The Pillowcase Project

How many of us have tons of extra clothes lying around in our closets that have never been worn? Some of you are probably like me in that you actually have clothes that still have tags on them. Can you imagine a life in which you only had one or two outfits? The little girls in our orphanages live that life. They don’t have the luxury of going into a closet full of various options. So we are going to partner with The Pillowcase Project to make pillowcase dresses for the 375 plus girls in the Seeta and Lira Villages.

This is a project that I want you to partner with our ministry in making happen. There are various ways that you can participate in this project.

First, we will be hosting a local Pillowcase Project in our office in the month of May. We will have several people come together with sewing machines in tow to starting making our first batch of dresses. If you live in the area we would love to have you join us. You don’t have to know how to sew to be part of this as we need people to cut, iron, and hand stitch. We need all the people we can to make this a success!

Second, if you live somewhere else but want badly to help in some way you can do so my sending supplies to our office. You can send pillow cases, fabric, ribbons, and buttons to our office so that we can use them to make the dresses.

Third, host your own Pillowcase Project and send the final product to the office. We will provide you with the proper information on how to make the dresses. You get together your church group or a group of friends and start sewing.

I am getting very excited about the projects and getting these dresses to our girls. We are already talking with a fashion designer to see if we can get a basic pattern made in order to make shorts for the boys. If we don’t come up with a way to make them we will actually buy them clothing there in Uganda so we will also be taking cash donations. If you prefer to make a cash donation to help with supplies please specify this in the check memo by writing “Pillowcase Project”.

Please send any ideas, comments or questions to me, Jana Kitts, at the office: j.kitts@christianlifeministries.org or call me at 972-307-5433.

Also, hoping to making headbands with bows and flowers to match the dress!!

Travels

This past month has been a very busy month of traveling to speak to many people about what the Lord is doing in our ministry. Upon returning from Uganda I have been out of the state every weekend to speak at various churches.

I traveled to Colorado Springs, CO and Grants Pass, OR the first weekend I returned. The followeng weekend I returned to Colorado Springs to speak at a different church. I then traveled to Flagstaff, AZ and Greenwich, CT this past weekend. God is doing some great things in this ministry and it has been interesting to see what he is doing.

There is one place I have asked God not to send me and He has decided to send me anyway. This weekend I will be traveling to Ketchikan, Alaska. I am excited to see why God has sent me this way but am nervous about the cold weather. Pray that I stay warm.

Blessings,

Jackson Senyonga

Transformation

This is really neat to see the transformation of the orphans as they go from IDP Camp to the Lira Village. Hope you enjoy seeing this as much as I do.

Yours

Yesterday as I was working in the offie this song came ont he radio and caught my attention. The song is Yours by Steven Curtis Chapman. I thought I would share this with you today.

I walk the dirt roads of Uganda
I see the scars that war has left behind
Hope like the sun is fading
They're waiting for a cure no one can find

And I hear children's voices singing
Of a God who heals and rescues and restores
And I'm reminded
That every child in Africa is Yours

And its all Yours, God, Yours, God
Everything is Yours
From the stars in the sky
To the depths of the ocean floor
And its all Yours, God, Yours, God
Everything is Yours
You're the Maker and Keeper, Father and Ruler of everything
It's all Yours

May God continue to take care of and bless the children in the homes in our villages! I feel honored that he has allowed me to be used as vessell to find homes for some many of these little children. These children are such a blessing in our lives as we get to see them live in joy despite difficult life circumstances! Praise the Lord from whom all blessings flow!

Blessings,

Pastor Jackson Senyonga

House Mums

I would like to recognize the women who take care of our orphans. These women go above and beyond as they care for each of our little ones. I cannot imagine what it is like to take care of 12 kids inside my home like these women do. To feed them, get them to school, love on them, care for them when they are sick and on and on I could go. We are very greatful for these women!

Consider sponsoring a house mum! Check out the information regarding sponsoring a house mum on our website, http://www.christianlifeministries.org/orphan-house-moms.html

Blessings

Pastor Jackson Senyonga

Volunteers Needed

I know many of you do not live in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, but if you do we could use your help in our office. We send out newsletters once a month and this is a large task for a small office. Also, soon we will be working on progress reports for all of our children which is a very large task for our small office. If you or anyone you know would like to volunteer in the office your help would be greatly appreciate. Contact our offices at info@christianlifeministries.org if you would like to help with this!

Happiness Among Children

Visiting Uganda was such a blessing for both Eve & I. As we were spending time in the villages I enjoyed watching the children play and interact together. It truly is like watching the kids playing at a party. All you can hear is laughter and chatter as they cover the grounds of the village.

A time to weep and a time to laugh,
A time to mourn and a time to dance.

Ecclesiastes 3:4

I am so grateful to God that our children are now in a time to laugh and a time to dance. It is a joy for me to see them doing so well and enjoying their lives as much as they do. It's always refreshing for me to visit Uganda again and see our vision living out actively.

Transformation

I cannot be more thankful to God for rescuing such a sweet angel like this. When I see pictures like this I am reminded of our mission in building these villages. I love that when you look at the second picture you see the absolute transformation that has been made since she began living in the Lira Village. What a beautiful picture of God's grace in our lives!

For he will deliver the needy who cry out, the afflicted who have no one to help. He will take pity on the weak and the needy and save the needy from death. He will rescue them from oppression and violence, for precious is their blood in his sight.
Psalm 72:12-14

Photo Update

Wanted to inform you all that we have updated the photos on our website. Check them out at www.christianlifeministries.org

Blessings

Jackson Senyonga
Christian Life Ministries

Mission Minded

I ran across a picture today of two of our sponsors with the children they sponsor. They had entitled the picture "Our Uganda Children, Joseph and Joyce" Seeing this picture was such a blessing to me to see that these sponsors have made a connection with their children.



With all that being said, you have the oppurtunity to meet your children through our Mission Trips. It is not too late for you to go this summer! We leave July 23rd and would love for you to join us. The other trip date is set for December 29th.

Rice Donation

We are so grateful to God for blessing Seeta Village with a rice donation from Tilda Uganda Ltd! This donation was put together by one of our sponsors Macodou N’Daw! We are so very grateful for his love of our children and getting this donation to our village. Thank you Macodou for going above and beyond!

Read Matthew 25:31-46 The final parable regarding the sheep and the goat. Christ says in vs. 44-45 44"They also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?'
45"He will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.'

I believe that Macodou has obeyed the scriptures in getting this donation provided for and for that we are truly grateful.

Easter

Good Friday for too many is a good excuse for a day off, a head start to a long weekend, or the anticipation of the Easter bunny. However, for us, we get to celebrate the death & resurrection of Christ Jesus this weekend. What a glorious thing we get to celebrate!

May we be reminded of the cross through the lyrics of the Old Rugged Cross.

In that old rugged cross, stained with blood so divine, a wondrous beauty I see, for 'twas on that old cross Jesus suffered and died, to pardon and sanctify me.

What a beautiful message we can find in the cross of Jesus Christ. May we simply remember John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that he sent his only son, that whosoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

Today let us each remember the real meaning of Easter. Imagine the cross and Christ’s death on that cross. Remember how he came to this world to die on a cross for our salvation. Let us anxiously await the returning of our King!

I pray that each of you has a joyous Easter weekend!

Because of Calvary,

Pastor Jackson Senyonga
Christian Life Ministries

Uganda Trip

My wife, Eve, and I are on our way to Uganda today. We will be staying until August 7th. Please pray that God will continue to work through us to make a difference in the lives of the people of Uganda.

I will be following up with my evangelism team to make sure they have implemented our plans that we came up with while I was there at the beginning of the year. I will also be speaking at Christian Life Church for Easter services. He is risen!

Eve has big plans communicating with our orphan ministry to make plans and realize needs for the summer mission teams. She is also very excited about a women’s prayer summit that she will be attending and speaking at. I pray that God will speak through her to move hearts and empower these women.

I will try to keep you all posted, but it is hard to get an internet connection and time all at once. It is a mad rush to get as much accomplished as possible in the short time we are here.

I look forward to returning to the United States and working on mission team project plans for our summer return.

Because of Him

Pastor Jackson Senyonga
Christian Life Ministries

No Unemployment in Heaven

There is no unemployment in the Kingdom of Heaven! I have used this in many of my sermons, but I find it a particularly crucial message in today’s times. So many times, we let our thinking be based on the kingdom of this earth rather than the Kingdom of Heaven. In the world, we feel there is a law of scarcity at work. For example, if someone at work gets a promotion, we feel threatened, and instead of rejoicing freely with their success, we instead feel jealousy because it could mean less for us, or so we think. However, Jesus asks us to do something far greater. He models out for us a giving lifestyle. He gave freely, not expecting anything in return, and demonstrated that when you give, there is a return that comes from the Father.

Acts 20:35 reads, “In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.' "

During this time of economic hardship, we tend to fight for our own. Our minds turn more towards lack of resources. However, we have much to be grateful for! In God’s Kingdom, there is always enough, but are we, as God’s people, being generous with what we have been given or are we hoarding treasures on this earth? Are we living like this is the end of the story? Or, are we eternally focused, Kingdom minded, and believing that there is no unemployment in the true Kingdom and our Father is truly a provider who loves to give good gifts to His children?

“Five simple words will ensure you will always have a friend and a job: ‘What can I do to help?’” – Dick Foth

Celebrate gratefully and give deeply! Jesus is our supplier!

Seeking Prayers

I write with sad (but not tragic) news today. One of our orphans in our orphanage village in Seeta, Uganda, Africa was bit by a stray dog this week. The dog was running through the village chasing a pig. When our child tried to divert attention and "shoo" the dog away, the dog turned and chased after the child. The child, not knowing better, ran away. The dog bit the child in the calf. The child was rushed to a nearby hospital.

Thankfully, the child will be just fine! There will be some painful healing in his future, but he is expected to fully heal (with the exception of some scarring). Please pray for this child and his recovery!

Many blessings!

Pastor Jackson Senyonga
Christian Life Ministries

Great news about our future school!

As many of you may know, we are planning to build a permanent school in the village this summer. The UKids mission team will be in Uganda to make this happen this summer, and they have been hard at work fundraising for the project.

In fact, they just completed a fundraising event, the Bowl-A-Thon, in which they raised $22,000! Praise God!!

We are challenging donors with buying a classroom for $7500 each. We have at least 5 of the 15 classrooms purchased. I am calling donors to help with this cause. Please help us provide a permanent school for our children.

We staff this school with all-Christian faculty so the we can make sure the education that our children are receiving is in line with our faith and our mission. We built our temporary school structure last year, and the results from that have been tremendous! We sent 17 children to the prestigious St. John’s this year after their entrance exams were so phenomenal! What smart children led by a brilliant staff!

Please consider donating to this cause! Every little bit counts! If you are part of a prayer group or church, see if you can challenge your fellow members to cover the cost of a classroom or two!

Please call on your community to help you with this cost! We appreciate all the help you can give.

Pastor Jackson Senyonga
Christian Life Ministries

I am back in the United States!

The flight touched down Friday, and I am officially back in the United States from my trip to Uganda. I am feeling much jet lag, but all in all, I am excited to be back. It had been so long since I had visited Uganda, almost 2 years! The three months I spent there was busy yet refreshing. The atmosphere and culture in Uganda is much different than here, and now that I have been back a few days, I realize how much I miss that. There, I am placed in front of enthusiastic audiences, people that are eager to learn about and speak to God! People that are overly eager to feel the Spirit! It is so much fun to speak to a Ugandan audience. This is part of the reason I encourage pastors here to visit Uganda and to speak there. It will truly change you in a great way.

I will be returning to Uganda around Easter for another trip. I am excited to return again so soon, but for now, I am enjoying the change of pace in the United States.

One thing that has been nice since I have been in the States, mostly because I took the weekend to recuperate, is the quiet. I feel like for the last three months, I have been working 24 hours a day! It was work that I love and that I feel passion for, so it was not burdensome, but it was hard, busy work nonetheless! In Uganda, the entire time I was there, I was always in touch with someone… My presence was always requested by someone. And if you think I am joking about 24 hour work day, there were some sermons that started around dinner time and lasted until sunrise the next morning! I am not joking!! Time flew as it was lively and fun and His presence was known, but the next days those hours of lost sleep catch up to me! I will make a point to fill you all in on everything that was accomplished and needs that were discovered while I was in Uganda. Keep posted!

Blessings,

Pastor Jackson Senyonga
Christian Life Ministries

February Newsletter

Hello all!

The February Newsletter is in route to all of you!! If you are not getting the newsletter and feel that you should be, please let us know! We want to keep you included in the goings-ons of the ministry and orphan villages. The newsletter has all kinds of photos and stories of my times in Uganda. I am excited to share this with you.

Short but sweet today! I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!! I challenge each of you to strengthen your relationship with Christ this weekend by giving selflessly to another in need. Do you accept this challenge?? :)

Pastor Jackson Senyonga
Christian Life Ministries

Know of anyone in a Christian school?

Hello,

One of my ministry workers thought of a great idea… She suggested that we partner with private Christian schools. This would provide a learning experience for the students both at the U.S. school and our orphans in our village.

Basically, the children would fund raise to be able to sponsor a child or children in our village. I see this sponsored child being close in age to the children in the Christian school in the U.S. By doing this, the children in the U.S. school will learn compassion.

The class or grade will become pen pals with their sponsored child/children. This will provide an opportunity to learn other cultures, practice penmanship and letter writing skills, and improve cross-cultural communication skills. It will inspire the child in Africa to strive to succeed, aspiring to write and succeed as the children in the U.S. do.

I think this could be a great partnership that is benevolent to both parties.

If you have a child attending a private Christian school or know a teacher or administrator, please use that connection to suggest this idea to the school. Let me know if you need any additional information from me.

Thank you for your help, as always!

Pastor Jackson Senyonga
Christian Life Ministries

Transforming Uganda Website is up!

Hello,

The Transforming Uganda website is up and running. Check it out at www.theugandaexperience.com. This should have much needed information and documents for the mission trips in 2010 to Uganda, Africa. Please let me know what you think!

Pastor Jackson Senyonga
Christian Life Ministries

Thank you for using Cash4Causes!

Hello All,

I just wanted to thank all of you who used Cash4Causes for your Valentine's Day purchases. We averaged $4 commission on each purchase! We hope Cash4Causes was beneficial to all of you, as well, with their coupons and links. Please keep us in mind year round! These small commissions by so many of you can really make a big difference, and it doesn't cost you a dime more! Also, just as inspiration and a challenge, we had one individual earn over $150 in the last few months on her own! She simply made the purchases that she would have made anyway through Cash4Causes. Her tips:

-Keep in mind that you don't always have to have stuff shipped if you order online. Many retailers, including Office Depot and WalMart will let you order online, through Cash4Causes, and come pick it up! I did this with my paper and label purchase at Office Depot.
-Check out the Freebies section. I earned $8 for CLM just by getting some business cards for free online. Shipping cost like $10. I put my business cards in my purse and hand them out to people who may be interested in using me for some side work.
-Hosting, hosting, hosting! WOW! If you are going to start a website, make sure you sign up for hosting through Cash4Causes. It donates so well! Plus, there are so many listed on Cash4Causes it helps you find good ones in one easy location.
-I just browse sometimes to find retailers that I didn't even know existed. I find great, unique gifts and have them shipped directly to the recipient. Saves me on shipping (because there are alot of retailers that offer free shipping) and usually on tax, too!

I hope this helps. Thank you to the anonymous individual that has given us these tips... you know who you are! :)

God bless, and stay warm!

Pastor Jackson Senyonga

Mission Trip Updates

So everyone knows, we have a deadline coming up in about a month for the mission trip in July 2010. We will need participants to sign up prior to March 12, 2010. Please let us know if you need more information. I just wanted to give you all a heads up so you can decide if you want to go or not.

email: t.lucas@christianlifeministries.org

Snapshot:

What: Transforming Uganda 2010: Short Term Mission Trip
Where: Kampala, Uganda, East Africa
When: July 23-Aug 1
Why: To transform a nation
Who: YOU! :)

Because of Him,

Pastor Jackson Senyonga
Christian Life Ministries

School in Uganda, Our Secondary Students

Hello Friends,

As many of you may have read on my blogs and Facebook, we are very proud of our children from our orphan village in Uganda whose test scored earned them admission to St. John’s Secondary School, a prestigious secondary school in Uganda. In past years, we have had children get admitted there, but this year was astonishing. We had 17 children qualify for admission, which is so wonderful! We are proud of our students and our teachers. I found this article, and I wanted to pass it on to all of you. It explains the school system in Uganda. The children we are talking about have finished P.7 (primary, level 7) and are starting S.1 (secondary, level 1). I hope this article helps.

Article Link: http://www.guardian.co.uk/katine/2010/feb/08/education-system-explainer

Please, PLEASE, please let us know if you are in a position to help. We have had 4 children receive donations to help with their new school’s expenses and one receive half. We are so thankful for these donations, but that leaves 12 and a half children that need donations for their new school. Each child needs $250 for the new books, uniforms, and additional tuition because secondary books are quite more expensive than primary. Please consider helping us with this cause.

Here is one of our bright children that was accepted that remains unsponsored:


Trevor Kazibwe



Age: 11 (EST)

Village: Seeta

ID #: 5067

Trevor was brought to our village by his grandmother, who was no longer able to care for him. He had not been educated due to lack of funds. As it turns out, Trevor is a very bright boy who loves to learn. He has shown excellent ability in English, Science, and Social Studies. He is also a devout young man.

Please help us send Trevor to secondary school at St. John's. If you know of anyone that may want to pick up Trevor's sponsorship as well, please let us know. He is a remarkable child with a bright future ahead of him. Children like Trevor will change the world someday!

Thank you all of you for your support, whether it be donations or prayers or spreading of the news. We are truly blessed to have you! God be with you!

Pastor Jackson Senyonga
Christian Life Ministries

Please help me find a sponsor for Luke

Hello all,

You guys never let me down! I wanted to introduce an adorable, funny, smart little boy that is in our orphan village in Uganda, Africa, Luke. He doesn't have any sponsor. Can you all help me find a sponsor for Luke?

More about Luke:



Luke's mother brought him to our village. His father had died two years earlier of AIDS, and his mother, who also suffered from AIDS and extreme poverty, could no longer care for him. Luke shows to have a bright future ahead of him, and he has a smile that can warm anyone's heart. We are so blessed to have Luke in our village, and we need to find him a sponsor so we can continue to meet the needs of Luke and the other children in the village.

Please ask around and see if anyone is interested in picking up this sponsorship. He would make a great addition to any family, and he loves to write his sponsors and draw pretty pictures. Sponsoring a child is such a fulfilling act of kindness. Transforming the life of a child can help us transform the nation of Uganda.

Thank you for your consideration and your help! Please let me know if I can return the favor in any way!

Pastor Jackson Senyonga
Christian Life Ministries

http//www.jackson-senyonga.org

Who Knew You Could Help by Buying Flowers and Chocolates?

Hello Gang!

I just wanted to write today to remind all of you to think of our fundraising tool, Cash4Causes, when you make your Valentine's Day purchases. Here are some retailers that will give our organization, Christian Life Ministries, a donation if you go though Cash4Causes first:

Flowers:
1-800-FLOWERS (gives 5%)
FTD (gives 4%) PLUS Cash4Causes has a 10% OFF Coupon!
1-800-FLORALS (gives 9.5%!)
48 Long Stems (gives 8.5%)
Flowers Fast (gives 10%!) PLUS Cash4Causes has a 10% OFF Coupon for Purchases over $60
Flowers Across America (gives 8%)
USAFlorist.com (gives 7.5%) PLUS Cash4Causes has a $5 OFF Coupon

Jewelry:
Zales (gives 2%) PLUS Cash4Causes has a FREE SHIPPING Coupon for Purchases over $149
Gordon's Jewelers (gives 2.5%)
Ashford Jewelry (gives 2-3%)
The Watchery (gives 2-3%)

Chocolates and other gifts:
Jelly Belly (gives 5%) PLUS Cash4Causes has a FREE SHIPPING Coupon
RomanceHer (gives 7.5%)
My M&M's (gives 5%)
Bake Me A Wish (gives 4%)
Winebasket.com (gives 3.5%)

Date/Escape Ideas:
Restaurant.com (gives 7.5%)
Great American Days (gives 3%)
StubHub (gives 3.5%)
Fine Lobster (gives 5.5%)
CheapOAir (gives $7.50)
Hotels.com (gives 2.75%)

Plus, a few of the big ones:
WalMart (gives up to 2%)
Target (gives up to 3.5%)
Overstock (gives up to 3.5%)

To use this tool, just go to our Cash4Causes link (www.cash4causes.org/christianlifeministries) and start searching for retailers. Use the link when you find a retailer, and the donation will automatically be credited to us. I love that it is so simple!

Please keep us in mind when you do your shopping. A small donation from many, many people can make a big difference! We would like to use this tool to help fund our vocational school that we are building for the orphans in Uganda.

I pray that this blog reaches you happy and healthy! God bless you and yours!

Pastor Jackson Senyonga
Christian Life Ministries