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Spring 2017 Newsletter
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Spring is a wonderful time of the year to enjoy the beauty of God’s creation. The smell of freshly cut grass and the fragrance of beautiful flowers blowing and dancing in the wind seem to put smiles on our faces and a dance in our step. It makes us think about potential projects we want to plan to work on, places we want to visit, and people we want to see.
Like you, the FOLA Board of Directors has also been planning, praying, and seeking God regarding His will for the 2017 calendar year. Please pray for us as we feel called to “set sail” and move out, more purposefully and strategically, into some new areas of DEVELOPMENT.
We hope that you will become involved in the FOLA fundraising opportunities we have scheduled for 2017. If you would like to volunteer, become involved in any way, or would like us to give a FOLA presentation at your church or to your organization, please contact us by email at fortheloveofafricaministries@gmail.com.
We hope that you will become involved in the FOLA fundraising opportunities we have scheduled for 2017. If you would like to volunteer, become involved in any way, or would like us to give a FOLA presentation at your church or to your organization, please contact us by email at fortheloveofafricaministries@gmail.com.
Upcoming Mission Trip
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A team of five of us will be taking a mission trip to Uganda, Africa on April 11th - 25th. Please keep our team in your prayers. We have been gathering wedding gowns (cost to rent there is $200), bridal veils, and jewelry from generous FOLA friends and supporters to start a new entrepreneurship business in Kampala, Uganda. We will take these donated supplies with us. A SPECIAL THANKS TO ALL THE LADIES WHO DONATED THEIR PRECIOUS AND MEMORABLE WEDDING ATTIRE!
The Ugandan culture forces the prospective bridegroom to pay a pre-arranged dowry fee, set by the bride’s parents, before he can take the bride’s hand in marriage. It is also the prospective bridegroom’s responsibility to pay for the entire cost of the wedding, which is very difficult, when the average income in Uganda is about $365 per year. (The bride’s family is responsible to pay for the Introduction Ceremony, where the groom is introduced to the bride’s family and friends.) Because of the cost of the dowry and wedding, many couples (including pastors) live together outside of the bonds of matrimony, not because they want to, but because they feel they are forced to. While we are in Uganda, Dr. Gilbert Birungi will marry couples (some are pastors) who have always wanted to be married in the sight of God. Other couples are still finding themselves trying to work through forced dowry issues with the bride’s parents and will not allow Dr. Gilbert to marry the couple, without paying the dowry.
During the mission trip, two of the youth going with us will be ministering and sharing at the Mercy House Ministries Youth Conference. We will also be working in the areas of DEVELOPMENT by teaching Spiritual Gifting and Talents and since we have a licensed teacher going with us, we will be holding a 2-day in-service seminar for the Mercy Junior School staff and teachers. We also plan to go to Masindi to hold workshops for adults and minister to the children and youth.
The Ugandan culture forces the prospective bridegroom to pay a pre-arranged dowry fee, set by the bride’s parents, before he can take the bride’s hand in marriage. It is also the prospective bridegroom’s responsibility to pay for the entire cost of the wedding, which is very difficult, when the average income in Uganda is about $365 per year. (The bride’s family is responsible to pay for the Introduction Ceremony, where the groom is introduced to the bride’s family and friends.) Because of the cost of the dowry and wedding, many couples (including pastors) live together outside of the bonds of matrimony, not because they want to, but because they feel they are forced to. While we are in Uganda, Dr. Gilbert Birungi will marry couples (some are pastors) who have always wanted to be married in the sight of God. Other couples are still finding themselves trying to work through forced dowry issues with the bride’s parents and will not allow Dr. Gilbert to marry the couple, without paying the dowry.
During the mission trip, two of the youth going with us will be ministering and sharing at the Mercy House Ministries Youth Conference. We will also be working in the areas of DEVELOPMENT by teaching Spiritual Gifting and Talents and since we have a licensed teacher going with us, we will be holding a 2-day in-service seminar for the Mercy Junior School staff and teachers. We also plan to go to Masindi to hold workshops for adults and minister to the children and youth.
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Mercy Junior School Construction Update
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Mercy Junior School Construction Update
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We want to thank all
who have given sacrificially to help raise FOLA’s pledge to Mercy House
Ministries for the construction of the ground floor of Mercy Junior School. FOLA’s
goal was to raise $115,000, but instead we were able to raise $131,836. We
thank God for this great achievement! Because of some soil issues where the
school is being built, Dr. Gilbert Birungi had to make some changes to the
construction plan.
When this ground floor is completed, it will house seven classrooms (with 4 inner classrooms), indoor restrooms, a canteen, and administrative and staff offices.
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Mercy Medical & Dental Clinic Construction Project
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Mercy Medical & Dental Clinic Construction Project
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| Construction Progress March 2017 |
We are very excited to announce that because
of a generous FOLA donor, we have been also able to bless Mercy House
Ministries with the funds to construct a new Mercy Health Services Clinic. This medical clinic will house a reception
area, two doctor’s offices, laboratory, a surgical operating room, x-ray room,
examination room, three 5-patient wards, and a dental clinic.
In
working with Mercy House Ministries and World Born Again Medical Ministries (WBAMM)
these past five years, FOLA has come to realize the importance of follow-up
medical intervention after the medical mission camps that they hold in remote
slum villages in Uganda.
Many
need x-rays, extensive lab work, and/or surgery, as large hospitals are over
populated and are not affordable for most medical patients. Because WBAMM has not had the proper access
to follow-up medical intervention, many have died. Mercy Health Services Clinic
will meet the needs of the surrounding area and community by offering medical
and dental services and will be able to handle the follow-up needs from the medical
mission camps. We are very thankful to God for this facility!
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From the Desk of Mary Linette
Since September of 2016, the FOLA Board of Directors has been sensing that God wanted to bring change to our work Africa. On the front end, we did not know what that entailed, but as time goes on, layers and layers of confirmation has come from many different avenues.
The books “Toxic Charity” (by Robert Lupton) and “When Helping Hurts” (by Steve Corbett & Brian Fikkert) have been a real inspiration to us regarding how to effectively help the poor and needy, without ruining them or creating dependency and entitlement. We have found that more strategic and intentional DEVELOPMENT, which is really the hardest of the jobs and takes time and lots of effort, is what is needed.
FOLA has not been called to be a relief or rehabilitation organization, but God has called us to work in the area of DEVELOPMENT. Now more than ever, we feel called to branch out even farther into new more strategic areas of DEVELOPMENT. In order to do this, we will turn over ownership of FOLA’s current programs (i.e. Mercy Junior “School, Mercy House Children’s Home, the Masindi Farm, and Mercy Health Services Clinic) into the very capable hands of Dr. Gilbert Birungi (who has been already working in these programs with us these past 5 years) and his Mercy House Ministries team. As we stretch out further into this new arena God is calling us to, we are confident that Dr. Gilbert and his Mercy House Ministries team will continue to do a great job with their programs.
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“MARK YOUR CALENDAR” and visit our website for all our FOLA Events!
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“MARK YOUR CALENDAR” and visit our website for all our FOLA Events!
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Amazon Smile: This is a simple and automatic way for you to support us every time you shop on Amazon, at no cost to you. When you shop at smile.amazon.com, you’ll find the exact same prices and selection as on Amazon.com, with the added bonus that Amazon will donate a percentage of the price of your eligible Amazon Smile purchases to “For the Love of Africa Ministries.” Simply go to smile.amazon.com and login to your Amazon account. Select “For the Love of Africa Ministries” as your choice of charity. Then have fun shopping!
Schnucks E-Scrip Card: Your purchases create automatic contributions to FOLA each time you shop using your Schnucks E-Scrip Card. You may contact us, complete our website online contact form, or email us at fortheloveofafricaministries@gmail.com with your name, address, phone number and email address to receive a Schnucks E-Scrip card. We will send you your new card in the mail.
