THANK YOU LINDA (THE LUMSDENS), MARION, JIM AND LORI MARTIN FROM SUNDAY SCHOOL-USA!

It was good news when I received email from Linda –the Lumsdens telling me that Linda Lumsden’s friend Marion wanted me to get food for the children.  They put more money in Joan’s account for me from another friend of the Lumsden from their Sunday school class and Linda added a bit to it so part of it will pay for the clothing and food. That was good news indeed.

I quote part of the email “we want you and the children to be eating healthy.  Try to make sure they get some fruit and vegetables and some protein when possible and they need milk for their growing bones. I know it is hard to do all the time for you.  This money is from Jim and Lori Martin from our Sunday school class. And then we added a bit just to make it even”.

My heart was overwhelmed with joy. I thanked God in praise and adoration.

I asked Joan whether she would bring the money JMCM and she sent me an sms that I should go to her home because she was attending to her mother who had just been at the hospital. A few months ago, her mother fell and broke her arm.   The cement was just recently removed.

Joan has a big heart and she helps so many people and organizations. Her home is open to all. The children are always excited going to Joan’s home and they go in turns. This time, I went with Stephen, Regan and Marvin to retrieve the money.  We got wonderful reception and the children enjoyed playing in the compound with the dogs, bouncing castle and playing in the presence of Joan.

What a great time this is to be a Christian! We are so privileged to be walking with the Lord in this hour. It is an honor to have God’s people around us. The Church of Jesus Christ is rising up and mobilizing with faith, fire, passion and kingdom focus.

It was just another amazing moment – Stephen turned 12!

As I looked around, I realized that there was no sign of a birthday cake. As I shared in my emails with friends, the Lumsden family shared with their friend called Joan about Stephen’s birthday. Joan sent me a text message letting me know that Linda Lumsden had contacted her by email that it was Stephen’s birthday and she would bring a cake.

The following day, Joan baked such a beautiful cake especially for Stephen’s birthday. At around 8pm, Joan showed up with a cake and we even didn’t even hear her arrive in her car. What a beautiful birthday for Stephen Batte. He did not even remember that it was his birthday.

Anyway, Joan is married to an Indian man and adopted 2 Indian children –Mark and Tiya, who are now fully grownup. She has lived in Uganda for over 15 years and helps so many people and organizations. She is the solution to most problems.

We thank God so much for the Lumsden and Joan and all the others who love the children. They are doing their best to keep JMCM going. Last year, Joan brought a friend, Marlies J. to JMCM, and Marlies is now a wonderful friend of JMCM, too.

SURPRISE FROM JOE LINDSEY BARTH
Food prizes are too high and getting food to feed the children is by the grace of God. Lindsey Joe Barth made a surprise for the boys.  We were out of food and God provided Lindsey Joe Barth with some money which he sent me, and he suggested that I should surprise the boys. It is very expensive here to buy chicken and fish. I went around the market and all chicken were out of stock and only one, a rooster, was remaining which was at approximately $20. This was the one that I took for the children. When they returned from school, I told them about the surprise and they got very excited. When I uncovered the rooster, everyone wanted a photo with it.

Lindsey and Joe are wonderful friends of JMCM. Lindsey has come up with fliers to cause awareness and funding for JMCM. She is also working on t-shirts to sell so whoever is interested in buying the t-shirts to support JMCM or other support can get in touch with Lindsey or Jennifer if you are in the US, Canada, Australia or David here in Uganda.

JMCM DOCUMENTARY
Ben and Kirsty did some great work with the first promotional video of JMCM and we believe many more will come in the near future.
Should you need a copy of this video to share with your audience, feel free to get in touch with us. If God has called you to join hands with JMCM, we welcome you with open arms. Let’s team up and make a great team to bring change in this world and for God’s Kingdom. We are willing to work with anyone in truth and sincerity. 
 
PLASTIC CHAIRS
We thank God for the few plastic chairs that He provided us during Felicitas’ stay at JMCM. We need more chairs for the children so we continue to pray that God may provide these in the very near future.

Simon Peter Loku is going through hard time.  Peter came from Southern Sudan, and lived there during the time when SPLA was heavily involved in serious war with the Government of Sudan.  When Southern Sudan got her independence, we thought Peter would be one of the beneficiaries but that was dashed out.

Peter speaks Luganda and Dinker language very fluently. He is living with his mother, but unfortunately, his father was a soldier with the SPLA and disappeared in Sudan and left Peter with mother and sister. Peter’s mother sells bananas, carrying them on her head and moving from place to place looking for buyers. Whatever money she gets, she spends all in drinking alcohol and food, and gets drunk.  She cannot afford to pay fees for Peter and dropped out of school a few years ago when he was in primary one. Peter’s 12 year-old sister was given away by their mother to someone to do babysitting so that she gets money for house rent.

There are many children like Peter in our community who are just loitering in the slums and doing nothing because no one can help pay school fees for them to be in school. They have since dropped out from school. JMCM would like to change this situation.

We are bringing in these children to the Centre so that we can teach them, do activities with them and make them busy and creative. We pray God to open up doors for funds, and when funds become available, we take them straight from the Centre to school so it would be easy for them to catch up with the rest of the students.

My heartfelt thanks to the precious people who support JMCM in intercession and finance – some have done so for many years. Please know that you are a vital part of the overall effort.  It takes team work to do our ministry. You are greatly appreciated – may you be blessed abundantly – over and over.

The Spirit + the Word
Much of the ministry of former days was primarily Word-based and didn’t integrate God’s power and the super- natural.  We honour the ministries of that generation, but over time many of them diminished. We need both the Word and the Spirit in this new day. The Lord is raising up many potent Spirit-fuelled ministries. God wants us filled with His Spirit, led by His Spirit and ministering out of His overflowing presence – releasing His life, love, power and glory. We are ordained to change the spirit realm every place we go, and do the works that Jesus did.

“My work with children was not with the persuasive words of human wisdom, but with a demonstration of the Holy Ghost and power” 1 Cor.2:4

Worshipping warriors
Prayer is a key area the Lord is bringing reformation to. He is sending fresh fire into prayer ministries. There will always be areas where we ask in prayer – His mercy, forgiveness, grace and more. However, when it comes to dealing with the enemy and ushering in the kingdom, we are to use our God-given authority and take dominion. It’s not a new thing or a Pentecostal thing – it’s God’s word to us. Before He created mankind, God said “Let us make man in Our image and let them have dominion …” Gen 1:26.  In verse 28, He told Adam and Eve “Go … take dominion… subdue …” That was God’s original mandate to His people – yet 6000 years later, it’s one of the last things we’ve embarked on. It was God’s first command and the last that Jesus gave (Matt 28:18-20).

A company of worshipping warriors is arising – ones who know their God and the authority He has given. God is calling whosoever to the higher place of worship and relationship where they can rule and reign with Him – destroying strongholds, displacing enemy entrenchments and establishing kingdom governance. God is all-mighty and His power is infinite. When the Lord sends His Bride forth to decree His will and purpose, the dunamis power of heaven is unleashed to validate and perform the word that is decreed. What a dynamic partnership we are invited into – and how astounding to co-labour with Him for breakthroughs, miracles and change.

“ … have made us kings and priests to our God; and we shall reign on earth.” Rev 5:10

Prophetic intercession
There are numerous testimonies of strategic outcomes through prophetic intercession. One of the greatest examples is in 1 Samuel 17 where 15 yr old David faced the giant Goliath who had the entire Israeli army paralyzed with fear. In the heat of the battle and raging intimidation, David was the epitome of courage and boldness. As he faced the giant’s towering figure (v 45) he prophesied his immediate future, “This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you and take your head from you.” David’s secret? He knew His God; he was a worshipping warrior. He had already killed a lion and a bear; he knew his God was one hundred percent faithful and all-powerful. From that position of confidence he prophesied the outcome of the confrontation and as we read on (v 46-51) we see that David did kill Goliath and cut off his head, just as he had decreed!

“You shall decree a thing and it shall be established for you.”Job 22:28

David served the King of kings – just as we do. He was anointed king and commissioned to rule and reign on God’s behalf – just as we are. We are anointed and appointed to rule in our spheres of responsibility. Just as David prophesied to the opposing enemy stronghold so should we – it is our high call.

Time to step up
Understandably young children and new believers ask in prayer, but in time they should be taught God’s way of praying with authority. Regrettably, many Christians are still asking and pleading – it is time for them to step up and minister with confidence, faith and boldness. Once they receive the revelation of just how loved and secure they are, they too will speak to mountains and move in prophetic intercession with a new measure of assurance – knowing that God is with them, for them, and mighty to fulfill His word. They will then discover the joy and exhilaration of ruling and reigning with their incredible Lord and King.

His immense love and desire for us
His love for us is way beyond our comprehension. In this amazing new season the Bride is being called into a deeper love relationship with the King, our Bridegroom. We are the centre of His heart, His longing, His delight and desire, He says to us, His Bride “… I am undone by your love. Merely a glance from your worshipping eyes and you have stolen My heart. Just gazing into your heart, joined to Mine, and I am overcome! Conquered! Ravished! Held hostage by your love ..”  (Selah) S of S 4:9 from The Passion Translation. Intimacy with Him is where we belong – surrendered in a lifestyle of adoration and worship. Merely loving Him falls short – we are to be in love with Him and permit Him to capture our hearts with an insatiable desire. It isn’t about our church, or us, it’s about our passionate love for Him – and allowing Him to fill us and enfold us in His exquisite love.

Three children have been rescued adding now to six children living and fully under the care and wings of JMCM.

Siblings 10 year-old Kalule Regan, 9 year-old Kalungi Marvin  and 8 year-old Natabi Margret  were living at Luwero district with their mother before her death last year.  Their father abandoned the family when the siblings were very young.  When their mother got ill and suddenly passed away, the man still did not appear even at the burial ceremony. His whereabouts are not known and no one can tell whether he is dead or alive. The siblings had been left to fend for themselves.

The only auntie of the siblings, Babirye Rose, then took them to live with her in a Kampala slum known as Namuwongo -Soweto zone.  She lives in a make shift wooden room with no latrine  and bathroom, but she loves the children.  She could not provide for them as much as she wanted.  Life was tough most of the time and they would go to bed without food. The work that she does is moving and looking around where she can dig for people in their yam plantation and of which for days she can go without any success.  Sometimes concerned people would show up with some little food for the children and that is how God was providing something for them.

The condition continued to worsen and concerned most neighbours. Some of the City Council workers came and reported the case to JMCM. We followed up the case and through the wonderful support from Jennifer and Larry Kesterson and others,  JMCM was able to rescue the siblings from this appalling condition.   This now adds the number to six children staying at JMCM – 5 boys and one girl. The majority of our children still stay with their relatives and care takers.

BY DAVID KNOWLTON

We  bid goodbye to Felicitas on the 24th of March.  JMCM wants to thank her for her time and magnificent work.  Last week, she bought some materials for the children to make jewelries. Before she left, every child presented to and decorated her with what they made  as a gift.

The day started for us with free activity.  After lunch, we moved into praise and worship and Feli shared the story with the children, did thememory verse and finally we had the Germany tea that Feli brought along.  Finally, we concluded with children decorating her with the jewelries they made and closed with a prayer.

This is our latest volunteer, Felicitas from Berlin, Germany.

Feli is very good at drawing.  She draws so well and makes all the learning materials that we use in schools and JMCM Saturday Bible Club.  She is such a sweet girl, too. Can you imagine -she is the only one saved in the entire family. Feli enjoys teaching children, too.

Thank you, Feli.  It has truly been a pleasure having you at JMCM.

David Knowlton

WHAT A TYPICAL DAY IS LIKE AT JMCM

From Monday to Friday, we are committed to going to primary schools that JMCM partners with and teaching children the word of God. We do this hand in hand with available volunteers. Whenever we get to schools, children are always excited to see and receive us.  At the centre, we have Bible Club that meets every Saturday and now, we are introducing Sunday service so that children can all be together instead of going to different churches. We are also initiating a program for the children who are school drop-outs so that instead of sitting at home doing nothing, they can come to JMCM centre from Monday to Friday.  There, we can train them to get ready for school and instill discipline in them, so when money become availabe,  JMCM can send them to school.

WELCOMING VOLUNTEERS

Our door continues to be wide open to all people to come and visit JMCM and volunteer or support in anyway as you may desire.

CONGRATULATIONS RONNIE!

Ronnie has been telling me ever since he started staying with me that when he gets to primary seven, he would contest to be the head prefect.  I just took it so lightly. Can you believe it if I tell you that his dream has come true? Yes,  he has been sworn in as the new head prefect of their school!

Ronnie is crazy over the American flag and US marine. He has almost every tiny armoured US toy tank and toy soldier, which he loves to parade on any surface and is very proud of them.  I wonder what that tells us about who or what he would become someday.

I am more convinced that through JMCM, the children could influence their community, this country, and even the world.  I believe that each of them is unique and has lots of potentials.  Ronnie is an example of how one can turn himself  into someone useful if given the right opportunity. If Ronnie has done it, then the others can do it, too.  One by one, God will transform them into men and women that He wants them to be.

By David Knowlton

From Dec 17 to Dec 29, 2011, we had German volunteers, Danielle and Jessica.  They just created the first JMCM video, and you can watch it on the following link:

 http://vimeo.com/37894821.

David Knowlton