Email from a friend

I received an email from a friend of mine, who is a missionary in Africa, today. He shared with me and many others a great need in Urganda. As such I'm posting the E-mail here. if anyone of you can help please do. Take away the money you were going to spend on soda or a candy bar, maybe even that meal at a restaurant and please send it to help someone who needed it more than you.

I wanted to send an update to each of you to let you know how my trip
has been going. You will find specific prayer requests listed
throughout the email.
Thank you for your much needed prayers.
      Before I describe one of the saddest experiences I have ever
had… I want to let you know that the work I have been doing with
African Children’s Mission (ACM) has been going very well. Each week I
spend three days in remote villages teaching theology classes to 49
pastors and church leaders who have never had any training in Biblical
studies. Not only have they not received training in Biblical studies,
but like most Ugandans, many of them never completed high school.
Despite their lower level of education, some of these students have
served in church leadership positions for longer than I have been
alive. I find it remarkable that the students faithfully attend Bible
classes, in spite of the fact that many of them have not been in a
formal classroom setting in years. Their love for God's Word and His
glory supersedes their tribal differences and learning difficulties.

       God has been clearly faithful to the work He started last
summer with the Bible training programs. Though it is hard at times,
there is nothing I would rather be doing than returning to the Bible
training schools to help equip my brothers and sisters with the tools
necessary to exegete Scripture and better serve their church
congregations.

*Please pray:

- That God will allow the students to truly grasp the information being taught.
- That the Holy Spirit would give the students understanding of the
information, and   help them to properly apply it to their particular
contexts.
- Praise God that a shipment of reading glasses came in and now all of
the Bible     students can read their Bibles!

The saddest letter I have ever written:
     If you do not know, one of African Children’s Mission’s (ACM’s)
main ministries is a feeding program which operates in the poorest of
schools in one of the poorest districts in Uganda, East Africa. Last
week, I helped compose and deliver a letter from African Children's
Mission to seven schools. Though the letter was addressed to seven
schools, ultimately it affects more than 3,300 students who attend the
schools and their families.

     The purpose of the letter was to notify the schools that because
of the nation’s extreme inflation on food products, ACM would have to
change the feeding program. The product that has affected the most
people in the country is “posho.” Posho is eaten by most Ugandans
everyday; it is the main food that keeps these people alive. In the
last year, the wholesale price of posho has risen by 66%. By God’s
grace, African Children’s Mission has been able to continue feeding
all 3,300 children in spite of the rising economic problem. In order
to sustain the feeding program indefinitely, ACM has had to reduce the
amount of food being served by 50%. Those affected by the change seem
to understand its importance and have said, “A little is better than
nothing. Thank you for what you can give.”

     It is hard to fully describe the positive impact the feeding
program has on the children and their families, but I will try. Many
children attend school simply so they can eat a free meal at lunch.
Studies show that education is a key factor for one to successfully
escape a life of poverty; if a 12 cent meal is an incentive to get one
to attend school, it is a small price to pay. The one meal per day,
provided by ACM, is often the only meal these children have. ACM
teaches a weekly character development class at all seven of the
schools. If the attendance drops, then that means that there are more
kids who will miss the Bible-based character development classes; this
may have the largest impact of all. Even if you have not spent time in
a “fourth world” country, it is not hard to imagine the gravitational
effects associated with cutting one’s daily meal in half.

*Please pray:

- That God will provide for the children through other means until
ACM’s feeding program is running at its normal capacity again.
- That the students will continue to attend school, even though the
food incentive has been reduced.
- That people in Uganda would not think that the God of Christians is
weak because a Christian organization has had to make cutbacks. My
prayer is that during this hardship, the faith of the children and
their parents will be strengthened and that God will be seen as the
God who he truly is: Jehovah Jirah--the God who provides.
- Please pray that the people will find their delight and satisfaction
in the true Bread (John 6:35), more than in the bread that spoils
(John 6:27).

Please be praying for the listed items above. Please also be praising
and thanking God for his goodness, faithfulness, and steadfast love He
continues to show His people.

Please know that the purpose of this email is primarily to update you
on what I am doing and to ask you for your continued prayer support.
However, if you would like to make a tax deductable contribution to
ACM to help with the feeding program, please see the address listed
below. You may also donate online at   africanchildrensmission.org


Note: At the current cost of food, $30 will pay for 250 meals & $120
will pay for 1,000 meals.

In Christ,

David Semeyn


African Children’s Mission

P.O. Box 26470

Birmingham, AL  35260


africanchildrensmission.org