John and Gwenda Fletcher - April 2017 Update

When we first met Idriss, he was 12 years old. He came to our house seeking medical treatment for his friend Jean, who had a sore leg. The two boys had formed a bond when they met at a center for homeless children a few years earlier. Jean was diagnosed with osteomyelitis (an infection of the bone) and admitted to Good Shepherd Hospital where over the next several months of treatment, he slowly recovered. Throughout Jean’s hospitalization, Idriss slept on the floor beside him, brought him food, helped him get to the bathroom, cajoled him into taking his meds, entertained him, and otherwise played the role of patient guardian. That was quite a responsibility for a 12-year-old, but Idriss had grown up fast in the year since his mother died and he was left on his own.

Idriss was born with albinism (a congenital disorder characterized by the complete or partial absence of pigment in the skin, hair and eyes), and his father had abandoned him and his mother shortly after he was born. In Congo, people with albinism are said to be “people without a race” and they are widely discriminated against and ostracized. The biggest medical threat here to people with albinism is skin cancer.

City Evangelization, Busanza Vocational Training Center

Dear friends and partners of the Presbyterian Church in Rwanda,

Through your generous gifts God is doing amazing work in Busanza! Last July, we dedicated the Vocational Training Center comprised of a vocational training school for both men and women and a school for special needs children. The special needs school was built in partnership with Legacy Mission Village (a not-for-profit ministry based in Nashville, TN).

A lot of exciting things have been taking place at the new center. Students in the Sewing and Tailoring School (both men and women) have learned how to make dresses. The sewing students are pleased to be learning these skills. The center also offers hair dressing and hair styling classes. Students in these classes are now able to cut, curl and style both men’s and women’s hair.

There has been a big improvement in the lives of children with special needs as a result of the new school, which is managed by the EPR Kanombe parish and the parish education committee. Most of the children come from poor families, so the church serves them breakfast to help them focus and learn.

Bill and Bette Bryant Crisis Nursery - March 2017 Update

Lolo and her foster mother, Ms. Agness Pumulo Nyambe

Lolo has been under the care of Christian Alliance for Children in Zambia (CACZ) since January 2016. Lolo had been abandoned by her family. A good Samaritan found her and brought her to the police station, where she was transported to the District Social Welfare Office (DSWO) by the Child Protection Unit (CPU). The police and DSWO have tried to find her family, but their efforts have been in vain.

Lolo lives in the Bill and Bette Bryant Crisis Nursery. When she first came to the home, she was a quiet little girl who often blended into the background because she was so soft spoken. She was respectful to others and a fast learner. She quickly learned how to follow the routines of the home and did not have any trouble adjusting.

Today, Lolo is no longer the shy, introverted little girl she was a year ago. Her vibrant personality is now evident. She has a warm and loving heart and at just four years old, she already seems to understand the importance of sharing her toys, caring for others, getting along with other children, and respecting her elders.

Tumaini Children's Ministry - February 2017 Update

Dear friends and Tumaini partners,

Thank you to all of you who pray for our children at Tumaini. God answered your prayers and has blessed us with success. The Tumaini children are blossoming and doing well in school. We are so excited to report their progress.

Due to their outstanding performances, some of the children have earned university scholarships and others have received high school sponsorships from local sponsors.

“Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” Matthew 25:40

Mercy is a Tumaini child who was awarded a full university scholarship by Kenya Methodist University...

Africa, Projects, Vulnerable ChildrenThe Outreach FoundationFebruary 28, 2017Tumaini Children's Ministries, Kenya

PCEA Stone Church Construction - February 2017 Update

Sunday January 29, 2017 was a big day here in Kenya as we dedicated two churches for the PCEA Church, one in Rugongo and one in Karura outside of Nairobi.

There is something unique about every church we dedicate. PCEA Rugongo Church has only thirty members. The area is quite poor, but these thirty members persisted and even completed their church in three years. Most of the church members are senior citizens, and all the church officers are women.

When PCEA church officials visited with me about nine months ago, they were completely exhausted and needed some assistance to complete the church building. They didn't need much. They only asked for windows and doors and some finishing touches. All they needed was a little encouragement and a small push.

Africa, ProjectsThe Outreach FoundationFebruary 23, 2017PCEA Stone Church Construction, East Africa, Stu Ross

Rwanda Church Construction - February 2017 Update

Dear friends and family,

January 22, 2017 was a glorious day of celebration in a small village in the rolling hills of Rwanda – we dedicated Karwihura Church in the EPR Zinga Presbytery. The Karwihura congregation began in 1981 with only six families in a small mud church. Since then, the parish has grown to five congregations. In 2014 the Karwihura congregation started building this new church. The people in the village are very poor and have suffered through one drought after another. They are subsistence farmers, and you wonder how they can survive in this situation. They contributed labor, sand, stones, and stone fill to the construction project, and they also gave some money, really sacrificially. The women gathered sand and stones by hand daily. This was truly a labor of love and dedication especially considering that it is difficult for them to even find food for their families.

Africa, ProjectsThe Outreach FoundationFebruary 16, 2017Rwanda Church Construction, Rwanda

Bob and Kristi Rice - February 2017 Update

Some will know that Kristi and I have been in a “holding pattern” for several weeks, waiting word regarding our future and whether we can return to our home and ministry in Congo. The day after Thanksgiving, we received a text message that changed the trajectory of our current life situation and altered the plans made and later confirmed when we left Congo in early 2016. A few days after receiving the fateful text message, a Skype call confirmed this reality. We are not returning to Congo this month as planned. In short, due to the continued political trials faced by the people of the Democratic Republic of Congo, coupled with an ongoing church conflict which has lasted four years and longer, our mission leaders have been advised by our partner church, the Congolese Presbyterian Community, that Kristi and I and another colleague should not return to Congo until a more favorable time. When that “favorable time” pokes its head from the clouds of the current political and ecclesiastical impasse remains anyone’s guess.

Africa, MissionariesThe Outreach FoundationFebruary 15, 2017Bob and Kristi Rice, Democratic Republic of Congo

Bill and Bette Bryant Crisis Nursery - February 2017 Update

Gifted with a New Name

Life began in a very difficult way for Gift. He was abandoned very shortly after birth and was brought to the House of Moses by the authorities in early 2016. After exhaustive investigations were carried out, none of Gift’s relatives were found and six months after his admittance to the House of Moses, he was cleared for adoption.

At the same time, Kevin and Mary Mabwe were dreaming of adding a son to their family. The devoted parents already had two daughters but longed to complete their family and had opened their hearts up to the idea of adoption. They were soon matched with Gift and began bonding with him at the House of Moses. Bonding progressed so well that Gift was permanently placed with the Mabwe family and was renamed Kevin Jr., after his new father.

Africa, Projects, Vulnerable ChildrenThe Outreach FoundationFebruary 14, 2017Bill and Bette Bryant Crisis Nursery, Zambia

Inyambo Mission Center - February 2017 Update

Greetings in Jesus’ name from the Western Province of Zambia,

Praise be to God for his grace that is sufficient all the time. I would like to share my sincere gratitude to God Almighty for answering prayers concerning our general election, which went well despite some tension. In this report, I will focus on testimonies coming from the field where our trained evangelists are serving the Lord. I will also share with you some progress from our current Live School classes.

The first report comes from Obby, an Inyambo graduate who shares a story about one of the current Live School students. Lemmy Simataa is confined to a wheelchair. He is an amazing evangelist. He pushes his wheelchair in the sandy soil of Mwandi reaching out to lost souls, praying for people in their homes, and serving as a volunteer at an orphanage in the village.

Africa, ProjectsThe Outreach FoundationFebruary 13, 2017Inyambo Mission Center, Zambia

Home of Hope - January 2017 Update

Dear friends,

We greet you once again in the precious and mighty name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Our hearts overflow with gratitude and awe at how great the love of our heavenly Father has proven to be, and we give thanks for the gift of salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ when we do not deserve such unconditional love. We are also grateful that he has blessed us with the ability to handle and cope with whatever situations he allows to come across our paths, drawing us ever closer in fellowship with him.

We know that in many ways 2017 will be a year of new challenges, but we also know that our Heavenly Father is always there to provide a way and a means, because nothing is impossible with our God of the universe. These scriptures are so meaningful to us:
Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the Lord in all your ways and lean not on your own understanding… and he will direct your paths.

Africa, ProjectsThe Outreach FoundationFebruary 3, 2017Home of Hope, Zimbabwe

Caring for Vulnerable Children in Uganda - January 2017 Update

Grateful for your passion in reaching the unreached and vulnerable children
in Kamwenge, Uganda

Dear friends,

I greet you in the name of our Lord Jesus. Our gratitude goes to all the people who have upheld this work from inception until now. Your prayers, labor and support are not in vain. We always have you in our prayers.

Graduations
Congratulations to Florence on her graduation from Uganda Christian University on October 21, 2016. With financial help from her sponsor, Florence began attending Kamwenge Secondary and Vocational School (KSVS) in 2007, the year the school opened for classes. She graduated with the first class of students. Her sponsor remained with her and offered her a scholarship to attend university.

Africa, Projects, Vulnerable ChildrenThe Outreach FoundationJanuary 30, 2017Caring for Vulnerable Children, Uganda

EERN Church Outreach to New Areas: Rickshaw Taxis - January 2017 Update

Dear friends and partners,

As I was driving on the main road out of our city through the scrub-filled desert toward the Bible school where I would teach that morning, I was surprised to catch a glimpse of a small yellow three-wheeled taxi driving towards me on the open road in the distance. I tried to reach into my bag for my camera before our paths crossed but settled for a safer two-handed grip on the wheel as I glanced at the driver’s smiling face and the unique blue flowered cloth insulating his back window as I looked in my rear view mirror. It told me what I was hoping for; I was finally seeing the practical application of all the prayer, giving, planning, and footwork of the rickshaw taxi project I’d been involved with for the last year with our partners in the Evangelical Church in the Republic of Niger (EERN).

Africa, ProjectsThe Outreach FoundationJanuary 24, 2017EERN Church Outreach to New Areas: Rickshaw Taxis, Niger

Presbyterian Street Children's Ministry - January 2017 Update

The “Centre Presbytérien d’Amour des Jeunes” (CPAJ) is a faith based non-profit organization working under the authority of the Presbyterian Church in Rwanda. Started in 1998, CPAJ has a vision of reducing the social-economic vulnerability of children and their families/guardians. CPAJ focuses mainly on improving the well-being and developing life skills of children and youth from the most disadvantaged groups in Rwanda through mainstream education and skills (vocational) training.

The Current Situation of CPAJ
In 2016, 51 street children came through CPAJ – 46 have been reintegrated either with their families or with foster families. CPAJ now has 36 children in residence,

University Student Ministry - January 2017 Update

The University Student Ministry of the Mekane Yesus Church (EECMY) ministers to students on many campuses by gathering them in small discipleship groups for training and growth. In collaboration with the EECMY congregation closest to each campus, USM facilitates leadership development and Christian growth conferences as well as Christian education activities. Seminars led by different experts are also held at each campus.

A female student network established by the Mekele EECMY congregation brings female Christian students from Mekele University in to share experiences, opportunities and challenges. Training is given on topics

Africa, ProjectsThe Outreach FoundationJanuary 13, 2017University Student Ministry, Ethiopia

Justo Mwale University - December 2016 Update

Dear friends,

From time to time we have conversations in ministry that help us to see afresh why we are here in Zambia, and also make us grateful for supporters who make our ministry possible. One of my students recently asked to talk with me in my office. I was a little surprised when he arrived and said he actually wanted to discuss what salvation means. He’s soon to graduate and be ordained, and my experience in America and in Egypt was that pastors and future pastors tend to know fairly well what they think about salvation. But this student was really wrestling with the topic, on account of what he had gone through in his various practical ministry experiences.

Africa, Missionaries, ProjectsThe Outreach FoundationDecember 16, 2016Justo Mwale University, Dustin and Sherri Ellington, Zambia

City Evangelization, Busanza Vocational Training School - December 2016 Update

Brothers and sisters and partners in the work of the Kingdom,

It is with great joy we greet you in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord! First of all we thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your friendship and Christian love shown over the years. Our partnership has deep roots, and the Gospel is bearing fruit in our country and our communities of EPR Kanombe including Ndera, Busanza and Kabeza. Our mission is to build a strong parish whose Christians are spiritually mature and able to testify to God’s Kingdom in the world. In our parish, evangelization is the main activity.

Tumaini Children's Ministry - November 2016 Update

Dear partners and friends of Tumaini Ministry and the Riamukurwe Parish,

Those of you supporting Tumaini Ministry in Nyeri are aware of its importance in a country like Kenya, where there are a growing number of children living on the street and orphaned due to various reasons. Currently over 250 children residing at Tumaini and Huruma attend both primary and high schools in the area. The hope brought by witnessing the love of Christ to these vulnerable children is bearing fruit in wonderful ways. Some talented young people have completed high school and, with help from this ministry, are pursuing vocational training and university studies at several institutions of higher learning. Their success is a great witness of the church in the gospel message to care for the least of these in Christ’s name and a great inspiration to the younger children in the program.

Africa, Projects, Vulnerable ChildrenThe Outreach FoundationNovember 1, 2016Tumaini Children's Ministries, Kenya

Rwanda Church Construction - October 2016 Update

The Presbyterian Church in Rwanda (EPR), with over 300,000 members, was introduced in 1907 by Protestants from the German Bethel mission in what is known today as Zinga Presbytery. From the very beginning, the evangelistic work was done by Rwandans who accepted the gospel of Jesus Christ. The church is growing by leaps and bounds, more than any other time in history. More churches are being planted in many parts of the country. After the genocide, much emphasis has been placed on reconstruction and expanding the church’s impact to meet both the physical and spiritual needs of Rwandans. There is a huge need for sanctuaries that are also multipurpose halls for various community interests such as schools and other gatherings. As in all places in Africa, congregation members have tried to provide land, stones and bricks as well as labor for their new sanctuaries.

Africa, ProjectsThe Outreach FoundationOctober 25, 2016Rwanda Church Construction, Rwanda

Partner Updates