Even though 2018 was in many ways a difficult year both economically and spiritually we have lived to see the blessing of God upon AAI ministry, in that thousands of people gave their lives to Christ through our Local and International Missions, and may the Lord alone receive the glory in all we do in His kingdom.
In total we hosted 3 international missions and 3 local missions. Through these missions, we saw over a thousand two hundred saved, 620 people baptized, and eleven new churches planted!
World Reach Mission Team
In world Reach Missions five hundred seventy three (573) people gave their lives to Christ, thousands received free medical treatment 842
bibles given out, and 2 new churches were planted.
During the same mission church leaders were trained , schools evangelized and thousands of gifts were given to the communities, AAI staff, the children’s center and others. We are celebrating that God has given us such great gifts!
Leadership Development
Our leadership development strategy is steadily gaining hope and shape. We received Timothy Initiative books from Journey Church; we now have all the books in English and can accomplish our first stage of training.
In 2018, through Austin church mission team, we were able to begin an intense church leaders training in Bukaleba and in the Zones. The program is ongoing and our goal is to achieve spiritual growth in all of our 264 churches and as we plant 300 more churches by 2021. We hope to fully train 25 leaders by the end of 2019 who will in turn train over 550 others leaders by the end 2020. The growth will help empower our churches become self-theologizing, self-propagating and self-sustaining. Again we are so thankful for Austin Christian Fellowship commitment towards the success of this program.
Hyde Park Mission Team
In March, we hosted a team of young Christian students from Hyde’s park school from Texas USA lead by Pastor Steve. The team specifically worked and ministered to over 800 students, 100 staff, and 20 pastors in AAI Bukaleba Children's Center. They wonderfully carried out vocational training, sports field development, sports training, painting, and other recreational activities at the Children's Center. To close out the week, they held sports competition with the climax of a bull roast! It was simply a blessed and a wonderful time! We look forward to their return. And may God bless them.
Pastoral Missions:
It was not possible for Pastor Godfrey and his wife Joy to lead pastoral missions in 2018 because of many constraints. Instead they invested
their time in reviving Mutai and Buwenda Baptist Churches amidst their other responsibilities in the overall running of Arise Africa International.
Mutai Baptist Church had been deserted, and only 2 members were
present on their first service in June 2018. But by the close of the
year the church has 25 adult members and 30 children that attend now on a regular basis. One of the act of love that seemed to reveal the love of Christ to this community was helping little Sherry Acatha a girl with sickle cells, who was involved in motorcycle accident, who cracked her skull and
therefore needed surgery in Kampala.
We are grateful to World Reach Ministries who contributed to the surgery of this young girl, the act brought many to the church to get saved and even up to now people are still talking about it in the community.
STAFF MISSION
Staff missions are led by Pastor Smooth Via and his family. We were able to do three staff mission in 2018. We count it a joy for our staff to get out of their daily routine duties and do ministry to our churches and their communities. In 2018, together they strengthened two church plants in Kalagala and Buwoya, through leadership training, women's ministry, children's ministry, school ministry, and health and
hygiene training. Additionally, they and funded building of pit latrines for one of our oldest pastors, Pastor Mutenyo. Though the focus of our staff missions was on training and empowering church leaders and members, our team was still able to lead 13 people to Christ during these missions!
Thank you for your ongoing love and support of Arise Africa. We are grateful to God for every partner and friend he brings our way. May God bless you!
Stay tuned in the days to come for updates from what God has done during the last year of ministry.