Landmark Fundraising Event Raises Over £1000

The church in Namungoona are continuing to take increasing responsibility for the ongoing church building project. They recently organised a Harambee, or fundraising event ('Harambee' is Swahili for 'pull together'), to raise money to continue the work. This included both a raffle and an all-pay auction, in which everyone pays what they bid, win or lose, and the highest bidder wins.

Gichuru Jeremy reported, "It worked better than expected and an amount of Ug Shs 2,486,000 (about £880) was raised in cash and about Ug Shs 880,000 (around £290) in pledges and cheques. People gave willingly without any pressure and enjoyed it because it was like a game, participating up to the last minute."

"Many people won prizes they never imagined. For example buying a raffle tcket for Ug Shs 200 and winning a goat worth Ug Shs 100,000."

Gichuru's sons Seth and Daniel helped initiate and organise the Harambee. The church has committed to supporting further events on a regular basis.

In May of this year, Gichuru Jeremy and Fred Musisi, assisted by Koboi Edward from Namungoona, went on an eight day pastoral mission to visit and minister in various small village churches in the regions of Sembabule and Kiruhura (formerly Mbarara), districts that lie in the south-west of Uganda towards the Rwanda border.

The mission began with a day's training for pastors at Nyungu, the main base in Sembabule for the Quality Discipleship Churches of which Gichuru is bishop. The training was highly appreciated by the pastors and leaders present, and they asked for it to be repeated. Most such events are held hundreds of miles away in the capital, out of reach of pastors in the bush.

The team then visited 36 churches and held meetings in some of them, teaching and praying for the sick. Some notable healings took place, including one man (see photo) who was deaf in one ear, who after prayer could hear in both.

In one location, over thirty people came forward to offer their lives to Christ, and in another, seven.

In March 2009 one of Uganda's main newspapers, New Vision, ran an article about marriage that featured Gichuru and Eunice Jeremy. Gichuru talked about their own experience, and suggested some helpful practices for avoiding and resolving conflict in marriage - such as dealing with issues before bedtime, not bringing up past mistakes, and not trying to change your partner.

Orphans' Christmas Meal

These pictures show orphans from the orphanage run by pastors Moses and Joseph. They are enjoying a Christmas meal provided by donations from the men's group at Molesey Community Church in December 2008.

Pastor Moses commented, "We had wonderful Christmas celebrations. One of the boys told me that this Christmas has been the first when he has had good meals three times in the day, and he told me to thank you on his behalf for that memorable day of his life. I asked him to write and he told me he couldn't write English, as it is with many children in our country and even those under our care. Thank you, thank you, thank you."

Economic Challenges

Inevitably the effects of the current economic crisis will extend well beyond the shores of the west where it originated, to have a serious impact on poorer countries like Uganda.

Uganda's inflation rate is currently running at around 7%. That's quite moderate compared with many third world nations. But when you are already living on the breadline, a 7% reduction in your standard of living has serious repercussions.

Added to that, the value of the pound against the Ugandan shilling has slumped dramatically in recent months. The overall result is that, pound for pound, the value of donations from the UK had fallen by around fifth in the last year - putting added pressure on the various projects that we and others are supporting there.

Please pray that as people and governments in the West look to cut back during the recession, support for people in developing countries will not be a casualty. They should not have to pay the price for the fiscal irresponsibility of the west. They cannot afford it.