There are developments afoot at the Baby Unit...

Tony, one of our first White Eagles and now Vice-Chair of our Leadership Academy, has completed a course in Journalism. We're giving him a chance to try out his story-telling skills by writing for the River of Life blog - here's one of his first efforts!

The Baby Unit is a very important unit at Kitovu Hospital. Before this unit was put in place, the hospital were unable to give sick or premature babies proper care. Dr Sarah and Bridget, a nurse from Canada, used to visit and work with the staff in the maternity ward but unfortunately it wasn't enough to really help the situation.

A lot of equipment had been donated many months before, but wasn't in use, as there weren't staff for the unit. So Dr Sarah suggested that River of Life help, to make a properly staffed unit become a reality. She discussed the issue with the Elders of River of Life and they bought the idea, arrangements were made, and people were asked to donate so that we could help the little ones live. The Baby Unit officially opened in January 2013. As we speak now, over 400 babies have passed through the hands of this unit which is amazing!

There is a threat at the unit where little ones born outside Kitovu hospital are brought in needing medical care, which poses an infection risk to the babies we already have. Therefore we have just constructed a brand new partition within the unit so that we have room to take care of these other special babies from outside Kitovu, beautifully decorated by a host of willing and talented volunteers including our very own White Eagle Catherine!

The mums of the looked-after babies are pleased. “We are happy because our babies have been cared for in a very good and caring way. The nurses have been so helpful and ever willing to come whenever we called for their help,” they said. The nurses are very excited too, to be working in the unit because they enjoy the experience of seeing the little ones grow.

We are saying a big thank you to everyone who has donated different things such as equipment and funds for the survival of these little ones!

The Christmas Gift that can't stop Giving

This year's Advent Adventure is the Awesome Alternative Gift that just can't stop giving!

As announced in our latest newsletter, for £20, you can buy the farm a piglet and fund its care for six months. In that time the piglet should be worth £75-100. We will then buy another, and in six months time... you get the idea! You will get a Gift Certificate for each Piglet, and all proceeds go to providing food for the White Eagles. Our Farm has been breeding pigs for some time now, so we know it can work! We're even going to be posting updates on our blog so that people can check up on how their piglet is getting on :)

This year the 'Gift Certificate' is in the form of an A5 Christmas Card. You have a choice of three different designs, and on the back is a short message with details about River of Life and the piglets. On the inside the card is blank for your own message. We can either email you the design of your choice so that you print it yourself, or we can print and post it to you.

The three designs are 1. Little Pig, 2. Cheeky Pig and 3. Beauty Pig

On the back of each card is more info (the colour matches the design on the front)

How to buy
It's easy to purchase a Piglet. Simply make an online donation here, or send a cheque made payable to Uganda River of Life Ministries to UROLM, 136 Essex Road, London, E10 6BS.

Then send us an email saying how many piglets you would like, which designs you would like and whether you would like us to print and post them to you, or whether you would like us to email them to you (that's a pretty good option if it's getting close to Christmas!). If you would prefer a different message on the front of the card, let us know - it can easily be personalised for you.

The money raised through the piglets will make the world of difference to the orphaned and vulnerable children in our White Eagle project - please consider buying all your friends and family a piglet!

More great news from River of Life!

Packed full of the latest news from River of Life, our Autumn Newsletter is sure to lighten up the dark nights drawing in!

We've had a wonderful time with Visitors over the last few months, including our Summer Short-term Missions Team, the White Eagles have got a brand new playground, there's the chance to quadruple your Christmas Donation (if you were thinking of making one!), and there's an update on the Gideons.

Our feature article looks at the hope and perseverence that we encounter through our Community Outreach work, whilst there is also news of a brand new computer lab at River of Life. There's the opportunity to donate to our building fund as our rented offices are no longer safe to stay in, and there's a brief update on the Prayer Mountain, Synergy's successful start to the Big League and a lot more besides.

So, please enjoy and download the newsletter, and spread the good news by sharing it with all your friends and family!

Hope and Perseverance in the Community

Elder Betty leads our Community visits. Our current volunteer, Katie, accompanied her last week - this is her story.

Off the main streets of Nyendo are lots of homes, each home holds a family, and each family has its own story. These are the people of Nyendo that a passer-by might miss, unless he chooses to venture out onto the bumpy tracks.

This week I had the opportunity to join Elder Betty on Community Outreach. She led me through the back allies, past children playing and chickens roaming. We came to a home, where the mother welcomed us with such joy. She told me that she had four children, three in school and one about to begin. She loves them deeply, and spends her time doing all she can to provide for them. She said she is happy, because the Lord is looking after her, and through the church she is being helped to meet her needs. Her face was full of hope, a genuine hope, and a genuine trust in God.

But she admitted her struggles, that it is hard to find enough food, hard to give her children all that she longs to. She wants to share a meal with them of the tasty nutritious food she sees other people eating. When she is not caring for the children she patiently weaves colourful floor mats. She sells them to try and support herself. I asked her how long it takes to make one, and she laughed, and said one month. Oh, how I long to have patience like this! I was blown away.

I felt Jesus in this woman’s home; in her persevering love and sacrifice for her children, in her joyful thanksgiving, and in her determination and resilience. We have so much to learn! From the faithfulness of Elder Betty to pursue the passion God had placed on her heart to the way that when we come together as a church we are able to bless people abundantly more than if we try to work on our own.

Our Community work is supported by the ‘Gideons’ - our new regular prayer and giving programme. If you would like to find out more, please contact us.

Katie's Adventures in Africa continue...

This is update number two, it's been just over three weeks so I've passed half way!

I got back today from a night in the capital city Kampala. It was super worth it - I had no idea such a side of Uganda existed, a naive assumption I guess! But yes it turns out there is a lot of wealth in parts of Uganda and I felt like I had jumped forward in time a bit to a more modern, western influenced culture. I got to see the biggest market in Kampala, which was crazy. I literally had to duck a few times as men carrying giant bags of rice on their heads charged passed. It kind of felt like Super Mario as I dodged crazy stuff while walking really fast.

Other cool things have been happening here in Masaka, last week I got to preach in a secondary school and in prison. Very exciting! The prison was way more chilled than I expected; small and low security. They worshiped like crazy and it was so cool to be able to join them in that - and then to be able to bring God’s word to them too! We’re going back again this week, it’s such an incredible opportunity to be able to taste and see Jesus in these places I know he would be found in if he was walking on earth today.

On a funny note, well, I found it funny. The kids at the children's home got to play on their new swings and seasaw and roundabout for the first time - and they all were so excited, went on everything, came off, vomited, and got back on! They kept being sick but they were so excited they'd do it quickly and sprint back! I guess it is quite sad though, as the sickness is due to the fact that at age 7-12 most of them had never experienced the sensation of any of these simple things and so they body didn't know what to do. But still - we laughed.

On another funny note, we have been doing Aerobics at church, the women found out I was football coaching and they wanted to jump on the fitness train. At our first class we had about 15 women, which I was not expecting! And they all wore long skirts! Which meant that when I got them to lie down and do sit ups with their legs up they all screamed at the young guy who was sorting the music for us and he left very quickly - then they all burst out laughing!! Today - I couldn't do it with them, and yet there they were in the hall going for it on their own. Success!

I’ve got two weeks left, time is flying, but there is a lot to do before then, so stay tuned for another update!

Strength Will Rise!

We all know that we have some spiritual warriors amongst our women at River Of Life church, but last Saturday they proved themselves to be physical warriors too. We had a great turn out at our first Aerobics class – strictly women only!

When the women discovered that our visitor Katie was doing some football training with our young Synergy boys, they wanted to make the most of her stay for themselves. And so a women’s fitness class was arranged for Saturday afternoons. All the men were shewed from the hall and the women flowed in ready to work out.

Everybody took part in some way, and everybody had a great time. I think as much energy was burnt through laughing as was through running around. Katie said, “That was the most fun I’ve had doing exercise in a long time, and I Iove exercise! Everyone should come, I’m sure they will find it uplifting in all manners of the word!”

Rumour has it that a Thursday class has been requested as well as a Saturday class now, and when Katie leaves us in three weeks the ball will be rolling, and the classes will continue… let’s hope!

Synergy kick-off their Big League Campaign

Last Thursday evening saw Synergy step up to their first game in Big League after last seasons promotion from the Regional League. The local fans turned out in force and there was great excitement and anticipation as the lads have really been showing what they are capable of recently. Their opponents were VCC, a solid, well-organised Big League side managed by the son of former Ugandan President Idi Amin.

VCC had the better of the fist half, going into the break 1-0 up. But Syerngy came our roaring in the second half, equalised with a calmly taken penalty, to set up a thrilling final 30 minutes. Somehow VCC survived wave after wave of Synergy attacks, and held on for the draw. The game finished 1-1.

Tim Crow, head of Synergy, was happy. He said “I was very happy with the boys’ performance and their spirit. They were losing but they came back to batter the opposition and really showed themselves to be the stronger team.” Both Tim and Brian, Synergy's Manager, were encouraged by the players’ demonstration of determination and skill and we're sure exciting things are to come as the season continues!

Synergy has become the talk of the town, with Brian regularly invited on to radio shows to share the vision.
We're not about buying in players and just being successful in football. It's much more than that! Yes, the players and 200 odd Academy members are coached to perform the best they can on the field, but they are developed in all aspects of life through mentoring and relationship building. They are encouraged in their faith, and are supported in their goals both on and off the football field.

We need sponsors to keep the First Team on the road, as well as cover the running cost of the Academy. If you fancy being part of the most exciting thing to happen in Ugandan football, please get in touch!