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A quarterly newsletter to keep you informed.
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| God is Good. All the Time. All the Time. God is Good. |
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It is amazing what God is doing through His people. Although we have had an impact in Kenya, Mozambique, & Myanmar; our greatest amount of work has been accomplished in Uganda where we have started or expanded over 100 businesses. The life change that has taken place is tremendous. I wish we had the time and space for me to run through all 100 plus families and tell you the stories of what has happened in their lives. Since that is not possible, I do want to highlight just a few families, so that you can get a feel for what is happening as a result of your support.
 The primary group we are working with is called Victory Daughters. This is a group of women (although they have allowed a few men to join their group because they have seen the great benefit that it has brought to individual families and the community) from a local church. The pastor’s wife and a few other key female leaders are responsible for making sure that things run smoothly. Besides helping people in the group save money – which is a requirement – they also work together on group projects making jewelry, catering, and making dried banana chips which they sell in the local marketplace. Through this group, they also extend loans for individual business projects. One of the rules of the group is that a borrower must save 50% of what they are needing for a loan. Here is a quick overview of a few success stories.
1) Two years ago Gladys was an employee in a beauty salon. Since that time, she has been able to open her own salon. Besides that, she is also raising laying hens and growing sweet potatoes.
 2) Asiimue is a single mom. Previously, her only form of income was from the sale of pancakes in front of her home. She would sell pancakes to people walking to work in the morning. Although this helped to provide a place to live and food to eat, she did not have enough money for school fees for her children. With the help of a loan, she is now raising a pig for food & a cow for milk, as well as selling snack items from a small kiosk in front of her home. She is now able to pay for school fees for her children.
3) Emaculate has been able to expand her 100 laying hens to more than 500 at this point.
 4) Joyce is a college student who began by raising 1 pig 2 years agp. She didn’t have a pen for her pig. She would tie him up to a tree in the bush. She now has 10 pigs and built a pen for them. Once the pigs are full grown, she will be selling the pigs to help pay for her schooling.
 5) Solome is a widow who began by raising pigs. As a result of her profits, she was able to assist her sons in starting their own brick making business and is now in the process of building a chicken coup so that she can begin raising laying hens.
 6) Caesar and Elizabeth are a very industrious couple. Elizabeth is a baker and Caesar runs an elementary school. They also raise pigs and make bricks. They are wanting to acquire solar panels so that they are able to provide electricity at the school.
7) One of the men involved in the Victory Daughters is Godfrey. He has begun an agricultural farm where he is raising passion fruit. The plants are producing well and he has begun selling the fruits in the local market. He is my translator for my teaching and preaching while I am in country.
The other main group we work with is called Rays of Hope. They have a number of microfinance groups. Each one of these is set up in different areas of the village and the surrounding area for the purpose of training and accountability. Here are the members of the Kigungu Central Microfinance Group.
 8) Madine is a single mother. Two years ago she was selling vegetables and a few household items in front of her home. She has now added smoking Nile Perch as another stream of income.
 9) Joseph has a walk-up restaurant. He was able to use his loan to build a seating area in order to attract additional customers to his business. This has provided a huge benefit to his restaurant.
 10) Hanifa is a single mother we began working with when all she had was a small shop that she was renting, from which she sold basic food items. Since that time, she has been able to purchase the building. She is also selling milk from the cow she purchased, as well as selling firewood and samosas. Her hard work has paid off as her children are now in school.
 11) Sam & Paul have begun a cage Talapia farm. Due to the lack of fishing regulations, the Talapia have been overfished and are in danger of extinction in Lake Victoria – which is the 2nd largest fresh water lake in the world. The Talapia are the main source of food for those who live in and around the lake. In order to help provide fresh Talapia to the people of Lake Victoria, they have begun to raise them in cages in the lake. This allows them to be in their natural environment.
 12) The Ebeneezer Medical Clinic is a new clinic in the village. One of the very special characteristics of this clinic is the graded fee schedule. The doctor and board of the clinic are not in business to make money. Instead, they are there to help those in need. Consequently, they charge people based upon their income. Also, the staff of the clinic are all believers.
As I said, we have helped over 100 people in Uganda to start or expand their business. We could go on and on telling you about all the successes. We could also go into greater detail and tell you more about how the increased income has impacted each of the families. In this brief update, I wanted to just give you a taste of what is happening. Because of everyone who is praying and giving financially, lives are being changed, not only now but for all eternity. We have people who are waiting for a loan. If you would be willing to help a family to begin a business and become self-supporting, we would greatly appreciate your donation of any amount.
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It is time again to make a trip to Uganda. During these trips I follow-up on the progress of current business ventures, meet new potential partners, provide training for the local businesses and even preach in local churches. Unfortunately, I am unable to go this year. Without getting into great details, let it be known that I have some pretty serious health problems going on at this point in my life that prevent me from traveling internationally. My condition is perplexing to the doctors. They have run a battery of tests on me and I do not have any of the conditions that cause my ailment. And since I am not a diabetic, they cannot figure out why I have not healed. I am a private person and do not openly share about my problems. I am here to minister to others and pray for them, but do not seek prayers for myself. During the last couple of months God has begun to work on me. I realize that if I do not get healed, I will not be able to continue this work. Therefore, I am seeking your prayers and financial help.
 First, I need your prayers. Please pray for wisdom for the doctors to figure out what is happening and for God to provide the ultimate healing.
Secondarily, I need your financial assistance. I do not take an income from SOTIRIA. Everything we receive goes directly into the ministry. It is hard for me to ask for personal assistance, but I have come to realize that if I do not get healed, then this vital ministry will come to an end. We have helped too many people and have too many more people to assist for it to just fade away. I not only don’t receive compensation, but I do not have health insurance. This truly is a ministry of love. Even with the discounts I have received from the doctors, over the last couple of months I have accumulated thousands of dollars in medical bills. I will have thousands of more before I am healed. But I do need to be healed in order to continue in the work to which God has called me. I am asking at this time if you might be able to send a special financial gift for my medical bills. By helping me, you are in turn helping the ministry.
On a positive note, I have made connection with a couple who will be doing a follow- up visit for me this summer. Since I am unable to travel, they will be going in my place. They have been there before and have a great love for the people of Uganda. They will be in Uganda from mid June until the end of the month. Although they are not in the place to do the preaching, teaching, and training that I typically do on a visit; they will be visiting as many of the businesses as possible in order to get first-hand testimony of how things are progressing. They will be bringing back desperately needed updates. Since they will be going in my place, I would like to assist them in raising support. I am looking to raise $5,000 for their trip. Any donations would be greatly appreciated.
Again, I want to thank you for your support. Especially, we want to thank the few families that stand with us each and every month. Without you, none of this would be possible. Although I do not send many letters asking for your help, please let it be known that your help is desperately needed. We do not have a large donor base nor do we receive huge grants. In fact, this ministry has been operating for the last 4 years on an average of less than $12,000 per year. We are small, but we are mighty! And remember: God is Good. All the Time. All the Time. God is Good.
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FINANCIAL — We are need of your financial help in many ways.
1) Personally, I need $8,336 for current medical bills by 4/20. There will be additional bills coming, but I need to get past bills covered.
2) Mission Trip — I am needing to raise $5,000 by 5/31 in order to cover the costs of the mission trip. Although I am not able to go, I have a couple that has volunteered their time, and are taking time off work, to go as my representatives. They will be doing follow-up visits as well as review new opportunities. Will you partner with me, as I partner with them, to help raise the money for their trip.
3) Loans for Entrepreneurs — We have a number of people who are waiting for loans ranging from $25 – $1,000. There is one couple at the top of our list who is needing a loan of $700. Although any money received will be put to great use, I would like to raise at least $1,000 by 6/10, so that it may be sent over on the summer mission trip.
HEALING — I am in need of a miraculous healing from God. The doctors are not able to figure out what is causing my problem, let alone how to prevent it in the future. Although I have been struggling along for months now, the pain during the last couple of months has been so bad that I have a very hard time focusing. Many days all that gets accomplished is changing my bandages and getting dressed. As one of the doctors has reminded me: God has great plans for me. He is not done with me yet. If I am going to be productive in trying to care for my family, let alone ministering to people on other continents, I need God’s physical healing. Also, the pain has been mentally draining on me. When everyday your pain level is at a 7 or higher on a 10 point scale, without a break, it begins to wear on you. Pray that I will be an overcomer.
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