Dear Shining Hope Family,
Looking over this past year as a ministry, one thing stands out to us: God was faithful. Oh, there was its share of difficult circumstances, worry, and heartache. BUT (don’t you love that word!), through it all, God preserved us, carried us, and provided for us. He kept His promises. He worked everything for our good and for His glory.
Psalm 89:1 reads, “I will sing of the mercies of the LORD forever: with my mouth will I make known thy faithfulness to all generations.”
We want to do just that by recounting a few ways the Lord showed His faithfulness to us—and others—during 2022!
• At the top of our list is YOU and all the ways you’ve lovingly supported us! What a special gift you are from the Father.
• Our kids returned to school after a two-year closure, and their tuition was paid in full!
• Around 40,000 meals were provided for our 21 kids and 50 neighborhood boys and girls. (Many, many fervent prayers were answered in this one.)
• Our kids are safe, healthy, and growing. They are loved and know God’s love.
• Nakato made a complete recovery after becoming extremely sick with ulcers.
• Sylvia and Gladys, two specially-abled individuals, experienced the Savior’s love through the gift of a mattress and blanket.
• Francis, a paraplegic, had his basic physical needs met, and was comforted by Jesus through Kalungi’s continued friendship.
• Our neighbor, Nakitende, completely recovered from tuberculosis, and her month-long hospital stay was paid in full.
• Deno received life-saving medical care after being brutally attacked and robbed.
• After an expensive safety problem was discovered with Kalungi’s vehicle, God enabled him to sell it without a loss and buy another car (the new buyer was informed of the issue).
• Kalungi was encouraged by the birthday notes our Shining Hope family surprised him with. He loves and treasures them!
• For the last quarter of the year, our monthly expenses were larger than our donations because of rapid inflation. The Lord sovereignly met all our needs through the extra income from Kalungi’s side businesses.
• This Christmas, 80 families and 96 children were impacted through our Christmas outreach. (More about this in just a bit!)
What mercy the Lord has shown! What grace! What faithfulness! Won’t you join us in thanking our good God for what He has done and for how He has used you?
Over the past year, Rachel, Nakato, and Nakiranda have worked tirelessly caring for our children. They cook, teach, wash clothes for the youngest ones, read the Bible, and love on them. We are so grateful for their dedication and the work they do each and every day!
One might think these ladies would grow tired of cooking all those meals. Think again! One of their favorite parts of serving at Shining Hope is preparing the large daily lunch for the neighbor kids!
Rachel, Nakato, and Nakiranda:
We held a marvelous Christmas outreach by God’s grace! Before Christmas, Kalungi, along with Rachel, Nakato, and Pastor Peter, gave 80 families food packages and shared with them of the hope of the Gospel. And on Christmas day, 75 neighbor children joined our kids in a special party celebrating Jesus’s birth!
Kalungi writes: “I can’t thank God enough for the miracle He made. We received a last-minute donation that saw us hit the target on our fundraiser. Thank you all, our dear friends, for doing God’s work, as we are just mediums through which His work is done.
“It’s really heartwarming seeing how happy someone is after receiving an unexpected gift that’s come at the right time. To God be the glory!”
A full update on our Christmas outreach is being prepared and we can’t wait to share it with you! In the meantime, enjoy these pictures!
THANK YOU sincerely for your compassionate outpouring this month and year that blessed—immeasurably—so many precious individuals! Through you, God showed His faithfulness. As you begin 2023, we challenge you to make a list of the ways the Lord showed His faithfulness to YOU. May it encourage your heart, bolster your faith, and move you to praise and glorify our great God! Wishing you a very blessed new year!
Declaring God’s faithfulness,
Kalungi + Rachel
PS: The beautiful kids at our Christmas party have a special message for you!
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