REVIVAL CONFERENCE 2008

"But you shall be filled with power after the Holy Spirit has come upon you and the you shall be my witnesses" Acts 1:8

Last week was a week of great revival and renewal to many believers in Christ and pastors mostly from rural places, at Revival Tabernacle.

This is an annual meeting that is arranged for both believers and Leaders to learn the word and pray together for one week, expecting the touch of God on their lives for renewal and discipleship. Different gifted preachers and teachers are invited to preach and teach on a specific theme for a particular goal each year. We accommodate and feed these people who normally turn up in hundreds.

This vision was birthed with the great responsibility God has given us to disciple and train Leaders who will transform communities. We felt it is our responsibility to equip men and women with the word of God as prepare them to transform their communities for Jesus.

Most of our villages are under the bondage and control of witchcraft and idol worship and Sorcery and as a result many people live in the bondage and fear of the devil and as a result many people are ever sickly and some die. Adults and children alike are bound and possessed by demons, some becoming insane from the soul ties from their ancestral spirits worship. In every community, they have a priest and witch doctor to help them consult evil spirits and every clan and home stead has a shrine normally in the home of an elder who inherits the family spirits. Sacrifices are normally offered to by the family weekly to appease the ancestors for a blessing or good health or good harvest. And after every harvest another sacrifice is made to thank the spirits.

Most of such communities are hardened with unbelief and resistance to the gospel. And it is hard to preach Christ in such places. Sometimes the evil spirits end up torturing members of the families; members are ever sickly and tormented. In one family, a lady was taken by the spirits for 10 years into the forests children found her and reported and she was taken back home, the church prayed for her and she was healed.

But as we plant churches in such communities, there is always a sigh of relief as people come to Christ and are prayed for, many people are set free and healed.

However we realized if we have to be effective in our vision to transform communities, we have to train leaders and equip saints for the work of the ministry. And this is the reason why we hold the Revival Conferences every year.

This year’s conference well attended with an attendance of almost 1000 people. It was power packed. It marked a turning for many believers and ministers. Many leaders were revived and empowered for the work of the ministry.

Out theme was derived the Book of Acts 1:8. As preacher after preacher expounded the truth of the word of God, you could tell from the face of the people that they were getting the truth of the word and God was ministering to them. Many were baptized in the Holy Spirit with evidence of speaking in tongues. Many saints were delivered from the oppression of demon powers and others healed of different diseases. Many were renewed in the Lord. By the time they went back on Monday, they were full of excitement and joy, ready to be effective witnesses of Jesus.

Our staff worked tirelessly to see that everything is in order. They made sure food was enough for every one and was on time. They took good care of accommodating the saints and providing what they needed in time.

We are praying that next year’s conference will be much more powerful and more attended than this year’s. We shall have it around the same time from 4^th to 10^th May 2009.

Please pray that God will touch more people with the power of his Spirit and that many will be changed and become affective ministers in to transform the communities.

Also pray for provisions for our own strong sound system. We depend on hiring which takes a lot of money. Pray for, us for provision to feed and accommodate the saints and possibly help them with transportation, most of these people walk on foot over 50 km to come into these meetings.

jbakashaba@gmail.com

SPONSORSHIP KIDS HERE FOR HOLIDAYS

"Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them..." Matthew 19:14

The 33 children supported by Kabale sponsorship program have come home for holidays. The interesting thing is that our children are doing very well both academically and spiritually. There is a great change in the lives of these children since they joined the sponsorship program. They all brought home very good school reports with good grades. The kids testify of the joy they feel, belonging to such a good school in Kabale. Not only are children proud of this school but also the mothers of these children. One mother recently told us that her neighbors asked her how she ended her son in Kabale Primary school, popularly known here as Demonstration school. She just told them that it is God's grace.
Kabale Primary school is one of the best schools in Kabale;it used to be for only the well to do people. Thank God that with help from friends we can afford to take our children to such a good school.
The children are overwhelmed by the love shown to them by their sponsors. Thank you friends for helping these children. We appreciate your sacrifice to give these children a future. Nothing gives great joy like seeing these children take shape towards their destinies. May God abundantly reward you.
We also appreciate those of you that sent their children gifts. Your gifts helped to buy your children shoes and stockings.
Most of these children are gifted and will become great people in future. Despite most of them having lost their parents and others coming from very poor families with parents who cannot afford to give their children education, God has a purpose for these children. Supporting them will help groom them to their dreams! These are future leaders! Most of them can now speak good English and almost all of them can write English. We don't take this for granted.
We are so grateful to all of you dear partners. Thank you for helping us to help these children.
The children now know how to write letters to their sponsors. Our staff have been helping them to write these letters. The last letter they wrote was a general letter that basically give the child an opportunity to relate with her/ his sponsor as she/he talks about what is going on with his life; academically, spiritually and socially, at home,at school and at church. We do hope sponsors you enjoyed the letters. They will write more when they start their second term.
Child sponsorship has transformed the entire community.
There is a great change in the entire community. Many people testify of the love of God portrayed to these vulnerable children by the church.
Many mothers now take time to clean the shoes for their children which never used to be the case. Children would go to school on bare foot. They also try to maintain the cleanliness of their children's uniform. The children speak English on the community and besides they are well behaved.
The parents have testified that their children help them at home a lot, during this holiday unlike other holidays. They help with cooking, fetching water and cleaning utensils. They will be going back to school within a few weeks. They report on the 26th May 2008.
We established an office to help us run this program efficiently. We rent out a building which we have furnished with chairs and tables, file cabins and shelves. Sam, our program Director works tirelessly to keep records well and good accounting.He generally handles administration to keep the program running efficiently. Doreen, a volunteer staff, also helps to fill out the children files and keep files in order. She also helps children write the letters, especially the young ones. We have good qualified teachers that volunteer to teach these children on Saturdays. We call the Saturday meetings Center days.Children learn Scriptures and prayer, behavior, cleanliness and hygiene, skills and other lessons that will develop them into future good citizens and leaders. We do appreciate all of you our friends and partners for making a difference and helping us transform our community.
There are still hundreds of children in this community and thousands in other communities that don't have an opportunity to go to school. We are praying for them that God will help them too.
Thirty five US Dollars ($35) a month pays tuition for a child to go to school, buy him a uniform and feeds him every Saturday.
Together we can make a difference in the lives of these little ones as we do acts of compassion to them. Please pray for the many suffering children in our community.
In case you are interested to sponsor a child or support more children, please get more information from Whitney Smith at: whitney-123@hotmail.com