Friday 27 February 2009

Such a gracious God!


I have been praying that support for Mark Yemba will continue to come in during the difficult months after Christmas. As I keep reminding God, I am not a gifted fund-raiser at all, and I always need his help.


I am always impressed when God takes my small efforts and turns them into something much bigger. I had thought I might raise a small amount of money, and provide a service for our rural communities, if I offered Christian Bibles and other books for sale through the church account with a Christian bookseller. This hasn't in fact made a lot of profit yet, but what has happened is that kind people have donated their second-hand books for sale, and these are raising more money than the new books.

Thank you Lord!

Then I appealed for more photos to send to Mark, and here is one of the beautiful photos I was sent.

Friday 20 February 2009

E-mail from Bishop Francis Loyo 20-02-09

Dear Jenny,

Many thanks for your continuous concerns in the education of Yemba and we valued your supporting spirit and kindness.

Please you are not alone in this venture but we are remembering you and all friends who have given you this support. We pray for you and we assure you of our full support.

At the moment am in Juba where I can access the internet and will go back to our diocese today and will proceed to Kampala for some work.

We have just finished our Bishops and wives retreat and last 3 weeks we had a big convention organised by the Mothers Union to at least bring us together. Thousands of people gathered and prayed for the lasting peace in the country wide.

Be blessed,

+Francis Loyo.

Sunday 15 February 2009

Crisis in support for a Sudanese student



Mark Yemba Soro was born in south Sudan in 1988,and orphaned at the age of 6. When Mark was offered a place at the Catholic University of Eastern Africa, Bishop Francis Loyo of Rokon Diocese asked for support to meet Mark’s university fees and living expenses.

Individuals and parishes in the Deanery responded magnificently, and have met the first term’s fees and living expenses. Now, at the start of the second term, there is an urgent need to raise our level of giving. The falling pound has resulted in a 10% fall in the value of every pound we send. Meanwhile, Kenya also faces economic crisis, resulting in inflation and higher fees. The combined effect of these two changes has been to increase this term’s fees from £648 to £768. The extra cost to Mark has deprived him of some of the money he needed to live on.
At present, we therefore need an estimated £374 per month.

Dear heavenly Father, Please show me how to respond to what, in human terms, is a crisis. May I find the proper balance between doing all that you have equipped and called me to do, and putting my trust in you.

I pray especially that Mark may not suffer hardship because of our own national economic crisis, and feelings of insecurity. Help us, Lord, to keep a sense of proportion.

I pray also that you would bless Mark's studies, for his sake, as one of your little ones with no other support but you; as a member of a nation that sorely needs his love, his courage and his skills, and as an individual with a human right to develop to his maximum potential.

Lord, in your mercy, hear my prayers. Amen