VISITING WITH YVONNE

VISITING WITH YVONNE

On Friday, I visited The Prestonwood Academy when Yvonne is the Assistant Principal. Normally on Friday the children have chapel. It was a joy to visit the children chapel. It was fun to see even the little children read the Bible and lead prayer.

Later on, we visited St. Mark’s Christian school, where Jon teaches. It is just a Boy’s school.

RICHARDSON SCHOOL HOME COMING PARADE

THE PARADE

That evening we went for the Parade at Richardson schools. Yvonne’s grand daughter goes to this school. Normally around this season, schools play football. American football is not like Uganda football. They call our football soccer and they play their football using hands.

So on this particular day, Richardson High school was going to be playing football. And normally old students would come to show support, and parade for a long distance and this is the reason it is called Home coming.

People from all groups came to parade in support. Some however were advertising their businesses since many people turned up to watch the parade.

It was quite an interesting parade, with different groups adorned in attractive costumes, fashions, colors and masks. Some came with their dogs, others preferred to ride on top of vehicles and trucks.

It was an exciting event.We were so excited to see Jesca, Yvonne's grand daughter.

We went home so excited.

VISIT TO DALLAS

THURSDAY SEPT.24
AWANA INFLUENCES THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY
I left Elk City Thursday morning with Whitney who was going to check on her mother in OKC. I boarded the plane to Dallas at 1:20 and with in one hour i was in Dallas.
Jon picked me up.
Yvonne and Jon are amazing people that have been so supportive to our ministry for the last two years. Yvonne was very instrumental to start AWANA in our church. AWANA is a program that helps to evangelize and disciple children.
AWANA has done amazing things in our community. Bugongi community in Kabale, is known to be a very bad place for thieves, prostitutes, drunkards, witchcraft, drug addicts to mention but a few. When we first came in this community in 1997, no one could believe that anything good would come out of it. But with the introduction of AWANA, children begun to learn about Jesus and memorize scriptures. Children would invite their friends to AWANA. The most interesting part would be games; many children enjoy soccer, rope skipping and other games. Children would come for games and then run away. So the AWANA leaders came up with a new plan; they decided to start with the part of reading scriptures and then teaching of the word before going for games. Before the kids realized this, they were already hooked up and believed Jesus. In a moment, children every where were singing gospel songs and reciting scriptures. One lady came to church and confessed she would not have come since she comes from a Moslem background, but her daughter who comes to AWANA prays every day for with her in Jesus' name. she is now a member of our church. Soon AWANA children influenced the entire community.
Today, every one testifies that the Bugongi community has changed! Glory to God!
We are grateful to Yvonne and the Prestonwood Church AWANA that has helped us to do this much for our community. They donated to us Uniforms, game skits and books.
Today we have more than 180 children that come to AWANA and their lives have been transformed.

SPEAKING TO CHILDREN ABOUT AFRICA

WEDNESDAY SEPT 23

TALKING ABOUT AFRICA
Stephanie, a teacher at Fair view School made arrangements for me to speak to children at her school. She teaches Grade 3 and she thought it would be interesting for her children to learn a thing or two about Africa.
I went with Whitney, who has been to Africa herself and she had taken several pictures.These pictures were helpful as we tried to give the children a true picture of what it looks like to leave in Africa.
I talked about the difference in Education systems with the USA. It was hard to imagine how it feels like to sit in a classroom with so many children without air conditioning. They could not imagine how kids in Uganda walk all the way to school, leave alone walking barefooted. I explained that it is a great joy for a child to go to school in Uganda, since education is paid for at all levels and yet not many children can afford school fees.
I talked about the food we eat back in Uganda, they wondered how matoke tastes like. I explained that most families eat Posho and beans.
We also talked about the weather difference and the difference in seasons. Uganda being on the equator, does not have the cold and hot seasons as they do in the USA, we simply have dry and wet seasons. Wet season are normally cold at night. Kabale, is much different, being hilly, it is always cool especially at night.
The kids were excited to know that most families in Uganda use make shift and pit latrines for restrooms, it was hard to imagine how the children in Uganda use them.
It was also hard to imagine how the children sleep under mosquito nets to avoid Malaria, for those who can afford. They wondered how the children breathe under those nets. I explained that there are tinny holes that make it easy to breathe. The children felt sorry to know that thousands of children die of Malaria every day.
We showed them the pictures of some animals in Uganda. Children wanted to know whether all Africa is a jungle as sometime depicted. They wondered if there are roads and Electricity in Uganda. I explained that not all is very bad in Uganda. There are a lot of poor people in Uganda and thousands of Orphans and widows because of wars and AIDS, but there are some people that have good jobs and live a relatively good kind of life in Uganda.
Later on a children sent me a note that says: "I am 12 years, but i will help to support children in your village when i become 24..."


THE TEENAGE CLASS
Later, that afternoon, Tim the Teenager leader at UMC asked me to share with his class. I shared about the different challenges our children go through and how disadvantaged most of them are.
They asked me so many questions, especially to do with my family and children, the food we eat and how our church looks like. They were surprised to know that i have 4 children of my own plus other 5 orphan teenagers my family looks after.
They wanted to know how long it takes to go to Africa.
I was surprised how most of these children have a heart for Missions and are touched by the suffering children in 3rd World countries. I guess when they grow up they will be a blessing to the African children.
I was so happy for the opportunity to talk about Africa, Uganda and particularly,our community in Kabale.
To know more about our community write to me at:jbakashaba@gmail.com or write to Whitney in the USA at :whitney-123@hotmail.com

SUNDAY IN ELK CITY-OKLAHOMA

CHILD SPONSORSHIP-TRANSFORMATION PROCESS
Jeff and family go to a UMC, so on Sunday September 20th,I went with them to church.

I was given an opportunity to share with the Bible Fellowship Class that morning. I taught in the word and shared my story from our community. I talked a lot about Child Sponsorship in Kabale and the life of a sponsored child, since most members of this Bible Fellowship sponsor children in our community. The members asked questions concerning their children and the difference made by their support.

A sponsored child in our community is much different from children that are not sponsored. We give our sponsored children; School uniform, shoes, medical care, lunch on top of school fees. They also attend Saturday classed at church where they learn the Bible and other skills. We have witnessed these children transform by and by. They have grown spiritually, socially and morally. They also speak good English.

Most children in are community have lost their parents or are too poor to afford school fees. In Uganda, education is paid for right from Nursery to University, so disadvantaged children like the orphans and the poor normally can’t go to school. Our community is so full of such children every where, who can’t go to school, they have no food or clothing and have no place to call home. Our vision is to put to school as many children as we can and get from the streets. Education develops the brains of children to handle different challenges in life; children given an opportunity to develop mentally will often be successful and effective in life!

This way, we will break the cycle of poverty and lack since a child can learn skills and be given tools to be self sustaining and help his siblings and family.

Most of the children involved in crimes, have not gone to school and in most cases they on the streets look for ways of survival. Our dream is to offer solutions to this dilemma in our pursuit to transform our community.

Our dream is to take as many children to school as the Lord provides. It takes $35 a month to take a child from the street and take him to school.

For more information call or write to Jeff and Whitney Smith at: 580-225-0719 /580-210-8639(cell)/580-210-8659(cell). E-mail: whitney-123@hotmail.com.

LIFE IN OKLAHOMA

OKLAHOMA
THE FALL FESTIVAL

I spent my first day in the USA in prayer for direction and guidance from the Lord. It was time to rest and focus on what I will be doing in the USA for the next two weeks.

The next day, Saturday, I went with Jeff and Whitney to visit the FALL FESTIVAL in Elk City.

This function is organized by the Chamber of Commerce every year during the Fall with purpose to collect revenue.

People come from different places with different crafts and art work, and display them all around in one place for people to come and buy. Food is also sold from stalls set up outside the building.

This Saturday, there weren’t as many arts and crafts as other days as narrated by Jeff.

But it was so interesting to see so many art works and different art products displayed all over, with very many people who had come to buy and visit the place.

THE JOURNEY STARTS

WEDNESDAY
My flight was scheduled for 10:20 p.m.Wednesday September 16th.
I reached the airport by 8:00 p.m. and started checking in. My wife, Margaret was at the airport with a few friends to bid me farewell.
The Plane left Entebbe airport at 10:20 p.m and it was going to be a journey of 7 hours to Amsterdam.
Un like the last trip, this time i was not tensed up, may be i was getting used. I was just excited and anticipating great things. I was just full of joy! It was a safe trip.
We reached Amsterdam in the morning at 5:30 a.m. Thursday September 17th. Amstedam is one hour behind Ugandan time.
Amsterdam was very cold.
We waited here for 5 hours before boarding a Delta airline to the US. via Minneapolis. We left Amsterdam at 10:40 a.m.
It was a long journey crossing over the Atlantic Ocean. It took 8 hours to reach Minneapolis. We reached Minneapolis at 12:50 p.m.
US is 8 hours behind Ugandan time and 7 hours behind Amsterdam time.
By now i was already getting tired, the journey had so far taken 20 hours.
It took us more than 2 hours to go through the security detail.
America is very strict with reignforcing the law. They are a hospitable country but very sensitive with the security of their people and country. Therefore they must be sure where you are coming from, where are you going, whom are going to stay with and what have you come to do. It was unfortunate that two planes landed at the same time and therefore it was going to take longer to clear the big queues. My next plane would be leaving for Oklahoma city at 2:20 p.m.
By the time i went through baggage check and run to the gate of my next plane, it was 2:25 p.m, 5 minutes after my plane had left.
I had to wait for 5 more hours at Minneapolis for the next plane to OKC, that was scheduled to leave at 7:15. Good enough some one helped me with a phone and iwas able to inform Jeff that i would reach late.
We boarded a small NW plane and left for Oklahoma at 7:30 p.m. By 9:30 p.m we had reached Oklahoma city airport.
I was so happy to find Jeff and Whitney waiting for me at the airport. It was great to meet again after one year.
We drove to Elk city. We reached Elk City after Mid-night. I couldn't imagine that the whole journey had taken 32 hours!!!
By the time we reached, the only thing i was thinking of was a pillow where to lay my head.
I will tell you what happened next...later on... Watch this space...
Special thanks to all friends, who have supported me on this trip. May God abundantly bless you!

MY US TRIP 2009

"How beautiful upon the Mountains are the feet of him who brings good news...." Isaiah 52:7

Praise God for yet another opportunity to visit the United States of America. This, unlike last year is going to be quite a long trip, with a visit to 8 states. I will start with Oklahoma, then go to Texas and Nebraska before i go for a PFM summit in Thailand on October 12th. I will return to the US on October 18th, and go to California, then Virginia, West Virginia, then to Tennessee and Colorado before i go back to Oklahoma and back to Uganda. God has been so good.
The main reason for this trip will be; sharing the goodnews of our Lord Jesus but also to raise funds for supporting orphans and poor children in our community.
Many parents in our community died of AIDS and Malaria leaving behind thousands of children without care. Children here don't have food and cloths, and the majority don't go to school and many don't have a place to call home.
Our vision is to see how we can empower these children and equip leaders to transform this community from hopelessness to a God fearing and God glorifying community.
We have a dream to take to school as many children as we possibly can through an organised child sponsorship program. We also plan to start a children village with an orphanage where we would provide shelter,care and food for the homeless. With a medical clinic and a Christian school that will make it possible for us to uphold Christian values in the lives of our children, as we raise a godily generation.
Pray with us that our dream will become a reality.

MY TRIP TO KENYA

Jeremy Rodgers and team from Forgotten Children Ministries, Indiana, were coming to Nairobi Kenya for a one week's mission( 1st to 5th July 2009. We had talked about meeting together in Nairobi and share about the possibly of Forgotten Children Ministries partnering with Revival Tabernacle Ministries to help children in Kabale community.
Kabale and Bugongi in particular has got so many orphans and helpless children on the streets. The church has been doing all it can to help but the situation is beyond appauling. We thank God for friends that has come in to help. We are so grateful for People For Missions that support our church orphanage. We appreciate all our dear friends that sponsors children for education. You have made a big difference.
The need, however is still so big!
Monday, i left for Nairobi and it took 20 hours in the bus. I was welcomed by my long time friend Stuart Katwikirize and stayed with his family.
On Wednesday evening i met with Jeremy and Matt and we shared about the possibility of partnering to help disadvantaged children. We agreed to build on it when i visit the US sometime late this year.
I had an opportunity of meeting many other friends in Nairobi.
I had a good time.

Awana kids get Uniforms!

"Let the little children come to me, and do not forbid them..." Luke 18:16

Nothing excited the kids in our community, two days before going back to school like receiving Awana Uniforms last Saturday. It was the best gift before they went back to school.
Lots of children have been added to our church now, especially with the beginning of a child sponsorship program that helps pay tuition for 70 children now. Also many children have been hearing of the great stories of what goes on during Awana sessions. Changed lives of Awana clubbers have also been a motivation for kids to join Awana. Parents also feel their children are safer with Awana. Over a hundred children have been registered to have trusted Jesus for salvation. Most of these were notorious on the community. But have been totally transformed. With the increasing numbers of new children, it became a problem to share the few Uniforms available, therefore many children would attend Awana without Uniforms. These children feel so bad to see their friends in Uniform,when they don't have. Some have failed to turn up some days because of this. By the end of last year, we had registered 50 new children attending Awana, but now the number has gone up to 90.
We thank God for Yvonne Valasek and the Prestonwood Church in Dallas who donated to our church 50 new uniforms and books, which were distributed last Saturday. Many children were so excited to put on Awana Uniform for the first time. Children run around every where showing every body their new Uniforms. They were so excited! Some children who had not turned up because of bad weather felt bad when they were told of what happened. More Uniforms will be given out this Saturday.
Every Saturday clubbers turn up at 2:00 p.m and go to their classes and then counsel time. We do games last because the field we use for games is a bit far from church, and would interfere with other programs. We pray that God will give us our own field some day. Children enjoy every part of the program, especially game time. Children are ever looking forward to another Saturday when they will come for Awana.
Awana, which evangelize and disciple children, has been a tremendous blessing to our community. Our community which used to be a terrible place with so many street children and kids that are un able to go to school; fighting all over, stealing, raping and doing all sorts of evil things, has been transformed. It is a common scene every where now to find kids in groups singing gospel songs or reciting memory verses. Children are now well behaved. It is amazing that even the few that are still in bad groups feel ashamed of themselves and no longer do bad things in the open. Children discipline their fellow children who are found misbehaving! We can see great leaders in these children!
Several mothers have believed Jesus and come to church because of their children. People on our community even non members of our church praise our church and the big work that has been done. Our community has been transformed! And the transformation cycle continues.
We thank God for Jerurina, our Awana commander and all the leaders and teachers. They have done a recommendable work. Most of these children had never heard of Jesus. Many did not know a single scripture verse. Most of them had never stepped in the church. But these leaders have done a great work in the lives of these children.
David the Awana Missionary in Uganda, has been instrumental in training these leaders so that they are equipped to help our community.
Thank you all dear friends for your support and prayers. We are ever so grateful to Miss Yvonne and the Awana leaders at Prestonwood Baptist church. God bless you for your love and and support, you have made a difference in our church and community.
To reach us write to us at: jbakashaba@gmail.com.
And in case you want to help Awana in our community in anyway, please write to Yvonne at:yvalasek@prestonwoodchristian.org
May God bless you.

Happy Birthday Blessing Patricia

Yesterday was Blessing's birthday.
She made 6 years.
This was the first Birthday that happened on a Sunday. Blessing got the opportunity for other children in Sunday School,to sing for her the Happy Birthday song and rejoice with her.
The Sunday school teacher prayed for Blessing that she will have many more years and enjoy her Birthday.
After service we had Lunch with Blessing as a family as we rejoiced together with Blessing,with a few friends.
Later on we went home and Blessing cut the cake with her brother and sister and served the rest of the family members.
Blessing is the second born into our family. Incidentally she and Paul our first born son celebrate their Birthdays in the same week.
Paul was born on the 29th May and Blessing was born on the 24th May. Incidentally i was also born around the same time. I remember my Birthday on the 30th of May.
May God bless Patricia Blessing with many more years. May she live to become a blessing to her generation.

REVIVAL CONFERENCE 2009

"My life will not be the same again" said one Pastor from the rural churches, who had been going through a tough time and facing different challenges in ministry, until this last week, when we had a revival Conference that marked the turning point for many ministers and believers. We hold this conference annually, in the month of May. People from different places attend this conference. This year's conference was attended by hundreds of believers and Pastors, especially from rural places. People from villages are so hungry for the word of God, because such opportunities are rare. And yet they go through many challenges and are troubled by the powers of darkness. In most villages, devil worship is so rampant but as the Gospel penetrates deeper and deeper into these villages, many people give up the practices and trust Jesus with their lives. We have planted churches in most villages and we continue to plant more. We planted 7 churches last year and this year, we are determined to plant many more, despite the big cost of planting churches. However, though people come to Jesus, some still have the soul ties because of covenants they entered into with the demon world and so they need to be set free by the word of God and the power of the Holy Spirit.
Different preachers and teachers of the word were invited to minister to the saints in this week long conference. Many believers were set free from demonic oppressions and many healed of their diseases by the power of God. Even unbelievers came in and gave their lives to Jesus. One lady from our community had suffered for a long time from demonic operation and she had spent her money to witch doctors, who could not help her. She visited different hospital and her condition worsened, she could not sleep, she was tormented by evil spirits every day. Evil spirits would strangle her every night and for three years she could not sleep. When she heard about this conference, she came and gave her life to Jesus, when we prayed for her she was set free and she testified that all pain had gone and she could now sleep. "For the first time, i slept like a baby after i was prayed for" said Anne. Many other people were touched by the power of the Holy Spirit and were revived. Many ministers who were weak were restored in the strength of the Lord and they went back determined to serve God!
Thank you friends for your prayer; God moved mightily by his Spirit and all who came were blessed. God provided miraculously, we had enough food to feed the 800 people that attended this conference.
God bless you.

OUR KIDS BACK FOR HOLIDAYS

Today our children have come back for holidays. We thank God because most of them have improved so much on their academics and they have performed well.

The children are so grateful to their sponsors for taking care of their school needs. It is a miracle to most of them to sit in class without getting worried of being chased from class anytime. Before this, every day they knew anytime they would be chased away for not paying school fees.

Thank you so much for giving unspeakable joy to these young ones.

Our children express themselves comfortably in English, now! They look to their future with great hope! These children have great dreams, some say they want to become head teachers, and others say they want to become Engineers and Medical Doctors. We appreciate all sponsors of these children that sacrifice a lot to put these children in school. Your gifts are not in vain.

With your support, we were able to buy each child a new shoe, so they will be able to start a new term in June without getting worried of the school shoes. Some already had torn apart shoes, whereas other had no shoes at all. Some were depending on borrowing shoes to be able to go to school. This new school does not permit pupils on bare feet to enter the school.

The children were so happy to go home with a new pair of shoes.

Praise God, we recruited a new staff called Grace Nafuna. Grace has a heart for the children and for the last one month that she has been in office, there is a tremendous difference. Please pray for her as she handles our children. Most of these children have had terrible experiences in the past and needs a lot of care, love and prayers.

We believe out of these children we shall great people in future.

God bless you friends.

KABALE CHILDREN-HAPPY EASTER-2009

Happy Easter friends! Our children are so grateful for the love that many friends have shown them. Our children celebrated this Easter with great joy. Yesterday each child received a mosquito net, thank God for the donation given to us by Debbie and Logan. Malaria is a killer disease in our community. Malaria is caused by Mosquitoes. Because of this many children and parents have died of Malaria. Therefore sleeping under a net is very important in Uganda, since this is the best way and the simple way to avoid Mosquito bites. Unfortunately, these nets are so expensive for ordinary Ugandan and many families can't afford them, leaving their lives vulnerable to the killer disease. We are so grateful for the support of Debbie and Logan Cox. We were able to get nets for 50 children. The children and their mothers were very excited for getting the nets. We are praying that the remaining children in the Sponsorship program will also get the mosquito nets. Many other children in our community would also be happy to get the nets. We are so grateful for the love and support from all of you dear friends. You have made a great difference in the lives of these children.
Though most of them lost their parents, your love and care has given them much hope, so much so that they feel they have parents out there. These children love the Lord and they are such a blessing even in the church. The community praises them for living Christ-like lives. We see in these children future great leaders that will impact our community and the communities around. Keep praying for these children, that they will of the Lord will be done in their lives.
God bless you!