Fall 2015 Edition

New updates are coming, so please check back soon!

Spring 2015 Edition

A Call to Missionary Work

By: Trena Vanbibber, USA Team

Our President and Founder, Mary Linette is going to retire from Old National Bank this year.  Working in Uganda has been her passion for the last 5 years.  Her diligence in creating For the Love of Africa Ministries has brought together God’s people from two nations to work together as one. Along her journey, many people have been divinely put in her path to mold this organization into what it is today.

This ministry now has a USA Team and an Africa Team.  As Mary has been tied to the United States, she has been able to give the USA Team structure and guidance to create the vision she has been given.  It is now time for her to do the same in Africa. Mary will be leaving in September for an extended stay in Uganda.  She will be living and working there, strengthening our communication, increasing our efficiency and sustainability, and broadening our outreach with our Africa Team.

As Mary makes this transition, please keep her and For the Love of Africa Ministries in your prayers. She will need a lot of support and encouragement as she prepares to make this move.

You are invited to attend our Send-Off Fundraiser for Mary on July 25, 2015 at Forest Hills Wesleyan Family Life Center in Evansville, IN.  We will have a dinner, auction, live entertainment, and an African store.  Tickets are available from our team or through our website. 

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Do Something Different

By: Dr. Gilbert Birungi, Africa Team

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For the five years I have been working with Momma Mary, For the Love of Africa Ministries and all of you, I have seen God’s hand touching many people’s lives in Africa spiritually, physically, and mentally, and also through education on health issues, nutrition, and budgeting and finances. 

 

Several times, we as Africans, have seen people who have come on a mission trip go back changed and many of you who stand and believe in For the Love of Africa Ministries can testify of this. 

 

God answered the cry of the Jews when they were still in captivity by sending them Moses, who helped them to be delivered from captivity. In my heart I have always known FOLA, like Moses, started because God answered the cry of AFRICANS, who were dying and suffering with no one to help them.

God revealed again this to me that we were meant to live for so 

much more than this. Yet, sometimes we hide in the shadows of life 

waiting for someone else to make the difference we are meant to make.

Maybe to you who are not yet involved in FOLA and to you who were doing something, this is your wake up call to use the gifts and talents God has given you to serve the people He cares so deeply for. WE are the ones God can use to change Africa. WE can save one life at time. WE may not do all, but WE can sponsor one child or one young adult’s education, WE can change one village by helping build a water project or sponsoring a medical mission, or WE can help by sponsoring one much needed medical surgery. It all begins by helping just one!

Through serving God and my work in FOLA, I have realized we do not have to wait to have a lot in order to save a life or make a difference. I have seen that the small things we can do makes a big difference. There are some who are not at our level, but we can help them. I would like to pose this simple question to all of us who are reading this newsletter.

“Would you be interested in making a difference?” 

Join FOLA, as it is something that truly impacts lives! 

You can use your professional skills, knowledge, and experience to touch the lives of people half-way across the world; people you'll never meet unless you go on a FOLA mission trip. Regardless of where you are in your spiritual journey, you certainly can give someone a hand – you can be God’s hand extended to lift them up and give them hope. People are waiting and praying for you to say YES to the call.

Dr. Cissy, Momma Mary, and Dr. Gilbert

For the last five years Momma Mary has been partnering with us on mission trips and has brought a number of people to Africa who give of their money, and volunteer their time and skills in different capacities. Whether you’re a doctor, pharmacist, nurse, teacher, lawyer, pastor, evangelist, engineer, worship leader, or social worker, there is a place for you. God uses ordinary people to do extraordinary things. Through God’s grace, all we need to do is step out of our comfort zone and reach out in love. God will do the rest.

God asked Moses, “What’s that in your hand?” What Moses had, became the Rod of God and a nation was set free! Who knows what God will do with the rod in your own hand?

Finally, I want to thank you for believing in us and for supporting FOLA. It’s because of you that all the things we have achieved, have been done.

Together we shall make a big impact. We can make a big difference.

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From the FOLA President's Office
By: Mary Linette, USA Team

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I recently returned from a two week mission trip to Uganda, Africa. As always, it was so very good to be reunited with my fellow Ugandan brothers and sisters. During this trip, we teamed up with World Born Again Medical Missions and held a 2-day medical mission in a Kampala village, where 620 patients were treated. We were able to see all medical and dental patients for approximately $1 per person. FOLA supplied the finances to purchase the prescription drugs. 

Completed Katanga Water Project



While I was there, we dedicated our first two completed Katanga water projects to the Lord and shared with the village people that now they have clean water to drink, but they also need the living water of the Lord Jesus Christ, as only He is able to bring change into their lives and village. During the time we spent there, we presented the village leaders with rubber boots and gloves, so they could help keep the waterways clean.  

I was very excited to see the progress of the Phase One construction of our Mercy Junior School (We have now begun Phase Two). Seeing all the smiling faces of the little 140 children blessed me so much. What was even greater yet was the excitement I saw on their faces as Dr. Gilbert and I presented toys to each of the children, along with a piece of candy. For most of them, it was their first ever toy and candy. There is just something about giving to someone who has no ability to give back!!

 It was such a blessing to able to pass out clothes for very needy children in Kampala, Kanungu and Masindi. I saw one little 5 year old girl running her hands down the front of her little outfit numerous times, showing me how excited she was about her new outfit. It was very heartwarming!!

Mercy House Children's Home kids

Last, but surely not least, was the fact that I got to spend precious time with Dr. Gilbert, Cissy, baby Blessing, and my 7 kiddos at our Mercy House Children’s home. It is amazing to me how much the children have grown in the seven months I was gone. I love the bond I have with them and the fact that I see them blossoming more and more each time I come.

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Medical Missions
By: Dr. Charles Muloni & Dr. Alex Tegume, Africa Team 
 Bill Bowman, USA Team
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For the Love of Africa Ministries has greatly improved the lives of many Uganda, Africa people and made the gospel able to reach many due to free medical and dental services rendered to people through medical missions in various places that we have gone, such as Katanga, Kanunga, and Masindi. We have been providing these services for the last five years in which thousands of people have been treated and many have been led to Christ.

During these medical missions, teams of passionate professional medical and dental personnel and FOLA servants reach out to people in hard to reach areas like villages, slums, and up country districts with various medical and dental services.

MEDICAL CAMP
Recently, we conducted a 2-day medical mission camp at Mercy House of God Church in Uganda, where 620 people were attended to as we provided free medical services, dental services, cervical cancer screening, eye treatment, and spiritual counseling. 

We give God back the glory and the honor, and great thanks and appreciation go to the FOLA president Mary Linette and her team. May God continue to use you for being a blessing to Africa.

ACHIEVEMENTS

We have been able to meet and reach out unto many neglected people with chronic illnesses like HIV/AIDS, trauma, and epilepsy.  

Many people in Africa are being traumatized by chronic illnesses that become life barriers and because of the low household income, many people lose hope of living and tend to commit suicide, but through our FOLA medical missions, God has enabled us to reach and restore the hopes of many people and families. 

CHALLENGES
Transportation of the medical team and all the required materials and equipment has always and is still a challenge to our medical missions. This has been witnessed by many health professionals who are willing to participate in various medical mission camps, but could not go because of limited spaces in small mini-buses we usually hire. It would be a blessing if we were able to purchase a bigger mini-bus, as this would enable us to reach many people with medical services.

We are in a great need of our own referral MEDICAL CENTRE. We are not able to handle many medical and surgical cases which require long time management, close monitoring and follow up, and are always not fully managed till restoration time. In some emergency cases, it has even been challenging to transport the patients to any nearby facility for further management, so there is a great need for an ambulance, where patients could be transported to a medical facility for further management and effective follow up.

Finally, to improve on the effectiveness of our medical team, there is a great need for our mobile medical camps to be fully equipped with various medical, dental, laboratory and cervical cancer screening equipment. Also, exposure to other medical teams through medical missionary seminars and continuous medical education would also improve on our effectiveness.

CONCLUSION

We would like to welcome doctors, dentists, surgeons, nurses, pharmacists, students, pastors, & others with a helping heart to join us. Together we shall cause a difference.

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The Gift of Sponsorship
By: Wendi Nelson, USA Team

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It happens so often. Children all over the world continue in their cycle of poverty, believing that they aren't loved and that there is no God that loves them. These children often grow up in despair; they suffer from affliction, remain poor and hungry, and often may lash out and cause affliction on others. But, God loves all children and wants to bless them with good health and long life, peace and happiness. Christ encourages us to extend our hands to the poor and needy and show through our actions, the love of Jesus to everyone.

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  "Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue
but with actions and in truth."   1 John 3:17-18

"He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from 
the ash heap; he seats them with princes."  1 Samuel 2:8

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 The children of the world are holding the future. Together, we can help lift a child out of poverty, and help them establish a foundation in Christ, showing them His eternal love and giving them hope for a better future. 

Since July of 2014, For the Love of Africa Ministries has been blessed with Sponsors for eight additional children, as well as one young adult. Two of these children have been taken into our Mercy House Children's Home and are doing very well there. Grace Nisha, our most recent addition to our Children's Home is still in need of a sponsor. You can read about her story on our website.

 As we are gaining more of a presence on the internet through Facebook and our website, more people are beginning to recognize For the Love of Africa Ministries and are developing a confidence in our Ministry.

Please continue to join us in prayer as we have many more children on our waiting list whose lives could be changed through the gift of Sponsorship. To those who have already committed to such an important role in these children's lives, we thank you dearly.  The gift you give is far more than your money: it is trust, hope for a future, and an understanding that they truly have a God who loves them so much.

"If you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy 

the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, 

and your night will become like the noonday."  Isaiah 58:10

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Mercy Junior School
By: Pr. Michael Byonaneby, Africa Team

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Mercy Junior School is a Christian founded school which aims at providing good education to needy children in Uganda, Africa. There are very many parents who cannot afford to send their children to school and as a result their children end up as street children.  

God has surely been so good to us, heard our prayers, and joined us to the For the Love of Africa Ministries team. We have all the faith that the school will grow to help as many children as possible with a good education.

Nisha, Comfort, Providance, and Doreen

Mercy Junior School was started in 2013 with 5 children studying in the Mercy House Church, which grew to 25, then to 60, and now we have 140 children studying in a school we built on our own land. We started in 2013 with a nursery section and in 2015 we opened a primary section with four classes i.e. from primary one to primary four. We are hoping that we shall be adding a class every year.

We are so grateful to God that He has faithfully provided for the school through FOLA, those who sponsor our children, and those who give their donations to support the work of running the school. 

We are still believing God to see the school expand to accommodate as many children as we can. Many children are surely waiting for this opportunity to open to them. As a school, we still have many needs to enable us reach the desirable standard. We, therefore, still request for your generous support. Never get tired of doing good, for God will surely bless you.

We lastly want to thank Momma Mary Linette, who is the leader of FOLA team, for the endless efforts of seeing this school stand. May God richly bless you.

“For God is not unjust to forget your work and labor of love which you have shown towards His name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister.” Hebrew 6:10

A Year of Blessing

******** 2014 ********
A Year of Blessing

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We greet you in the mighty name of Jesus and pray that you had a very blessed Christmas season and Happy New Year. God has been doing amazing things through For the Love of Africa Ministries. We have been working very diligently to bring sustainability to our mission work in Uganda, Africa.  As 2015 begins, we want to share with you some of the highlights from 2014. 

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Van Purchase

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       CISSY, MOMMA MARY, AND DR. GILBERT                  MISSION TEAM WITH DR. GILBERT

 Thanks to generous donors, we were able to purchase a van for our Mercy House Children’s Home, Mercy Junior School, and for the Medical Missions we hold in remote slum areas. It has been a great blessing to us and has saved us a lot of money that would have been spent for transport fees, 

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Land Purchase
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CHURCH UNDER CONSTRUCTION

We have been able to partner with Mercy House Church in recently purchasing one-half acre of land on the outskirts of Kampala, Uganda, thus eliminating the need to pay monthly rent. We are in the process of constructing a church and also a school to house our Mercy Junior School.

We would like to purchase at least another one-half acre or more of land, so that we could build and move our Devine Mercy Medical Clinic/Dental Clinic and also our children’s home onto this property. 

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Mercy Junior School
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Mercy Junior School began in 2013 with 5 students and ended with 40.  This year it has grown to 60 students.  The children are eagerly learning, are exceeding the government’s expectations, and the parents of the children have been amazed by the children’s progress.  Pastor Michael has done a wonderful job of overseeing the school and keeping us within budget. To help bring sustainability, the school has started a small business to help raise money and Ugandan parents donate what they are able, to help provide for the needs of the school. Through the school’s initiatives and our sponsorship program, we are hoping to increase our enrollment to around 130 children this coming school year, which begins in February. 

Would you be willing to make a donation towards the school’s monthly budget or sponsor a child’s education for $30 a month/$360 per year to help change a child’s destiny?  If you are interested, please feel free to contact us or visit our website.

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Mercy House Children’s Home
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                     MOMMA MARY WITH CHILDREN                                 RONALD, DENAVENSI, COMFORT, MAGIDU, AND DOREEN

Our Mercy House Children’s Home has 5 very sweet children, who outside of God’s grace and Dr. Gilbert and Cissy’s medical intervention and expertise, four of the five children would probably not be alive. Denavensi and Magidu’s lives have been saved through lifesaving surgeries and 10 year old Ronald never ceases to amaze us on how his little body continues to fight to live. Comfort, who also has had health issues, continues to overcome. Doreen has been only about the only one who has come to us healthy.

Recently, we have been saddened by the sudden loss of our 5 year old cancer stricken Patricia, whom we were in the process of taking into our children’s home. We were very blessed by her life for the very short time we knew her.

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Katanga Water Project
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Recently, we completed our first Water Project in the Katanga slum area of Kampala, where 70,000-80,000 people live. The water that served half of this village was of very poor quality, so many people would come to our Devine Mercy Medical Clinic to be treated for malaria, typhoid, and other diseases.   

We plan to complete the 2nd half of this project on the other side of Katanga in February 2015. 

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Medical Missions
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PEOPLE WAITING FOR SERVICE

 

PHARMACY





DR. GILBERT SEEING PATIENT



In Uganda, healthcare is almost obsolete and most people have never received medical or dental care their whole lives. Three 2-day and two 1-day medical missions were held in remote slum areas in 2014 and we were able to provide free medical and dental services to over 3,700 patients.

We plan to sponsor more medical missions in 2015.   
  

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Seed Project
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                    MARY EXPLAINING GROWING SEEDS                                   PASTOR'S RECEIVING SEEDS

Because of generous supporters, we were able to expand our Seed Project this year. We presented garden seeds packets to over 34 pastors of different churches in Masindi and Kanungu, so they could share with the farmers in their congregations. Most people in Uganda live off the land and are farmers, so we wanted to help them to begin to grow more varieties of crops to feed their families and enable them to sell excess food in the marketplace.   

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Children’s Clothing Outreach

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Through two very gifted groups of ladies from the Henderson KY and Boonville IN area, we were able to deliver children’s clothing they sewed to very needy Ugandan children in Katanga, Kanungu, and Masindi. About 130 dresses and 100 pairs of shorts were made and donated by these ladies, along with 30 shirts.

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Please pray about giving sacrificially to any of the above initiatives in 2015 and becoming a partner of For the Love of Africa Ministries. Your financial support would be very much appreciated. We are a 501 C 3 non-profit corporation, so your donations are fully tax deductible.  If you would like to give towards a certain project, please contact us. To learn more about For the Love of Africa Ministries, please visit our website.

We would like to thank each and every one of you for your prayers and support during this past year. We very much look forward to 2015 and what the Lord has in store for us.  We would like to wish you a very blessed and prosperous 2015 and pray that God will bless you in countless ways.   

His servants to Africa,

Dr. Gilbert Birungi                      Mary Linette 
FOLA Program Director             President & Founder 
Uganda, Africa                           For the Love of Africa Ministries