Partners in Mission Fall 2015 Newsletter

November 2015

In This Issue

Visit Uganda this Spring with PIM Team...to Dedicate the New Kitchen and Dining Hall.

Rev. John and Mrs. Jolly Mulindabigwi Fall Visit

Sponsor a student at KSVS

KSVS News

A Christmas Giving Opportunity

Bike to the Lake 2016

Our Mission: We promote God's love to marginalized children of Uganda by providing education, community development, and Christian discipleship

We are sincerely grateful for your love and for the way you hosted us in your homes, churches, schools and ministries in building the Kingdom of God. We truly enjoyed our time there. Reading through those letters that welcomed us there refreshed me. We are grateful that your youths

find our home such a treasure and have themselves been inspired to serve the Lord passionately. This is all the working of God and is marvelous in our eyes.

Indeed, it is like a time to retreat and refresh when I come over. My trips there are times of learning for me, eye openers along the way to guide me in streamlining our practices through the exposure that I get. When am back, I look into improving on some areas.

I am also always delighted when I see commitments coming from my times of sharing with the teams I meet, commitments to support the youths who are schooling here, or take on such initiatives as would make a profound difference in our community. We have some of our former students now being supported in their University Education because of the partnership we have with you. May our God continue to bless you and your organizations.

Our link was created through Christ. If He had not come, we would be strangers or even enemies of one another. Such a universal brotherhood is the reason we find fellowship with one another when I am among you like I was and when you come over as you often do.

Our Lord Jesus Christ said in Matthew 11:28, "Come to me all you who are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest". This is one of the invitations with which he drew people to the mission of His coming. His purpose was to be to us a refuge, a source of rest for us from the cares and troubles of this world. In that scripture, he

Rev. John with refugees

challenges us to, "carry His yoke and learn from Him, because His yoke is easy and His burden is light" and he adds that we will find rest for our souls. As we think on His coming in this Christmas season, our Lord Jesus is still inviting us to come, lay our burdens at the foot of the cross and imitate His meekness.

Is it not a big honour to know that He has also chosen to fulfill this divine mandate through us! He is indeed giving hope to the weary and restoring their strength through our partnership with amazing people like you. Your concern and labour to make this our community better is a reflection of the work that God is accomplishing in our midst.

John

Rev. Canon John Mulindabigwi

Partners in Mission, Great Lakes Region of Africa.

Visit Uganda this Spring with PIM Team

to Dedicate the New Kitchen and Dining Hall

Plan to join the Partners in Mission Trip to Uganda this Spring when we will Dedicate the new Kitchen and Dining Hall. This will be a rich and spiritual trip, meeting our many Ugandan partners who have a deep faith and trust in God and His abiding love. Contact us at [email protected] for more information.

Trip Dates: March 22 - April 5

Itinerary will include:

4-day visit to Kamwenge Secondary and Vocational School and help the school dedicate the new Kitchen and Dining Hall. We will spend the time, visiting and helping in classrooms as well as visiting families in the community.

with Congolese refugee students
Visit a nearby refugee camp. Some KSVS students are from refugee camps.
Visit several of our graduates on their campus at Bishop Stuart University.
Celebrate Good Friday with Christians of all denominations by walking through the streets of Mbarara on Good Friday carrying the Cross.
Worship on Easter Sunday at All Saints Church in Mbarara.
Meet with and encourage the Young Professionals, a fellowship of young adults from Mbarara with a focus on mission.
Visit Kibale National Forest and hike with a guide, watching for chimpanzees.
Visit Queen Elizabeth National Park with an overnight stay.
Visit historical Namirembe Cathedral in Kampala and the new Igongo Cultural Center in Mbarara.

For more information: [email protected]

Rev. John and Mrs. Jolly Mulindabigwi Fall Visit

We had the pleasure of welcoming Rev. John and Mrs. Jolly Mulindabigwi to the US this fall. They connected with many friends and PIM supporters while they were here, traveling from Chicago to Grove City, PA to Portland, OR. While they were here, they told stories of their life experiences in Uganda, shared progress at Kamwenge Secondary and Vocational School, and encouraged youth in the US to honor their parents by obeying them and to continue to follow Jesus in their spiritual journey. They were delighted to meet new friends as well as connect with old friends, some they had not seen for several years. You can listen to Rev. John's inspiring message to Grove City College students during their Chapel on October 13. Below are a few pictures from the Mulindabigwi's visit. Click here to view more pictures.

Sponsor a Student at KSVS

When you sponsor a student at Kamwenge Secondary and Vocational School, your donation will directly impact all students by helping to pay salaries and general operating expenses at the school.

Our students are not turned away due the inability to pay their tuition, though we do ask each to make some contribution to their education. Often it takes the form of small fees for school supplies. Most students living on campus (about 200 currently) contribute food from their home gardens when they return to school each term. Students pay small amounts for their school uniforms which are sewn by our tailoring students. Younger and older students alike contribute by planting and helping to keep up the campus and crops (which we serve at meals). Often our graduates return during their school breaks to help teach at KSVS.

At Partners in Mission, we encourage our sponsors to develop a relationship with a student through correspondence. Developing a "pen pal" relationship with a student encourages them in their studies and spiritual journey because there is someone praying for them and concerned for their welfare. We have found that sponsored children do better academically at our school. They develop a relationship with their sponsor and feel encouraged in their studies.

To learn more about sponsoring a student for $30/mo or $360/year, visit www.pim-africa.org/give/sponsor-a-student or email us [email protected] .

KSVS News

KSVS continues to be a beacon of Christ and an anchor for the Kamwenge community. Students' lives are enriched way beyond their day-to-day existence of subsistence

student giving blood during blood drive

farming. Most in the community have never traveled beyond the boundaries of their villages. Enriching activities at KSVS this year have included:

Christian leaders come for conferences during school breaks. Students, teachers, and community members alike become baptized Christians. Scripture Union had an active chapter on campus.
A Ugandan blood bank came to KSVS in fully-equipped vans; health care professionals explained the need for donated blood, and students and community members lined up to be donors.
The entire Kamwenge community supported the KSVS winning women's soccer team.
Two years ago, KSVS art teacher Joan left Kamwenge to marry. This year, she has returned with her husband and new baby to

art teacher Joan in front of teachers' house with solar panel

live in newly constructed married teachers' housing. An American team recently brought solar panels that allow teachers to have lighting in their homes.
Agriculture continues to bloom on the KSVS campus. Good Shepherd Primary School head teacher Beth has taken a few chickens given to US visitors who were unable to take them home and turned them into a thriving chicken project.
The new Kitchen and Dining Hall nears completion as the school gets ready to welcome a training team from the Northern Illinois District Rotary Clubs in February, 2016. The building will be dedicated in March. In the meantime, students and community groups have been using it for gatherings.

installing new Scripture Union leaders

girls championship soccer team

A Christmas Giving Opportunity

Watch your US mail in the coming days for more information

The success of our Kamwenge Secondary School graduates presents a new challenge. University education is now possible for our graduates. For others, vocational skills are life skills that can provide income security in Uganda.

We know that as KSVS graduates grow in numbers, students eligible to attend University will rise. With typical costs for additional education being from $1,000 to $3,000 annually for two to three year programs, students will need additional financial support.

We can insure that our students interested in these professional degrees and skills can learn and return with the knowledge to build the next generation of leadership in the Kamwenge District. This Christmas we are looking for partners to assist in building a Graduates Scholarship Fund providing funding assistance to our KSVS graduates who are pursuing University or Vocational Training.

You can help!

Make a donation today to build a scholarship fund

for deserving and needy students.