray that the Lord blesses and keeps you and yours all year long!
Have a blessed day!
Rita
Director-Faith Hope Love Missions
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