Good News about Priscilla

Pastor Solomon recently sent an update that Priscilla is doing well. She has had a total recovery-- the swelling on her brain subsided, she's back on her feet, and back in school.

"Hi Stefan, I have just come from church and one of the people who attended was Priscilla, our God indeed hears and answers the prayers of his people, she is doing a lot better and is out of danger and out of Hospital. We will give her the exams she missed. Thank you very much for the great help you have given us as a ministry and a Nation- Solomon"

Turns out Priscilla has passed her exams with flying colors and is now a proud student in the Academy's P-8 class. Thanks for remembering Priscilla in your prayers.

Pray for Priscilla

Please pray for Priscilla, a young lady from Bulenga, Uganda.  About a year ago her brain swelled so much because of a complication from AIDS that she lost the ability to talk or walk.  She was hospitalized and the condition persisted for months.  Many people prayed extensively, God intervened, and she recovered.  Well, the same complications have just happened again.  Pastor Solomon from Good News church sent the following message:

"I'm requesting urgent prayer for one of my kids at the Academy, Priscilla Natugonza, who is battling with full blown AIDS.  She is in Hospital with a swollen brain, she missed the end of year exams because of that disease, she is trying to talk with a lot of difficulties, she is one brave kid who never misses church, even the all night prayer meetings when she is strong. Last time she was this sick, I called for prayer and she got better and out of hospital, I believe even this time we will join our faith and pray for this girl.  Thank you very much.  Solomon"

I was just at the Bulenga church three weeks ago and Priscilla caught me outside after the service and gave me a big hug… she first squeezed me and said, “Thank you for bringing all the food for us at school!” and then she said, “Mr. Stefan can you please pray for me that I make it to eighth grade.”  Priscilla had finals coming up.  I prayed a simple prayer for God’s hand to be upon her and for the Holy Spirit to help her study and do well and thought to myself… “she’s got nothing to worry about when it comes to doing well at school.”  

As Pastor Solomon noted-- she wasn’t able to take the exams to graduate from grade seven.   Priscilla is such an articulate, intelligent, and cheerful girl.  She wants to be a medical doctor so she can help people.  Please earnestly pray for Priscilla and ask other people of prayer to do so as well.   Here's a two minute video we filmed with Priscilla  a few months ago:

Beautiful Burundi

"Breathtaking" is the only way to describe the beauty of this nation and its people. In reality, it simply cannot be described, it has to be experienced. From the lush green mountain landscapes to bustling Bujumbura on the shores of Lake Tanganyaki, it's hard to take it all in. Add to the mix the unique, sophisticated, resilient, progressive Hutu and Tutsi peoples... and the precious Twa (known as 'pygmies' in colonial times) and you have an African nation like no other. Known as the heart of Africa for its location in the center of the continent and cardiac shaped boundary, Burundi will one day be the apple of the world's eye... it just has to happen.

Feed The Hungry's first container of 270,864 fortified rice meals provided by Feed My Starving Children arrived in 'Buj' about two weeks ago. On Monday the pilot school-lunch program for vulnerable kids started up in one school in Gitega and one in Rutana. ARM, an outreach of Pastor Edomond Kivuye and Eglise Vivante, oversees the project on the ground. Teams of parents and community volunteers take turns prepping and cooking the rice meals each day during the school week, which is no small task considering there are 1,900 children at both of these schools. Education has become a priority for this formerly war torn nation-- it is one of the very few countries in Africa where parents and caregivers do not have to pay tuition for public education. Peace has returned in measure since 2005, yet there is one rebel group that still lurks in the shadows, having rejected the negotiating table. The last violent outbreak was in April 2008 when rebels launched mortar attacks on the capital city.

Photos from this week's visit to Burundi can be found at http://picasaweb.google.com/sradelich/BackInBurundiNov2008

South Sudan, Full of Hope and Victory

Back in Yei, pronounced Y-A-Y! And it's an onomonopeia for sure... google the definition if need be.

It's the end of the rainy season in Yei; the market is brimming with home grown fruits & veggies, honey is in abundance, and the town and people always seem to look better & bigger & brighter every time I come back. Just to be fair & balanced, the mozzies are plentiful too, as are the grasshoppers (though we haven't seen the fresh-roasted variety in the market stalls yet).

New Generation Primary School is brimming with eager young students too. Pastor Stanley and Lady Vicki & staff are raising up a New Generation of faith-filled movers & shakers to be; and the vision of school numbers two and three is on track... now if we only had the resources to buy the bricks & get construction going right now...

Keep Stanley & Vicki and all the staff and kids in your prayers... life isn't always easy, but God is always good and he just has a way of doing more than we can ask or think.

You can see a few more of today's pics at http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=46775&l=6554a&id=702935874

FTH 'POD' Set Up in Galveston County, TX

Pastor Walter Hallam and the fantastic people of Abundant Life Christian Center in La Marque, TX are doing a fantastic job of getting resources into the hands of people & families who've lost homes and possessions because of Hurricane Ike. Feed The Hungry's POD (Point of Distribution) has been up and running since Wednesday. So far two tractor-trailer loads of supplies are being distributed at ALCC's gymnasium. Two more trailers full of supplies will arrive on Saturday to keep the POD going.

Everyone who comes by has a story to tell. In addition to putting family care bags into each car, ALCC volunteers lend a listening ear and an encouraging prayer. Let's keep praying for God's hand to bring restoration to those who have lost so much.

By the way ALCC's sanctuary was severely damaged by Ike, about 1200 sf of roof ripped off and rain waters poured in... many of the volunteers who are helping have had damage to their homes, clothes, and possessions as well... yet they've chosen to reach out and serve others even in their time of need. Isn't that just like Jesus.

A FEW IKE PHOTOS ARE POSTED HERE: http://picasaweb.google.com/sradelich/HurricanIkeRelief2008#

More on the way...

Seeing Ike's Aftermath Firsthand

Here are a few photos snapped today from Bayou Vista. As usual, photos & video cannot capture what you see as an eyewitness. Have you ever seen food shelves at a Super Wal-Mart laid bare?? We stopped by two Super W-M's today to see if they'd donate grocery bags so volunteers can break down the two tractor-trailerloads into family sacks... both stores donated lots of sacks! At each Wal-Mart, police manned the entrance, only allowing 30 customers into the gigantic stores at a time (because staff numbers are so low)... and in each Super Wal-Mart, several shelves had no food left on them.

Feed The Hungry's first truck arrives in La Marque, TX at 8:00 am Wednesday; the second truck had brake line problems and will arrive Wednesday night or first thing Thursday morning.

It's 1:00 AM and we're packed and ready to roll @ noon Monday. Our team of three will head to LaMarque, TX to set up a distribution center at Abundant Life Christian Center. ALCC is a partner church of about 2500 members located right off of Interstate 45 a few miles from Galveston Island. LaMarque is 23’ above sea level so the storm surge just missed it. They did have a lot of wind damage & rain water damage though—the church lost about 1,000 square feet of roof. We believe the location is ideal to serve a large number of communities as the area opens up after the flood waters recede & returnees start arriving in the next few days (or next week). FTH will have two trailers of food & water supplies arriving at 6:00 am Wednesday morning, a third trailer of food supplies will arrive on Thursday morning. Please pray according to what's posted @ FTH's site http://www.feedthehungry.org/2008HurricaneResponse.cfm THANKS!