Fall 2019 Newsletter
God Moves Mightily in the Hearts of Ugandan Women
“Everyone is talking about the powerful God of Agape”
Agape Children’s Village, and the Agape International Children’s Ministry offices sit high on top of a hill that the local community is built on. Together they are bringing the hope and love of Jesus through the Gospel to the surrounding community. Families are being changed. Boys and girls are being changed. They are discovering the incredible God of Agape. Agape is the greek word used to describe the incredible love that God has for people. Agape love is a decisive, unrelenting, unconditional, faithful love that God demonstrated for us by sending His Son, Jesus, into the world. Agape love was demonstrated on the cross of calvary when Jesus paid the price for our sin. This is why we’re called Agape International Children’s Ministry. Because in everything we do we seek to make the Agape love of God known in the lives of everyone we come in contact with. This summer at a women's conference, 450 women from our local community gathered under a large white tent. 450 women representing as many families. Would you be surprised if I told you that they invited their Muslim neighbors and unsaved neighbors?
I’ll never forget the three women that sat in the front row. With their hijabs (head-covering) on they sat in stark contrast to the other women around them. “Raise your hand if you would like to make Jesus the Lord and Savior of your life” Sandi Balli spoke to the crowd with zeal. Hands went up everywhere, but the three I’ll never forget were the hands of the Muslim women in the front row. Everyone is talking about the powerful God of Agape.
Summer Ministry Recap
What. A. Summer.
Over a three week period our summer team of 8 ministered to over 1,500 people during four conferences and two Agape Community Child Sponsorship center days. We saw God perform miracles as He multiplied supplies and food when more people showed up than we planned for. We saw the power of the Gospel prick hearts and draw people to Jesus. Of the people we saw accept Jesus as their Savior, many were muslims. We spent time with and ministered to the children in our sponsorship program. We were completely blown away by the goodness, faithfulness and power of our living God.
While we fully acknowledge that none of this would be possible without a movement of God, we also recognize that those who gave generously were the catalyst for all of these wonderful moments. Thank you. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts and thank you from the countless number of Ugandans who will never be able to thank you themselves.
Check out our Facebook page (AICM, Uganda) for trip highlight video today!
Blindness Doesn't Define Her
Scovia (pictured below), is a mother of four. She is like many women in Uganda. She is kind, gentle, and worries about her children’s future. Unlike, many other women in Uganda, Scovia is blind.
Scovia wasn’t born blind but lost her sight later in life. Five years ago, Scovia lost her eyesight due to a brain tumor that had spread and weakened the muscles around her eyes. The brain tumor required surgery, but she couldn’t afford the procedure. God provided the funds for her through some generous people. Unfortunately, the tumor had grown by that time and caused the muscles around her eyes to weaken. They performed the surgery and removed the tumor, but she came out completely blind. She still lives in the same home with her four children, but she is no longer able to work and provide for her family. Her eldest son works on his school holidays to help raise school fees for his siblings, but they still struggle to know how they will eat or pay rent. They have learned to trust God to provide for their family.
She is a wonderful mother full of joy and life and love. She is a woman fully reliant on God to provide and is trusting Him with her life and her children. She is a woman thankful to be alive and blessed by God’s mercy in her life. She is a selfless woman most concerned with how her kids will eat and get through school. She is a woman who has not given up on herself or her family. She is a woman making the most of her situation, without an ounce of bitterness in her. She is a woman so deeply in love with Jesus that love was overflowing from her home. She is a woman who was only angry about her situation because she can’t work and provide for her family anymore. She is a woman whose smile was bigger than life and who was able to laugh at the quirks she could hear in children’s interactions. She is a woman that doesn’t let blindness define her.
This year, one of our generous church partners decided to step in and help this incredible family. The children at The Bridge, in Cathedral City California, raised money at their summer VBS with the goal of sending Scovia’s four children to school. The children raised enough money to send all four children to school debt free and feed the family monthly. AICM was also able to send all of the children back to school for another term with all of their school supplies and requirements. Praise The Lord! Agape Heart to Heart is able to help families in need because of faithful partners like The Bridge and you!
Meet Ricky
Ricky is 18 years old and almost had to drop out of school his last year before graduation because he couldn't afford tuition. Ricky became an orphan when his mother passed away from HIV/AIDS recently. For Ricky, dropping out of school would have had far-reaching negative implications for his future. In addition to his school worries, he also helps care for his sister, Comfort, who battles sickle cell anemia.
Through Agape Heart to Heart, our benevolence ministry, we were able to pay for Ricky's last year of school. Ricky was filled with joy upon receiving word that he would be able to finish his degree. Pray for Ricky and his two sisters as he prepares to graduate this December!
Agape Heart to Heart is made possible by the generous men and women who partner with AICM monthly. For more information, or to give a gift today by clicking the button below.