FHLM JAN 2024 NEWSLETTER: SPECIAL EDITION
GREETINGS:
I wanted to send out this special edition to highlight what God did through our annual camp. As you read I pray that the Lord touches your heart. May God bless you all for helping this camp become a reality!
ANNUAL YOUTH CAMP:
From 26 to 28 January we had our 9th Annual Prayer, Praise, and Fasting Youth Camp at Kako Prayer Mountain. This year’s theme was “In It, Not of It” John 16:17, Jesus said, “They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.” Here is an overview of our 3 days with Jesus!
Day 1 Friday: It was a rainy morning start to camp, but we believe it was an anointing from God above. Though it rained, most of the youth were excited about camp and came on time! We had 39 youth, and facilitators from FHLM, and various organizations and churches around Masaka. Before we headed out I led a group prayer and dedicated our journey and the camp into God’s hands. We boarded the coaster, and took off for Kako Prayer Mountain.
We reached Kako Prayer Mountain at around 11:30am and went straight to the main hall for opening prayer, introductions and orientation. Of course, each facilitator had a few FHLM Junior Youth Facilitators to help them out. Leadership starts at home! Here are the team breakdowns:
- Team 1 (Gospel Gladiators) Facilitator Douglas with Ruth, Pamela, Immy in charge of Time Keeping, Security, Nurse & Accommodation.
- Team 2 (Joyful Journeyers) Facilitator Alpha with Charity and Milly in charge of Games & Drama
- Team 3 (Devine Delights) Facilitator Shakira with Eddy & Pius in charge of Food & Hospitality
- Team 4 (Heaven Hoppers) Facilitator Grace with Milly, William and Pamela in charge of Praise & Worship
After team assignments the facilitators dove deep into our Camp Theme, “In It not Of It” John 17:16, with an object lesson about water being the world and oil being we believers, and living in this world, but being separated and set apart for God. Aunt Grace explained how the sin came into the world with the fall of man (Genesis 3). The fall of man & sin changed the colorless water red when sin entered in. She explained that the oil illustrates the coming of Jesus to rescue people from their sins. Then our activity lesson was to write our names and favorite verse in a Cross on a big banner with the world on it. This represents, we, believers being in the world but not of it.
Afterwards, we gathered into our respective teams where we were taught how to conduct Quiet Time with Jesus. We then disbursed and studied Romans 12:1-2 on our own. Following our quite time we had Prayer Walk. This wasa good time to pray, and talk to God about all we had learned during our quiet time and in the Word. I love how God meets with each of us individually when we call on Him.
In the evening we had some time to practice the Outreach Drama that we were going to present on Saturday. By 6:00pm we broke our fast then prepared ourselves for dinner. The campfire was good and we had praise songs, worship song, special gospel songs, and lots of dancing and joy! Oh and I can’t forget, we roasted marshmallows and had a Ugandan version of S’mores. Juliet led the closing prayer and we were off to our rooms by 10:00pm to sleep. We praise God for a wonderful 1st day with Him!
Day 2 Saturday. We were up at 6:00am, bright eyed & bushy tailed, for the Morning Glory. Grace led in praise and worship and Douglas preached the word of God in Psalms 63:1-11 explaining that we have to value our special time with God and use it properly. After the word we went for prayer walk and it was so good to talk to God early in the morning.
Since we were fasting we used the “breakfast time” to learn from God with a Bible Study based on our camp theme verse John 17:11-16 and sub-verses 1 John 2:15-17, 1 Corinthians 6:9-11, Matthew 6:33, Hebrews 13:14. This time together in our teams gave the youth a deeper understanding of being a part of the world, but not being affected by the world, and living for God while impacting the world. They shared how it is hard to live a gospel-driven life in a world that is NOT driven by the gospel. I thank the facilitators for taking the youth through this impactful study.
After Bible Study we prepared ourselves for our “journey” into the community for Door-to-Door Evangelism. We were joined on our journey by a team from Great Army Church. These members guided us to various homes and to our final destination, the town trading centre of Bulayi. Along the way we preached to people and many gave their lives to Jesus! Once we reached Bulayi we found many youth and men that were drunk and young girls who had babies. Many of the guys were playing cards & pool, and others were loitering around, so we preached to them and explained to them the goodness of Christian life.
I shared my testimony with one of these unruly young men. As I shared about how I was before I accepted Christ and how far my life has changed, I saw his countenance change. After the testimony he accepted to give his life to Christ and we prayed together the salvation prayer. I praise God and the Holy Spirit for moving and changing his life!
As the youth passed out flyers, we announced over our portable speaker, that everyone was invited to a movie that evening at the prayer mountain. Our praise and worship team then started singing praise songs and dancing, which the people loved. Some even started dancing! That led us into the drama, which was based on the camp theme–In It Not of It. We had four different skits based on various sins or pitfalls that people fall into, and then the one knowing Christ shared how Jesus can set them free. Many people gathered around to watch the drama, as it was very interesting. After, a few people asked the youth questions and some accepted Jesus. Overall 10 people gave their lives to Christ that afternoon. We praise God and give Him all the glory and honor!!
After the door to door evangelism and drama we had a long walk back to Prayer Mountain! When we reached the place we gathered together for a great praise and worship session and then went into quite time and a prayer walk to thank God for all He had done during our outreach! It was a special time and some say God really spoke to them during this time. We praise God for His goodness!
Though we were fasting the youth still had energy for team games! After several games Team Heavenly Hoppers won the overall competition. Congrats to them! In the evening we broke our fast, prepared for dinner and our movie night.
We ended our day by watching a movie about the rapture, called The Moment After. This movie explained more about the Theme “In It Not Of It.” It encouraged us to always be prepared, for we never know the day or the hour the Lord will return. The movie also helped us to know that we should remain strong and pure in our Christian way of living because it will be painful if the day comes and we remain behind. Unfortunately only one youth from the community outreach came up to watch the movie but I’m thankful for that one!
Day 3 Sunday. This was our final day in that camp, and we had our morning glory again at 6:00am. After praise & worship Aunt Shakira gave us a word from Mathew 6:33 which says, First seek the kingdom of God and His righteousness… Then she expounded on a message based on Judges 11:1-14. We finished with a prayer walk and then went back to prepare ourselves and have breakfast. No fasting on this Sabbath day.
It was a real blessing to see that after breakfast some of the youth took it upon themselves to start intercession prayer. Then praise and worship team and everyone joined to start our Sunday service. Not long after our pastor for the service, Julius Kintu arrived with his wife, Martha. After the praise and worship, Julius and wife introduced themselves and their ministry Organic Worship and how they work together at Willow Resource Centre. Julius told us some of his Christian life experiences, and challenges.
Pastor Julius liked our praise and worship and all the energy and strength which was in it, so he started the service with a song called Lwazi lwange (The Rock). Julius spoke on 3 main points that summarized our camp theme “In It Not of It”.
- The reality is that Christianity is different and the world is crazy out there. How can we close the gap?
- Only by the help of the Almighty God can we close the Gap!
- He narrated to us his story when he went to U.K for Bible school. Christian Life was so different in U.K compared to Uganda.
- He added however cool life is, time will come and you will leave this world. Do not be over consumed by the little enticements and the things of this world, because this world will come to an end.
- I am not of this world, but I belong somewhere
- We are only visitors in the world (John 17:11-19)
- Be one with Father God and an Ambassador of the Kingdom of God in this world
- I am fully equipped with what it takes to operate in this world
- God has given us all we need and we have what it takes. (Ephesians 1:3)
- We are to let the Word be our manual, our friend and our daily bread!
He said every youth can walk through this theme and do it as it says by the help of the Holy Spirit, so we all gathered in a circle and started a powerful worship session! This led to many of the youth stepping forward to rededicate their lives to Christ. By the end everyone was being prayed for and many delivered. We closed in prayer and thanksgiving to the Lord!
Then we all gathered for a group photo. By that time the coaster had arrived to pick us and take us back to “reality” and our homes. We pray that the seeds planted in these youth and the community by this camp will continue to germinate, transform their lives, and help them live in this world but not be of this world!
May you all have a blessed day!
Love,
Rita Bulegeya- Director Faith Hope Love missions
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