May 2024

Volume 24 Issue 3

Dearest Friends and Partners,

Our recent trip to Uganda and Tanzania was among the most fruitful we’ve had. It seemed like during our short three weeks, Winston and I experience one divine encounter after another.

Winston and I arrived at the Entebbe airport, in Uganda and were joyfully met by my longtime friends, Pastor Grace and his son Henry. They drove us a few hours to their small village of Busembatya where we enjoyed their hospitality for three days, during which we held a two day pastor’s conference. Being able to spend time with rural pastors is one of my favorite things to do.

Service under a tree

It always amazes me how these followers of Jesus accomplish so much with so little. They reach out to their community through their Primary School, with classes held under trees, when it isn’t raining.

Would you join us in prayer for the resources to finish their permanent classroom structure. It will only cost $12,000 USD​

Classes held outside while we wait for buildings to be completed.

Classes are held under the shade of a tree until classrooms can be built.

Beginnings of classrooms

The beginning of a school building for classrooms.

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Then we made the drive back to Kampala where we met up with a mission team from Park Side Church, which is located in Sandpoint, Idaho. This group of nine amazing followers of Jesus, plus Winston and I were capably led by Park Side pastor Adam. We joined with pastor Steven, director of Uganda Christian Outreach Ministries and their joyful team to drive 15 hours from Kampala, in north Lake Victoria, to Geita, in South Lake Victoria.

Travel on the bus
In the Market
Here we met up with pastor Eliud for ministry at his church, then drove the next day out to a remote village for two days of medical outreach. The team of doctors and nurses treated over 500 villagers for ailments such as malaria and infections. The prayer team saw many healings and deliverances.

We concluded our time with a trip to a very rustic fishing port on Lake Victoria, where Brooke and Hailey, two of our young missionaries were baptized. Then as pastor Steve gave an invitation to “come to know Jesus”, another three of the locals came forward and were baptized.
Baptism

As the Sandpoint team headed back to Kampala, Winston and I flew up to Kilimanjaro to spend the final week at New Dawn.
  
When we arrived on Sunday morning, the service was already underway. It was like stepped into a little bit of heaven, as we entered during a time of worship and prayer.

This 2 minute video of our students meeting with God is well worth your time.

There’s Nobody like You LORD!

The New Lab
First experiments
Lab partners
Training in the Lab
After our noon meal we toured the campus and were impressed with the farm and the completed laboratory.

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The following day we hiked up the nearby mountain to get a view of the valley where our campus is located. Here we meet up with a curious group of villagers who were wondering what the Mzungus were doing on the hill. This encounter turned out to be an excellent opportunity to discuss and plan for future community development.
What are the Mzungus doing up on the hill?

Then the next day we met with the rest of the village leaders and reps of the county commissioner. We further discussed and planned for future collaborative development of our Ishinde Village.

Future Collaborative development

Then we met with our New Dawn staff, numbering nearly 30. They all pleaded with us to expand our school to include Form 5 & 6 Advanced Secondary School Curriculum. This has always been our vision yet we have lacked the resources. Now we believe it is time to make the commitment to move the community forward to this next level. To do so will require more infrastructure. Please pray with us as we determine the path forward.

The New Dawn Staff meeting
The day after that we drove 3 hours to Mombo for a one day pastor’s conference. Our teaching happened to be televised on a national TV station.

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On our final day we visited the neighboring Vocational Training Center which partners with us in equipping our students with practical skills.
Vocational Training Center

We also had an opportunity to visit a couple of our Alumni attending Nursing College. Both Gabriel and Lightness are top in their class with a 4+ grade point average. Our graduates are distinguishing themselves and bringing glory to God.

Gabriel
Gabriel and Lightness

Please pray with us as we determine the essential projects and priorities of the path forward.

Picture

Our top priorities at this time are the sponsorship of our 36 new Form 1 students. Our budget for their education and mentoring support is:
#1

    • $125 per month per student (the cost of dinner out with your family)
    • $1,500 per year per student
    • $3,000 for two years, half the cost of their diploma
    • $6,000 covers all the four years of their home and education expenses to graduation

#2
Installation of a compressed natural gas tank and plumbing to the kitchen and laboratory.

    • $15,000

#3
Completion of our rain water harvesting system, specifically roof gutters and drain piping to existing cistern, pump to garden, as well as filter to plumbing to laboratory.

    • $12,000

#4
Form 5 & 6 Administration and Classroom buildings, and living essentials of beds, closets and cabinets in existing dormitories…

    • $300,000

Your faithful and generous support has brought us this far. The fruit of our labors is beyond our hopes, so now we look to the God who provided for His will to be accomplished on earth as it is in heaven. Thank you for standing with us in earnest prayer for how God intends to further the Good Work He had begun.

Your partner in God’s field,

Ron