Dear Muzee Jimmy,
On Friday, the 9th of December, we did have a great food distribution at Bwaise 3 Zone here in Kampala and a wonderful time of follow up with the beneficiaries. Many of them being overwhelmed with joy and gratitude, could not wait to be asked to tell their story. They  just burst out wanting to tell their testimony to us of how Manna has not only empowered but completely transformed their lives. One of these is a single mother of 7 children. She is 44 years old and living with HIV/AIDS. Her names are Farida Nabukude and she lost her husband to HIV/AIDS. When he died he left behind nothing for the children and her. They always lived hand to mouth and all we could see is that he actually left behind 7 desperate children and one of them has special needs, a victim of cerebral malaria. Her one room house cost 30,000 shillings monthly and come next year it will be 40,000 shillings. Farida says Manna has greatly impacted her life. Here is how.
          
Spiritually

“I used to be spiritually dead. I was a Muslim and I knew nothing about God. I didn’t care about Jesus yet I wanted spiritual healing. I had a very deep longing in my heart to relate to God so I practiced Islam, but that left me empty!” When Manna came, the Muzungu volunteers shared with me. This was an opportunity for me to hear the Gospel and I indeed believed on Jesus as Lord and Savoir. I am now born again!! I am even member of the house church that meets at Susan Okoli’s mother’s house. I am also doing Bible Way so that I may grow in faith and surely I have been blessed by that. Now I am really getting to know God deeply! Now Jesus means everything to me!!”

 
Physically

“I am an HIV/AIDS victim and I was getting sicker with each passing day even though I am on ARVs. My doctors would recommend many things including bed rest, which to me was very expensive since I am the soul bread earner. I had to sell sweets in the hot sunshine even when this left me with high fevers and a very bad headache. My blood pressures got to worrying level, for I worried about many things including dying and leaving my children without anything like my late husband did. My CD4 count was getting lower. That means that my immune system was getting weaker each day making me very vulnerable to malaria attacks and other infections. But when Manna came bringing food, I got back my physical strength. My health is better and now I can afford to have a bed rest when the need arises.”

 
Economically

“I used to sell sweets and heavily relied on loans for capital for my business which only left us indebted month after month. We lived hand to mouth. We had zero savings for what I got daily was used to cover for the huge family needs. This kind of economic life tied us to Bwaise 3. We had no option to go elsewhere even if our current house flooded. I was also tied to sell sweets even if it does not work because of having little capital. But through the food given us, I saved up shillings enough to start another business in Luzira landing site. I sell second hand children’s cloth from which I  now save between 7,000-8,000 shillings daily on sales. I still sell sweets as another alternative business. During the 4 months I have been in Manna Ministry, I have been able to save a sum total of 900,000 shillings from all I do in business. I plan to use this to buy a plot of land in Kakiri which will be for our family home. I am now talking to pastor Deo to connect me to honest sellers. You know I got all this saving because of the training and encouragement I got from pastor Deo as he followed up with me. Now I have choice over what business to do and where I should live to do it!”

 
Socially

“I really did not have a social life. What I mean is Manna has made me have a voice amongst the people that live around me because here when you do not have anything, you cannot even contribute toward weddings of your relatives and friends. You cannot even afford funeral services for your loved ones and friends. Your children stay home for lack of school fees and you are laughing matter. Even during meetings your opinion does not matter. Everyday I was so scared to see or hear my landlord coming around, but now I am so confident to even greet him for I am now very able to make rent payments. I have better people now to relate to. The house church members are a new found better community, since their values are the same with mine. We are all believers in Jesus, growing to serve God.”

 
Future

“I had no future plans. I didn’t see any purpose in my life. I worried daily and tried here and there to work. I didn’t look forward to any new day. I felt defeated! Now I feel so victorious! I am born again so when I die I know for sure that I will be in heaven with God! We now are planning to buy a piece of property for my children to have when I am all gone! Now, I am even sharing my faith with others in Luzira. Before I did not even try because I did not know what I believed when i was a Muslim. Now through Bible Way and the SOT training I am sharing my faith. I plan to open a house church in the village I came from and will go to. I am able to provide for my house rent increase come next year. I am able to send my children to school and even now food will not be a problem in the future when Manna goes. All this is because you gave us Manna!”

 
Gratitude

“Look at what the Lord has done through you giving us Manna. My life is not the same again. Life is worth living. May God bless and be with you all for always!”

 
Dear Muzee, I cannot add any words to what this precious lady said! This testimony is coming from Bwaise 3. Thanks!

Yours and His
Douglas

Today I want to share some of the good news of what happened this year. In 2011, 150,000 pounds of food and 400 gallons of cooking oil have been distributed in the slums of Uganda. Read that again. One hundred Fifty THOUSAND pounds of food! Four HUNDRED gallons of cooking oil! Amazing! How many people have been blessed through this? Over 1200 people monthly! I want to thank you for your gifts that provided for this ministry.

Here is an email from Douglas that gives the story of Angelina and her family who are currently in the program. She is just one person. Her family is just one family that has been touched. Their story can be amplified a 1,000 times.

Here is another whose life that has been changed by Manna here in Angola. She is a lady called Angelina Kayoko. She is a 67 year old Kenyan married to a Congolese man and they are resident in this slum in Kampala called Angola. Thats where Manna met them and changed their lives holistically!

Two weeks ago during a follow up visit with her, she and her husband prayed to receive Jesus Christ as Lord and Savoir. She and her husband did not speak well Lugandan. She speaks Swahili but she did understand enough to hear the Gospel.

They came to Kampala to find her husband’s brother, only to find themselves renting a room in Angola slum and they have been here 18 years now. They have done all kinds of odd jobs for living even looking after pigs for a living. At one time they even owned 3 adult pigs, which unfortunately they had to sell off to pay hospital bills for her husband when he developed a heart problem. And thats when Manna found them. They had nothing! Angelina’s husband was on dying stage and she had nothing! The piggery project they had was gone! But when Manna came in, they did not only get back their piggery project, they found Jesus as Lord and Savior! Angelina’s husband is alive! Though he is still on treatment. But now saved!! Born again!! Wow!

Angelina has been able to save money during the food distribution period. Enough to buy 3 piglets. Two of the piglets are 3 months old and the other is 4 months old.

I asked her what she would say to the people who contributed toward Manna and this is what told me,

“Even when you are there and I am here, I thank you! I appreciate all you have given me and my husband! Did you know that bean soup was what the doctors working on my husband recommended as his most important diet! And that’s exactly what you came with!! Thats why I am so very eager to see your faces so that I may say these words to you all face to face. Thank you very much! I am what I am today because of what you gave! My husband is alive because of you all! We are now saved because you gave! We got back our piggery project because of you! I am now smiling because of you!!

Please do continue to pray for us. My husband’s medicine for a single dose costs 7,000 shillings for every two weeks. We hope to handle this with the piggery project we have now. Pray for it! We are also praying for God to continue to bless you all! May God bless you all!”

I want to thank every one who makes Manna happen!! Lives are being changed and God is being Glorified!! Jesus’s name is being lifted high!!

Doug

I cannot overstate the importance of this food to the people who receive it in the slums. Words fail me. You just need to come to Kampala and meet the people who receive it to see for yourself the difference it makes to people!

I hate the long flights from here to Kampala, Uganda! And the more I make these flights and the older I get, the more I hate it! But it worth it’s and I will gladly do it many times a year. Here’s why.

Hello Muzee. I hope is all is well. Here is an update.

We did have a successful food distribution in Bwaise 3 zone of Kampala, Uganda on Friday, Nov. 11. Immediately after the distribution it rained heavily. On the 13th, we did have a powerful baptism.

Robina's baptism at Lake Victoria

Though threaten by the rains here, it still happen! 51 people got baptized in total and out of this very number 18 were Manna beneficiaries. Even more cool about this is that one of the persons baptized is a lady whom you and Mama Pam shared the Gospel with in a bar in Angola. She was one of the few people that prayed to receive Christ that day. I remember us driving to this bar a few hours before you and Mama caught your flight to the states. Her names are Robina Nansamba. Going to that bar was worth it, because that’s how we were able to bring this precious soul to Jesus! Anyways, my eyes spotted her at the baptism, and behold I asked her to tell us her story and here is what she told me:

“My names are Nansamba Robina, a single mom with only one child, a boy. I was a wasted drunk but now I am saved and sober! I was a wasted life but now I celebrate life because of what Jesus did through you all. Today am being baptized. Its my very public witness that I am born again and a growing disciple of Jesus.
  
I would have NOT been here being happily saved and baptized if Muzee Jimmy and Mama Pam didn’t come to Mutos Bar. On the day they came, I was foolishly drunk and filthy! I had spent the morning on a deadly drinking spree. I would drink alcohol so as to get sleep. I was a very frustrated mother! The man who fathered my child ruined my life when he promised me a happy relationship that would lead to a happy marriage. I found out that he had three wives and that I was going to be a fourth wife. I tried to make it work, but it didn’t! When my son was two months old, he left me and the baby with no upkeep. So with these problems, I turned to alcohol and became a wasted drunk! In fact my mum would follow me into a bar and drag me home! She would first threaten the bar owner not to ever give or sell any alcohol to me again. On many occasions she threatened to call the police on them. My drunken status made me loose a lot of resources and relationships with family and friends.

Robina's happy after being baptized

I hated my life! But I didn’t know how to get out of the pit fall I was in. So when Muzee said that ”what you are looking for is not in that glass of alcohol, or that bottle of beer,” this truth donned on me and I asked them to pray for me to leave alcohol. But before they prayed, they shared with the Gospel of Jesus and I believed and prayed to receive Jesus. From that day I never remained the same! My neighbors recommended me into the Manna program of which I am a beneficiary! With the food I am saving shillings and working! I am also a member of the Angola house church. My mum is very happy with the decision I made to ask Jesus into my life for this changed my life! I never used to help out at home, now I do! Now I am a clean, saved, sober and lovable person! I started even to have men notice me. Some are asking for serious relationships but I am waiting on God!! I love this new life! It’s very peaceful!!”

   
I want to thank Mama Pam, Muzee, Manna staff and all who contribute shillings to make Manna happen. Thanks so much! Thanks for caring for us!

I want to humbly submit that every time compassion goes ahead of spoken words then its love and this leaves behind lives transformed! When we speak the Gospel in compassion, then every one we reached out to sees Jesus in us and they get saved!! Thats what happened with Robina when we stormed the bar in Angola. The compassion shown through Manna is an example of that big spoken word that helps our people understand that we love them, that we care for them and thats what God is about!
      
I want to thank you all for your involvement in spreading the Gospel. It is changing lives to the Glory of God!! Muzee thank you!! Mama Pam, thank you!! Thanks to your entire tribe at home!! Thanks to all in all!!
                
Yours and His,
Douglas

Now, I look forward to January 13, 2012 and boarding the plane for Kampala, Uganda.

Nakankajo Zainab is a 35 year old single mother of one child living in the slum Kibe of Kampala, Uganda. She lost one other child some time ago. At age nine Nakankajo developed cerebral malaria which then left her immobile. She now walks on her bottom! She uses her feet for doing everything else including: washing cloth and cooking. She had a wheel chair once but it was damaged by some very mean men!

The man that fathered her child disappeared after people around demanded him to take responsibility for Nakankajo and the child. People around wondered why he would get a person in Nakankajo’s situation pregnant.

Anyways, Nakankajo came to the slum Kibe in Kampala, Uganda from Mpigi. Her auntie brought her here and life here has not been well! From having to crawl on her bottom to a very public latrine every time of need to being a single mother who is disabled, life has been hard! She told me that,

“When it rains, every spot of this gets wet! So when it rains badly I have to yell out to my neighbors for help which is being lifted to the top of my table to be above the flood waters! But when the rains flood badly here, they take me to the middle of Kalerwe main road. Thats a high place very near to us. Sometimes I am left there until morning. When the road is very flooded, I have to pay for a boda to take me to Mulago hospital here in Kampala where I can sleep in the corridors. This, too, is dangerous! But I want to thank you for Manna Ministry. The food is what I depended on when the recent floods messed up Kibe for more than two weeks! I could not get out of my house. I stayed in my house trapped in! But the food kept me going. My tomato business has been badly affected by the floods. But thank God you came! I even get to share some with others in need! May God bless you all.”
 

What a big blessing it is to be there for Nakankajo Zainab, Nabacwa Sauda and others in need! Thanks to you all for all in all!! Have great day! Thanks for your prayers and support!!

Yours and His
Douglas

Doug sent me this report on Sauda. This gets me excited about the job I do!

Nabacwa Sauda lives in the slum Kibe of Kampala, Uganda. She is a 30 year old mother of 3 children and is being cared for by Manna Ministry. She is renting a corridor (not even a room) within a house that floods and has two families residing at 10,000 schillings per month (less than $4). She has divided the corridor using curtains to make a private space for her and her husband’s bed. Actually there is no privacy for them. We found her for Manna when we asked her neighbor called Grace to point us to someone else who was doing more badly than she was. She said straight away, “Its Sauda.” She pointed us to her space and pleading with us come see for ourselves.

Dear Muzee,
We had a very wonderful distribution in Angola, Kampala, Uganda. At the distribution there was no rain to hinder us. Thanks to God for holding off the rain until we left! When our 2 hours of planned distribution and follow up passed there was a very heavy down pour that swept all of Kampala! Wow!! God’s hand is really over the work all the time!!

We currently have 250 enrolled into Bible Way in Angola, Kampala. We found 2 more persons of peace and 4 prayed to receive Jesus at the distribution. There are 7 house churches but by the beginning of this week it will 9.
  
 As its always been, distribution days are characterized by women,men and little children who wait patiently for whats left behind. When the beneficiaries do not turn up for their share without any notification of the LC, their group mobilizers or me, we give out that food to those that wait. Sometimes they do not wait patiently but most times they do. This week I thought I should also draw your attention to those that receive the left overs so that  you would know how it is that the food is blessing them. I did go into a few homes that was close to the drop point. They were surprised and thrilled! All were saying thank you!! Maybe I could call them the overflow of the food drop because there are always more people than the planned number we have in the program waiting to get any food available. Here are two people I visited that are not in the food program but came anyway and received a little food for their families. 
  

Rukiya Zuwena And Family

Elizabeth Namusis Family Have A Meal On Manna Ministry

Her 10 year old daughter, Nanduga Faisy, was so excited to see me and quickly invite me to a meal of plain rice. What really caught my heart was how she wanted to say thank you to the people that gave shillings to buy the food! Wow!! She said in her own words this; “Uncle… please tell on my behalf all those very wonderful people that gave shillings to buy this food we have today, thank you! We were playing near the house but we kept on checking if there was going to be a meal. We saw mummy coming from a distance with a very big smile telling us that some people have given this! So I really wanted to tell them thank you! I am so happy. We are all so happy! Mummy told me that you are with them that’s why I am telling you so”
 

Nanduga Faisy & Her Infectious Smile

Doug

But every time I see people whose lives have been changed through what Manna does, I get encouraged. Here is an example.

Here is Kivumbi Moses of Bwaise slum in Kampala, Uganda. His dad is from Tanzania and the mum is a Muganda. He is 42 years old and has 5 children. His current rent is 30,000 shillings. He is a driver by profession but but when his drivers license/permit expired he lost his job! But because the price of renewal of the permit was very big for him, he tried everything except stealing. He even became a drunk because of the frustration of that. The food has brought him up to Hope again. He said to tell you all thank you so much! Now he is becoming daily sober..free from alcohol!
 
What more can I say. Thank you is all I can say.
                                                 
Yours and His
Douglas

Here is Amina Nabosa of Bwaise slum in Kampala,Uganda, a single mother,who has done all kinds of jobs in order to make ends meet. She has 6 children and 2 grandchildren. Her current child is only a few months older than of the youngest grandchild. Her current rent is 30,000 shillings. She sells sambusas for a living now and has quit all other jobs. She even smoked the piped even though she is of moslem background. Anyways, the good news is that with the food from Manna she was able to save up money to move to another house up the hill. The food she got today was what was needed for the days meal. She quickly prepared the rice before my watching eyes. I broke down in seeing her children wait anxiously for what was ready to eat. I watched them eat plain rice! Wow! All she kept on saying to me was, “See now we have a meal. Thank you people so much for ever coming to us. You found us. We did not know you all, but you found us! Now we have a meal! You have blessed us!!”
                                               
Yours and His
Douglas

In August I had the privilege of visiting with and praying for Christine. She was in her early twenties and was suffering greatly from HIV/AIDS and from living in a slum that floods with every rain. She could not get up and out of her small house to escape the floods waters, so she would sat up and hold her head above the waters. I wish I had positive news to bring you. But I don’t. Here is an email from Douglas that tells the rest of Christine’s story.

Muzee, we finally had a dry day and so we did the distribution in Bwaise 3. It went great! Yes, God has been faithful and a big thank-you to you all who prayed and believed Him for a good day! People were saying THANK-YOU. This thank you is to you all that have prayed, given to and gone out to these hurting and neglected people in Bwaise 3. Through your partnership with God, His servants and His people, these peoples lives are being changed! Through our visits today, we found 2 persons of peace whom Deo will be connecting with to start new house churches.
     
Well Muzee on a very sad note, Christine, the lady you and pastor Morris prayed and with passed on at the end of last month. She did not want to hold on any more because of the suffering she goes through when the place floods. Most times she got washed away by the dirty water, so this time she decided that she would end her life by not continuing with the ARVs. She hid them. The result was death. But she went having prayed to receive Jesus as Lord and Savior when you and pastor Morris prayed with her. She wanted to come for baptism when the team was here but we just could not let her into the water. She would have passed on us there. Anyways, we will continue to give her food to her children until the end of the program period.
 
Douglas

Continue to pray for Douglas and the rest of the IMFC team who work with the desperately poor of the slums in Kampala.

How does a business women from Southern Sudan wind up in Manna Ministry living in Bwaise slum in Kampala, Uganda? Here is her story.

Alice has been hit hard by the recent floods in this area of Kampala. Read her hardship story here. Please continue to pray for Alice and the other people who have to live in this flood prone slum.