AMAKASpring 2010 • Volume 4, Issue 1The Newsletter of Africa Renewal Ministries

AMAKA means “family” in Luganda, the tribal language used in Gaba, Uganda, where ARM is headquar tered

I grew up in a remote part of southwestern Uganda called Kisoro where families would starve for days, parents could not send their children to school for lack of fees, and the sick would often die due to lack of medical attention. Every time I saw a visitor from our neighborhood, I knew it was another set of problems for my mother and father because we too were in great need. During those years, I kept asking God why we had such a problem-filled community! My mother was a committed Christian; she read the bible to us talking of this God who provides, who loves us all, etc. At that time, it did not make sense because I knew people in our community had no food, could not take their sick children to hospital, let alone pay their school fees. “Where then is that God who provides?” I was always perturbed.

When I became a mature Christian, my mother’s explanations about God’s goodness made sense, even more so because of what I grew up seeing in my community as I personally developed a burden for the poor. After finishing my schooling, my prayer was to get an opportunity to work with the community and make a lasting contribu-tion. God answered my prayers when Compassion International gave me a job. For seven years I worked with communities that had no hope of sending their children to school, where children were often dying due to lack of proper medical care. Compassion International was doing a great job but the need was greater. And so, every day I prayed to God to send more charity organizations to address the countless community problems.

I came to know of Pastor Peter, (Senior Pastor of Gaba Community Church and the President of ARM Uganda) when I was still work-ing with Compassion International. He was also the Board Chairman of Leadership Development Program, a college students’ program managed by Compassion International Uganda. He was described as a man of integrity with a great vision for his country. I often heard him speak and I admired him. Little did I know that God would later con-nect us in the great work He had prepared for us.

In March 2008, God opened a door for me to work with ARM as a Program Manager in charge of Child Sponsorship. I saw this as a great opportunity to work with people from very remote parts of the country, including northern Uganda which continues to suffer the rav-ages of a 20-year guerrilla war. One thing I have loved about ARM is its level of involvement with the local church. With more than 184 lo-cal churches closely connected to ARM through the Gaba Community Church, the Child Sponsorship Program has a softer landing because there is already a village church to partner with as we minister to the children from different communities.

Close to 6000 children are currently being sponsored through ARM by loving and caring individuals and families in the U.S., U.K. and Holland. It’s amazing what we have seen God do with the $35 sent to Uganda every month. Each needy child gets an opportunity to go to school, access to quality medical attention, and receives a school uniform and meal at school each day.

ARM also has a home caring for 176 children in the 11 houses of Bethany Village. Each house accommodates 10-15 kids and has a home mother. These children were either picked from the streets or had parents who died. There are also children who came from families that have no means to care for them. Where would these children be had it not been for the love of the families in U.S. who decided to fund the running of these homes?!

In Uganda today, it is not uncommon to find abandoned babies in hospitals, in trash cans, at the police and outside churches. Earlier this year ARM, in partnership with Servants Heart and Mariners Church in California, USA, officially opened Loving Hearts Babies Home (LHBH). The home, which is already approved by the government of Uganda, has started receiving some of the abandoned babies with an intention of finding them loving, Christian parents both in and out of Uganda through proper legal adoption.

Once again, we are grateful to God that he has enabled all our faithful partners, sponsors and donors to make a contribution to Ugan-da through ARM. We are committed to using all resources received in Uganda as promised and give periodic updates about the children through letters, pictures and newsletters, as well as reports for specific funded projects. You are always in our prayers and I want to assure you that “your labour in the Lord is not in vain.” May God bless our sponsors and partners, take care of our children and give us all peace, joy and a better tomorrow.

ARM’S CHILD DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMEnsures a Better Future for All by Kenneth Rwego, Child Sponsorship Program Manager

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As we begin the year 2010, Irene and I look back at the great things God has done in our ministry and cannot cease to give praise to the Lord’s name. We are so thank-ful for the many staff persons that serve sac-rificially and the hundreds of families in the West who forego their hard earned comforts

to support our many students and programs, most importantly, child sponsorship. ARM thanks all of you who have chosen to be an ad-vocate for child sponsorship and hope this issue of AMAKA will serve to encourage your friends and family to join you in this ministry.

As you know, ARM’s mission is to enhance the holistic development of the child and the church through support sys-tems that shall ensure Next Generation Christian Leaders, who in turn will trans-form their communities in Africa. The answer to Africa’s woes is not more aid, it is not military training of communi-ties, it is in changing the people’s hearts. Changed hearts change nations. It is to this end that we have realized God’s call for us is to raise up a new generation

of Africans who have experienced a new heart through the Gospel of Jesus Christ. ARM builds on this transformation by equipping them with a biblical world view, providing an excellent education and lead-ership training that results in well-rounded individuals with a passion for God, a love for His church and a desire to transform their communities for the better.

After 20 years of investing in the lives of Africa’s children, we can now see God’s

hand in all of our sponsorship efforts. We have scores of young men and women serving as school teachers, social workers, managers in various fields, IT experts, pastors, nurses and even many other hands-on workers such as carpenters, drivers, mechanics, etc. We are blessed to have three medical students, a law student, a few engineering stu-dents and many IT students. One student aspires to become president one day; I tell him if God is in it, please go for it!

Sponsorship works. The blessings are so real. In every church with our program, we see rapid growth. Here in Gaba, we once had much persecution, but now we are respected because we serve the commu-nity. Many of our children are introducing their parents to Christ and today we have more believers because of this. Sponsorship also cre-ates micro-economies especially in the countryside where our schools now feed their children. The children in turn purchase food, firewood, school uniforms and many other items from the communities which generates better economic conditions for all. Today we have over 5000 students in the sponsorship programs in 20 locations around Uganda, and almost 100 students are currently in college.

God is at work, but we need to realize that Uganda is a nation of 32 million people and 50% of all of those are 15-years and younger. We also need to know that the majority of the families live on less than $1 a day. They have kids with great potential but they cannot afford to get them to school. It is also important to note that the Moslem communi-ties among us have a 40 year program with the purpose of converting Africa by targeting its children. They provide free education for poor families kindergarten to university; all you must do is convert to Islam. This being said, we believe that helping children through child spon-sorship is key in transforming Africa. Our goal in the year 2000 was to have 5000 children sponsored by 2010. We celebrate exceeding that number and pray God will bring 50,000 more kids into the program in the next 10 years. We are so blessed to have you as a partner in raising Africa’s Next Generation Leaders.

Pastor Peter and Irene Kasirivu

SAVING AFRICA through child sponsorships by Pastor Peter Kasirivu, President & Founder of ARM

SPONSORSHIP WORKS! by Pastor Peter

Every Sunday morning I am blessed to see sponsorship children grown and serving their parish and communi-ties. The young man Timothy, a former Moslem, who captures our service on video and his wife, are both former sponsored children, both now serving Jesus. He is young businessman owning his own production company. It is my joy to see Apollo leading us in worship at church and during the week serving in our mercy network depart-ment as its manager. Then there is Trevor, a former Moslem raising hands in worship but also a captain in the Ugandan Army. And, I cannot forget Angela serving as an interpreter in church on Sunday and during the week on staff in our child sponsorship office; I remember this little girl in the sponsorship program, now a university graduate married with two children.

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So, I have no intention or desire to ever talk or guilt anyone into giv-ing; that would be unbiblical. Giving is a natural response to thinking through the enormous gifts we’ve been given by God’s grace (see Eph 2:8-9). From death row to a palace, from blindness to perfect sight; from lost to found – amazing grace, how sweet the sound.

Finally partners, I encourage you to never compare yourselves to others when it comes to giving, especially since the bar in the Ameri-can church is so, so low. If you’re in touch with our Lord through prayer and the Word, the Holy Spirit will guide you in your giving. Materially, we have been given so much. God is trusting us to dis-tribute it to our brothers and sisters in need. This is an opportunity to respond to the indescribable gift that we’ve been given.

We thank God for you and we’re so happy to be in the compas-sion business with you. Just let me know if you want to take your giving to another level with regards to caring for the orphans and widows in Africa. No guilt, no shame, no manipulation – just an invitation to RADICALLY change the life of a fellow human being. Praise be to God for His amazing grace. Can I hear an “Amen?”

In Christ, Johnny

I have made many purchases in my life, but never one that I felt the hand of God so present! In October, 2009, I traveled to Uganda on my first Mission Trip. My fel-low missionaries and I would be led by a group from ARM and the Global Missions Director for First Presbyterian Church of Houston. The day before we left, a fellow co-worker (who had also traveled to Africa on a mission trip) left an envelope for me with money and a note which simply said, “you’ll know how to use this.”

After three days in the small, friendly village of Namutamba, I knew just what my co-worker meant! We spent our time in the village playing with children, attending worship, enjoying school functions and visiting families of sponsored children. On one of those family visits, at the end of long, winding dirt path, we met Robinah’s mother. She was cooking potatoes in her outdoor cooking hut when we arrived. The

young mother was shy but had a noticeable and strong sense of pride. She kept a simple but neat hut for Robinah and her little brother; I noticed a few chickens in her yard and some bean plants, perhaps just enough to provide meals for her family. I also noticed she had one pig in her little yard. What struck me was how young she was and how absolutely void of resources she seemed. There seemed to be no father figure, making her the children’s sole support.

When we left, she seemed filled with happiness for her children as they enjoyed their sponsors’ gifts of shoes, clothes and toys. As I walked back down the path, I couldn’t get her out of my head. After praying for Robinah and her family, God reminded me of my friend’s words, “You’ll know how to use it.” Instead of handing over this sum of money, I learned that giving her the ability to earn money through agricultural means would yield the best outcome. In fact, if I could afford it, adding another pig would yield the family six piglets each year, enough to provide a nice income for the family. I also learned that Robinah’s mother would understand it to be her obligation and privilege to help another family as she had been helped. So that afternoon, I placed an order for a nice sow to pair with Robinah’s existing boar.

The next day, we went back to visit the swine who seemed quite taken with one another. The young mother seemed so proud and maybe a little more relieved than the day before. But there was one more task at hand. I couldn’t leave this new entrepreneur without a new suit to match her business woman status. We presented her with a beautiful new power suit. This time, the walk down the path left me feeling much more comfort-able about this young family. I remembered her smile, still very shy, but much bigger!

The apostle Paul wrote, “If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.” 1 Cor 13:3

As the U.S. Executive Director of ARM, I commit to you that I never intend to be slick or manipulative as a way to get you to give to this ministry. Why? Because I know that if you’re not motivated by love and faithfulness to our God, then why bother giving? Let me explain.

As Christians, our motivation to love and be faithful is rooted in the Gospel of Christ. We were headed to hell for eternity because of our sin against God (see Romans 3:10, 23; 6:23), and Jesus, because of His love, came to earth and willingly accepted the punishment that we deserve (see John 3:16), the equivalent of eternity in hell, and thus saved us from hell as only He could - a perfect sacrifice. There is noth-ing we can do on our own to get right with God (see Eph 2:9-9). So, we get to live in God’s presence for eternity, not because of our “good” works (see Rom 6:23), but because of the work Jesus did on that cross. Heaven is guaranteed to those who put their faith in Jesus alone for their salvation (see 1 John 5:13). Furthermore, those of us who put our faith in Christ and have dedicated our will to Him have been adopted into His family. We are children of God! Friends, this is the greatest news in the history of mankind; NOTHING compares. THIS is what motivates pure, unadulterated, LOVE.

The Motive Behind Giving...Love! by Johnny Karls, Executive Director of ARM

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith.” Eph 2:8

A PIG and a Power Suit by Pattie Dale Tye

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GordonKyewalyanga Gordon is a 6th grade student at Maranatha Primary School. Gordon’s

father died when he was just a toddler and was subsequently raised by his mother and older sister. His mom works at a small restaurant where she struggles to make just enough money to take care of him, let alone his sister, and their orphaned cousin who lives with them. Not long ago did Gordon often go without food and proper clothing. He even had to leave school on occasion due to lack of funds.

Since joining the sponsorship program, Gordon is able to get new clothes every year and his family doesn’t have to worry about providing school fees. He tells us that, “life at home is better now since my mom only has to find school fees for my cousin.”

In the last few years, Gordon’s grades have improved significantly. He has even started looking forward to studying Law at Makerere University. When asked why he wants to be a lawyer, he said, “I want to help people settle disputes.”

Gordon would like to thank God and his sponsors for all their provision.

BernadetteMeet Nakitende Bernadette, a 13yr old student from Gaba, Uganda. Bernadette comes

from a large household consisting of a brother, sister, and 4 cousins. Such a full house often makes finances difficult for Bernadette’s mother Pauline, who earns a simple living as a market vendor. Although blessed with employment, Pauline often has to miss work due to painful ulcers for which she’s unable to get treated. To make things even more difficult, Bernadette’s father left when she was only 4 months old, depriving her family of a provider or father figure.

Bernadette is the highest scoring student in her home and attributes it to the encouragement she receives from her sponsor. She’s even excelling in biology, which she says most of her classmates struggle with and is subsequently looking to pursue a career as a nurse. Bernadette is so thankful that she and her sister are able to receive the blessings of sponsorship and prays that her brother and cousins will also enjoy such a privilege. She continually thanks God for what he’s done for her and her family.

FrancisSeruwo Francis is a little guy whose happiness is contagious. At only 9yrs, you might

not believe that one would have much to learn from him, but you could be wrong. Abandoned at an early age, Francis has been an orphan for so long that he can’t even

imagine what his parents looked like. He was found by a loving, Godly family that cares for him and 4 other orphaned boys. His “mother” brings in a small amount of money as a seamstress which often leaves the boys with only one meal a day but for Francis, that one meal is a blessing from God thanks to his sponsor.

Francis joined ARM’s sponsorship program while still in nursery school. At school, he’s given a great education, a yearly allotment of clothes, and even a healthy lunch everyday. Although he’s the only one sponsored in his family, Francis’s 4 “brothers” are also affected by ARM’s program. Due to the burden lifted by his sponsorship, all the boys are able to attend school with the money saved.

Francis said that, “although my brothers are in school, I’d love for God to provide them with sponsorship so they can get new uniforms and eat lunch everyday just like me.” His selflessness and love are a true testament to his Godly upbringing.

EstherWith a family big enough to be a soccer team, Navuga Esther is no stranger to a

full house. She lives with her 5 brothers, 4 sisters, and mother, in Kawempe, Uganda. Because their father left them long ago, Esther ’s oldest sister and brother joined their mother as providers and were thus subsequently unable to finish school.

Esther remembers what life before sponsorship was like: “I used to get sent home from school because I didn’t have the fees to continue, and most nights I found sleep hard to come by due to the hunger pains in my stomach. But now I’m able to take all my exams and get to fill up on a good lunch.”

As one of only two sponsored children in their family, Esther feels a duty to her siblings to excel in every one of her subjects. Her hope is to one day go to University to study Medicine and then, once complete, return home to work as a doctor and send the rest of her siblings through school. She’s so thankful for the love that her sponsors have shown and praises God for his divine provision and protection for her family.

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PatrickMeet Kabenda Patrick. Patrick is a 19 year old student from Kawempe, Uganda and

is the second born of six children. Patrick’s oldest brother was born mentally disabled, and his mother died when he was in 3rd grade, leaving his father to devote much of his time and resources to his care, making it hard to provide proper clothing and school fees to the rest of the household. To make matters worse, Patrick’s father started feeling an intense pain which was later diagnosed as cancer.

With all this trial in his life, Patrick began to see his future as hopeless until four years ago, when Patrick was blessed with the unfathomable gift of sponsorship.

Since receiving this gift, Patrick’s grades have improved because he no longer had to be distracted by his financial situation. He’s also started looking towards a bight future, where he hopes to study Law at Oxford University. When asked why he wants to study law, Patrick said, “I want to become a catalyst of change to the injustice in Uganda.”

Kabenda Patrick wants to thank his Lord and Savior for providing him with a sponsor that cares for his future, and for his father ’s continued recovery.

DeborahThis is Nalwoga Deborah. She’s 16 years old and is in her 4th year of secondary

school. Deborah’s mother passed away when she was only 10, leaving her and her four sisters without a stable home. The girls shifted between various relatives while their father traveled around looking for any work that could provide their home with money.

When Deborah made it to 7th grade, things really started to look up. Deborah got sponsored by a loving family from Texas.

Being sponsored has meant the world to Deborah and her family, literally! Not only is she provided with the food, clothes, healthcare, and education that every 16yr old deserves, but her father was also provided with a sewing machine and is able to support the rest of the family as a tailor.

Deborah is so thankful for God’s provision and eagerly looks forward to a future practicing medicine which she wants to study at Columbus University. Deborah said, “I’ve wanted to study at Columbus since I saw it in a magazine as a little girl,” and wants to study Medicine, “to see what happens in the stomach.”

Deborah’s curiosity is inspiring and faith is unmovable.

DavidAt 18yrs, Kalyango David is the only chance his family has left.David comes from a family of himself, his parents and 2 brothers, but those days have

long passed by. His family was struck hard by AIDS virus and over the last 8 years it killed every member of his family.

Before getting sponsored in secondary 3, David really had no dreams towards the future. His grandmother cared for him and his 8 cousins following the death of his parents but often found it hard to provide money for school.

For the last 3 years, David has been able to attend school and stay healthy, thanks to the support from his sponsors. He’ll finish school this year and, because of his love for computers, hopes to study Computer Engineering at Makeree University. David says, “I cannot express enough the gratitude I have towards my sponsors for helping me achieve my goal of finishing school and I know I could not do it without God’s blessings.”

We praise the Lord that David recently tested negative for HIV/AIDS.

BrendaMutetere Brenda’s smile is infectious and her optimism is convicting. A 12yr old P7

student from Kawempe, Uganda, Brenda has seen her share of challenges in school. Brenda’s mother works in a dairy and her father is a motorcycle taxi driver. Before getting sponsored in P3, Brenda and her 3 siblings were often sent home from school due to lack of funds and tattered uniforms. Brenda was even forced to repeat various grades a number of times because of the lack of funds.

Since getting sponsored 4 years ago, Brenda’s household has become much less stressful. Her family has a lot less financial burden, leaving Brenda to concentrate on her school work.

In the future, Brenda looks forward to studying Medicine at Mekeree University. She hopes to become a doctor in her community to help the sick there and provide money for her family.

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ARM: Where were you born?

Alex: I was born in Kampala, Uganda in 1972.

ARM: At what age were you sponsored?

Alex: I was eight years old when I was sponsored. I was sponsored through an organization called Compassion International. They were closely linked with Africa Renewal Ministries and Gaba Community Church.

ARM: Was sponsorship very significant to you at the age of eight?

Alex: Imagine getting up each morning and walking four miles to school. You have just settled into your classes when the principal comes into your classroom with a list of the students whose school fees have not been paid. When you hear your name called, you have to get up, leave the school and walk four miles back home. Your mother wakes you up the next morning and tells you to go back to school, and then you arrive at school only to be sent back home because your fees have not been paid. And keep in mind that I did not have dinner nor breakfast on most days, so it was a very long walk to and from school without proper meals. I also wore the same pair of shorts and shirt everyday to school. Eventually when my mother kept sending me to school and I knew the fees had not been paid, I ended up swimming at the lake instead of going to my classes. One day I remember my pastor coming for me and taking me to church where some men were taking pictures. They told me that I would be getting help to go to school. Eventually, I was sponsored, and my sponsorship provided me with school fees, uniforms, my first pair of shoes, my first blanket, my first mattress, two meals a day and medical expenses. When I was a sponsored child, I was able to seek quality medical care at a first rate clinic or hospital when I came down with malaria or other ailments. So to me, as well as my family, sponsorship was huge. It was a big deal. To me, it was like having an extended family that was helping to meet my needs.

Alex MutagubyaCOMES FULL CIRCLE

ARM: Beyond your physical needs, what did your sponsorship provide for you?

Alex: I was given an education, and on Saturdays or “Center Days” we were taught the Bible as well as life skills training. I was taught to make flower vases that I could sell in the community. I also learned how to play musical instruments. The center days provided me with social, academic and Bible training. I was built up and discipled. I was also able to go all the way through school, and that was huge for me. We understood early on that if you were going to make it in life, you had to complete your education. From my high school days all through university, I was also personally mentored by Pastor Peter. So through sponsorship, my physical, educational and spiritual needs were all met.

ARM: How did you utilize your education and training after university?

Alex: After university, I began working with Ggaba Community Church and Africa Renewal Ministries. I served as the director of Mwangaza as well as the personal assistant to Pastor Peter who is the president of Africa Renewal Ministries.

ARM: What were the highlights of growing up in Uganda?

Alex: Within the sponsorship, the biggest highlight was the first letter I received from my sponsor. In fact, I still have it. It was an incredible thing to receive a personal letter from the lady who had sponsored me. It was a blue letter, and I still remember the details she wrote about her husband and three children. I also looked forward to going to school each day because it was a great thing to do. I loved being at the church. At the church, I enjoyed playing the drums and singing. I was so happy in those days that I never worried about my future.

ARM: What were some of your dreams as a child?

Alex: At first, I wanted to be a surveyor. I worked very hard in my studies toward this goal. But in my leisure time, I enjoyed the Bible drills, Bible stories and telling others about Jesus. As I matured, I found satisfaction in leading others to Christ. By the time I was halfway through high school, it became clear that I loved the gospel more than anything else. From that time on, I wanted to be a pastor.

ARM: Who inspired you as a young boy?

Alex: Two people inspired me so much. One was my mother because she was a very hard worker, and she really took good care of us. I knew our mother truly loved us. And the other was Pastor Peter. I wanted so much to be a pastor like him. (laughing) Every Sunday after he preached, I would practice his sermons to preach to my fellow students at school on Monday.

ARM: What brought you to the United States?

Alex: After the Mwangaza tour, an opportunity opened up for me to obtain a master’s degree. After completion of my studies, I want to return to Uganda and help develop general leadership within the church body. My heart is leading me back to the Ggaba Bible Institute.

Alex, Faith, and their ten month old daughter Aaleyah currently reside in Portland, Oregon. He is pursuing a Masters of Divinity at Multnomah Biblical Seminary. Faith and Alex grew up together in the Ggaba Community Church. Faith was sponsored in the ARM sponsorship program. They have been married for three years.

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GR

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: 2010

LIVING by Faith and Not by Sightby Joselyn Nakyeyune, NGLP Sponsorship Beneficiary

Unlike many children in Uganda, I grew up with both my parents and our family was financially stable. I adored my parents and my whole world revolved around them. However, on September 23, 1998, the unthinkable happened when my mother died. The reality of life and death hit me hard. Her sudden death left a very big gap in my life. I missed her love and I started developing anger towards God. I had so many unanswered questions and spiritually, I was wasting away.

My mother had earned a higher salary than my father and her death affected our income greatly. My dad found it very difficult to meet the basic needs of my four brothers, two sisters and me. At this point, going through school became a tug-of-war. My dad couldn’t raise the fees necessary and was a constant visitor at the headmaster’s office, always pleading for more time to pay.

In the midst of all this hardship, I was introduced to the love of Christ one afternoon in 2003 at a Scripture Union Conference. The speaker’s words were like a sword piercing my heart. I then realized that even though I was angry with God and blamed him for all my misfortune, He loved me. God revealed Himself to me and I accepted Jesus Christ as my personal savior that very day and have never turned back. It has been a hard journey but I’ve learned to walk in faith. There are times when I feel like giving up but I know God has a plan for my life and I am willing to surrender to his will and desire to perfect me. God healed my wounded soul and he also used me as to minister to sick people.

With the help of ARM, God’s immense love was revealed to me. It never crossed my mind that my prob-lems could be solved by a stranger so far away, but that is exactly what happened. My sponsor family, Mr. and Mrs. Robinson, came into my life right at a time when I had just lost my mother. I give thanks to God for them and all the opportunities their sponsorship has brought me.

Through the Next Generation Leadership Program (NGLP), things like tuition ceased to be mountains in my life. NGLP helped me strengthen spiritually day by day and equipped me physically, socially, financially and academically. The program encouraged me to be active in ministry and as a result several people began calling me “pastor.” I was able to concentrate on my books and I was even able to exercise my leadership skills by applying servant leadership especially at the university. Also when we went to Namutamba for outreach and community service, I was able to assist in the building of two mud houses for two old, helpless people. I then realized God does not only use us to do great things, but He can also use us to do small things that make a big difference in the lives of others.

Every day on my knees I pray that despite the distance, one day I will get to meet these wonderful sponsor parents of mine. Right now, I am working as a project manager in Rwanda and the people here are already appreciating the way I serve and lead. As I go on with my life, I am looking forward to starting my own busi-ness and becoming a successful Christian business leader.

GROWING to a New Level with NGLP by Juliet Nagadya, NGLP Sponsorship Beneficiary

I have been privileged and blessed to be a part of the Next Generation Leader-ship Program. I joined NGLP when I was on the verge of giving up on my studies. The program helped me to grow to another level in my spiritual life and exposed me to Christian messages through sermons, teaching and camp activities. It also

provided me with additional Christian materials and books, such as The Purpose Driven Life by Pastor Rick Warren; all of which helped me to grow in the knowledge and love of God.

Participating in several training seminars and the leadership workshop, I learned that true leadership is not about being the boss but being the servant. Jesus taught that true leaders are servants of all – the most significant truth I came to understand. Through the outreaches we made as a group, like to Namutamba in June 2007, I was able to do several things. I was not really used to doing things like fetching firewood from a forest, walking for miles and miles doing door-to-door evangelism, climbing up and down hills just for a small jerry-can of water, singing on crusades and praying without ceasing. The experience shook all the town-laziness out of me and showed me that a true leader is one who is able to come down to earth when serving others.

I learned how to work with different people serving as a mama – assistant chairperson on the NGLP stu-dents’ council – mobilizing them, believing in them and serving them to the best of my ability. Finally, the NGLP monthly fellowships helped me to share and interact with other people. I have become attached to NGLP and it has become another family to me. I completed the program and graduated with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree. Currently, I am the Administrator at Wentz Medical Center, which is almost a hospital because of the kind of procedures, machinery and professionalism it offers...all glory to God!

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PO Box 13733San Antonio, TX 78213

(210) 979-7441armusa@africarenewal.org

Visit our new website! AfricaRenewal.org

Newsletter Contributors: ARM Executive Director - Johnny Karls

Newsletter Managing Editor - Jaime Collier

ARM UG Communications Officer - Peace Masiko

Associate Editors - Jaime Dibello & Melody Downlearn

Layout - Jessica Viss

Please contact editor: jaime@casadecamera.com

NONPROFIT ORGU.S. POSTAGE PAIDSAN ANTONIO, TX

PERMIT NO. 550

Most children do not own shoes which lead to numerous health challenges, particularly during a rainy season. Most guardians can not even manage to buy a school uniform which is a requirement at all schools and children who can’t afford this are normally chased out of school. Providing such a school requirement helps a child concentrate on studies and raises their self-esteem.

For a complete breakdown of how the $35 Child Sponsorship money is spent, visit our website: AfricaRenewal.org

Ministry Priority Needs• We have several kids whose sponsors have dropped out, perhaps you can pick up where they left off? ($35 per month)

• Invest in a self-sustaining business for a widow (sewing machine, pigs, etc) (starting at $300)

• Our Child Care Center exists to get extremely malnourished children (ages 2-5) cared for and off the street. Most of these kids would otherwise die. We have lost funding, perhaps you could help. ($1000 month)

• Our project in Canaan (Rakai) thus far has a church building with 4 unfinished walls and no roof. They need funds to finish so they can start their services there (about $20k to finish the building).

• Our project at Muletee desperately needs funds for a water well. The closest water is 2 miles away. ($10k).

For information on these needs, contact Johnny Karls at jkarls@africarenewal.org

$35 Breakdown One Piece of the Pie

Shoes & Uniforms - $2.00 (5.71%)

ARMSpring2010.indd 8 3/31/2010 1:04:32 PM