World Water Walk Day marked in Billings
The United Nations estimates that nearly 49,000 children die everyday from illnesses caused by contaminated water,http://www.montanasnewsstation.com/global/story.asp?s=8089821
Copyright 2008
Saturday, March 29, 2008
And They're Off...
As you have probably already heard, if you've been following the blog, Jim & Robyn, the founders of Jireh Ministries Foundation, are leaving Monday for a five month trip to Uganda. Please keep their safe travels in your prayers as they depart!
They will be updating the blog regularly throughout their journey, so stay tuned, and don't forget to write to them or comment on the blog from time to time with your encouragement! Sometimes even two line email that you are in someone's prayers is all it takes to lift your spirits and bring comfort on a rough day in the mission field!
Monday, March 17, 2008
Greetings Fellow Bretheren!
Hello! My name is Jessica (or "Jesca" if you are Ugandan) and I am one of the contributors to Jireh's blog. I got involved with Jireh after Pastor Grace came to visit San Diego in 2006. Seeing the pictures of the children and hearing his vision, my heart was tugged. Needless to say, I'm still involved with Jireh, and took some time off from my career (I'm a software engineer) to spend last summer in Uganda at the Children's Centre. I help Adam with website and sometimes write for the blogs and newsletters and whatnot
but sometimes it feels like there's so much more that needs to be done...so much more that could be done. As I try to fall asleep smiling five year olds who need a bath and who are going to bed hungry drift in and out of my mind. I know the foundation, through the sponsorship program, fledgling and new though it may be, has done so much, because when I first met Pastor the children were being fed every other day. Yes, that's right, every other day. Can you imagine if you were only fed every other day? Maybe not. And the teachers weren't getting paid their salaries at all. They were having a hard time retaining staff without money to pay the staff.
But when I went there last summer, I saw teachers getting paid--not their meager salary in full, but a good downpayment on their salary. I saw the children living at the childrens center were getting fed two to three meals a day. Not glamorous meals. Its mostly things like millet or rice porridge, beans, and Posho (a bland rice-like mixture made out of maize flour) as the bulk of their diet. Kids were occasionally having stomach problems because of the repetition without variation in their diets, and perhaps the lackings of nutrients from vegetables (though they do have Juice Plus vegetable-vitamins that the foundation has been coordinating sending over to help with this!).
But I still saw day scholars going hungry, starving little hands reaching out to me, begging for another bite of my lunch that I hadn't the stomach to eat myself. "We just don't have the money to feed them too"--it breaks your heart to hear and see...but at the same time, it gives me so much hope that I have the personal opportunity to love sacrificially to help change that...even I'm alone in the battle.
But I know I'm not. Every one more sponsor means kids being fed better, means a teacher has enough income to buy her young child juice when its sick rather than just drinking boiled swamp water. $28 goes a lot farther in Uganda than it does here, it buys a lot of food. Thank you to everyone who is already sponsoring children or making contributions through the foundation, may you remember what a difference you're making!
but sometimes it feels like there's so much more that needs to be done...so much more that could be done. As I try to fall asleep smiling five year olds who need a bath and who are going to bed hungry drift in and out of my mind. I know the foundation, through the sponsorship program, fledgling and new though it may be, has done so much, because when I first met Pastor the children were being fed every other day. Yes, that's right, every other day. Can you imagine if you were only fed every other day? Maybe not. And the teachers weren't getting paid their salaries at all. They were having a hard time retaining staff without money to pay the staff.
But when I went there last summer, I saw teachers getting paid--not their meager salary in full, but a good downpayment on their salary. I saw the children living at the childrens center were getting fed two to three meals a day. Not glamorous meals. Its mostly things like millet or rice porridge, beans, and Posho (a bland rice-like mixture made out of maize flour) as the bulk of their diet. Kids were occasionally having stomach problems because of the repetition without variation in their diets, and perhaps the lackings of nutrients from vegetables (though they do have Juice Plus vegetable-vitamins that the foundation has been coordinating sending over to help with this!).
But I still saw day scholars going hungry, starving little hands reaching out to me, begging for another bite of my lunch that I hadn't the stomach to eat myself. "We just don't have the money to feed them too"--it breaks your heart to hear and see...but at the same time, it gives me so much hope that I have the personal opportunity to love sacrificially to help change that...even I'm alone in the battle.
But I know I'm not. Every one more sponsor means kids being fed better, means a teacher has enough income to buy her young child juice when its sick rather than just drinking boiled swamp water. $28 goes a lot farther in Uganda than it does here, it buys a lot of food. Thank you to everyone who is already sponsoring children or making contributions through the foundation, may you remember what a difference you're making!
Sunday, March 16, 2008
This time last year....
I was with two other women flying back from Uganda! On this exact date we had completed our mission to take pictures and get profiles on all the children at the Jireh Children's Centre. We were exhausted. We were overwhelmed by the needs at Jireh. Our hearts were filled with so many mixed emotions and yet filled with such joy those children penetrate into our hearts.
I'm here in my study saying, I could do more. I could do better. I wake up thinking of the children. I go to bed thinking of the children and work my day job thinking of the children.
Their needs consume my thoughts. I believe if I had more time I could be a stronger voice for those "voiceless" children.
Have you ever had so many things in a room that you had to sort, toss, organize, etc. that you just didn't know where to begin? Long ago someone told me those situations are like eating an elephant..you can't eat it all at once but you can if you take one bite at a time. Well I love elephants (Enjovu in Luganda) but the concept is there and that is what needs to be done at Jireh. One step at a time. One need met at a time. One child at a time.
Pastor Grace (Benjamin Kintu) will be arriving to our home this Thursday. We will celebrate a traditional Seder Meal (passover meal) at our church at Trinity Presbyterian in The Colony. We are so excited to have him back in our home again. The last time he was here was prior to the "birth" of the Jireh Ministries Foundation founded by Jim and Robyn Fruehan.
He is scheduled to have lunch with our pastor James Kim and a few others on Good Friday. Saturday we will have an open house reception from 1-4pm and then begin preparing for a wonderful Easter Celebration with Pastor Grace. Dinner in the afternoon and we send him back to Tulsa to be with Tim Way and his family. To have Pastor Grace with us has been and will be a blessing.
I pray for more people to hear our voices for all those at Jireh, to be moved by the Holy Spirit to give of their time, talent and treasures for Jireh and to do all this to Glorify our God, our Creator, Our Jehovah Jireh.
A generous man will himself be blessed, for he shares his food with the poor.
Proverbs 22:9
-Janet Ohlig
I'm here in my study saying, I could do more. I could do better. I wake up thinking of the children. I go to bed thinking of the children and work my day job thinking of the children.
Their needs consume my thoughts. I believe if I had more time I could be a stronger voice for those "voiceless" children.
Have you ever had so many things in a room that you had to sort, toss, organize, etc. that you just didn't know where to begin? Long ago someone told me those situations are like eating an elephant..you can't eat it all at once but you can if you take one bite at a time. Well I love elephants (Enjovu in Luganda) but the concept is there and that is what needs to be done at Jireh. One step at a time. One need met at a time. One child at a time.
Pastor Grace (Benjamin Kintu) will be arriving to our home this Thursday. We will celebrate a traditional Seder Meal (passover meal) at our church at Trinity Presbyterian in The Colony. We are so excited to have him back in our home again. The last time he was here was prior to the "birth" of the Jireh Ministries Foundation founded by Jim and Robyn Fruehan.
He is scheduled to have lunch with our pastor James Kim and a few others on Good Friday. Saturday we will have an open house reception from 1-4pm and then begin preparing for a wonderful Easter Celebration with Pastor Grace. Dinner in the afternoon and we send him back to Tulsa to be with Tim Way and his family. To have Pastor Grace with us has been and will be a blessing.
I pray for more people to hear our voices for all those at Jireh, to be moved by the Holy Spirit to give of their time, talent and treasures for Jireh and to do all this to Glorify our God, our Creator, Our Jehovah Jireh.
A generous man will himself be blessed, for he shares his food with the poor.
Proverbs 22:9
-Janet Ohlig
Saturday, March 15, 2008
Jesus Feeds The Five Thousand
Matthew, Mark, Luke and John all wrote about Jesus feeding the Five Thousand.
In John 6:5 When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming towards Him, he said to Phillip, "Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?" He asked this only to test him, for He already had in mind what He was going to do.
Phillip answered him, "Eight month's of wages would not buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!"
Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, spoke up, "Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?"
Jesus said "Have the people sit down." There was plenty of grass in that place, and the men sat down, about five thousand of them. Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks and distributed to those that were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish.
When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, "Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted." So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those that had eaten.
Since the beginning of this ministry, less than two years, I have always had this story on my mind. It seems that we were taking on a huge task and we knew it was only going to come from God. If we just do the math, and multiply how many sponsors we have (57) at $28.00 per month it equals $1596.00. per month. We do not have enough pledged or regular income to send as much money as we do each month to feed and educate these children. But we send an average of about $3000.00 per month. Plus we are saving for a water project, so we can build a water well and a tower this year! Yes this must be the year of water, we need an ample supply of fresh clean water to adequately take care of the growing number of children on the mountain.
By the grace of God He Provides. Jehovah Jireh, "The Lord Will Provide" Gen 22:14 The premise we are founded on. He works through people's hearts, and they carry out the work of the Lord.
In Matt. 40:25 "The King will reply, "I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you do for me."
Oh yes, this keeps me awake at night, I am amazed by His grace and give Him the honor and glory for what he is doing in this ministry, and allowing me to be part of it.
Believing He Will Provide,
Jim Fruehan
In John 6:5 When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming towards Him, he said to Phillip, "Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?" He asked this only to test him, for He already had in mind what He was going to do.
Phillip answered him, "Eight month's of wages would not buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!"
Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, spoke up, "Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?"
Jesus said "Have the people sit down." There was plenty of grass in that place, and the men sat down, about five thousand of them. Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks and distributed to those that were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish.
When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, "Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted." So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those that had eaten.
Since the beginning of this ministry, less than two years, I have always had this story on my mind. It seems that we were taking on a huge task and we knew it was only going to come from God. If we just do the math, and multiply how many sponsors we have (57) at $28.00 per month it equals $1596.00. per month. We do not have enough pledged or regular income to send as much money as we do each month to feed and educate these children. But we send an average of about $3000.00 per month. Plus we are saving for a water project, so we can build a water well and a tower this year! Yes this must be the year of water, we need an ample supply of fresh clean water to adequately take care of the growing number of children on the mountain.
By the grace of God He Provides. Jehovah Jireh, "The Lord Will Provide" Gen 22:14 The premise we are founded on. He works through people's hearts, and they carry out the work of the Lord.
In Matt. 40:25 "The King will reply, "I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you do for me."
Oh yes, this keeps me awake at night, I am amazed by His grace and give Him the honor and glory for what he is doing in this ministry, and allowing me to be part of it.
Believing He Will Provide,
Jim Fruehan
Monday, March 10, 2008
You Want Me To Do What?
We provide for Jireh Ministries in Uganda, to help them in becoming self supportive. We have 345 children that we clothe, educate and feed. This is accomplished by our children's sponsorship program for $28.00 per month.http://www.hewillprovide.org/
Here's how it all began: In 2005, after reading Rick Warren's Purpose Driven Life, Robyn, my wife (of 31 years) decided that she really wanted to go on a mission trip to Africa. She went with Believers World Outreach for about two weeks. She visited the Amani Baby Cottage in Jinja and Jireh Childrens Center in Masaka, Uganda. While at the Children's Center, she met with Pastor Kintu Grace Benjamin , and told him that she would get him to America. She was not sure why she even told him that. The Lord had a plan. Being a woman of commitment, she raised funds to bring Pastor Grace to our home in San Diego, California. This was not an easy task, he was denied a Visa two times and it looked hopeless. But we had a lot of people praying and calling the embassy and praying some more, and children at the center were praying and fasting! These kids that are so hungry most of the time, are fasting! That is a statement of faith!! Well, once the Lord introduced me with Pastor Grace, it all began. I first thought I would help him with some business cards, and then I thought, you need a newsletter, we can do that. Soon it was; "We need to start a non-profit foundation for Jireh Ministries in Uganda." So we did. I told the Lord; "If you want me to do this I will need a lot of help". So He sent a lot of help, when He decided that I really needed it. I thought this was a part time job that I could do while I was running our family construction business that we had since 1999. He decided that we are supposed to work the Ministry full time, we sold our house and got rid of a lot of "stuff". We stopped the business and basically I hung up the tool belt to carry the cross. We are broke by earthly standards but rich in the Lord. We truly live by what Pastor Grace told me was the premise his Ministry was founded on. Genesis 22:14 "The Lord Will Provide". We have moved to Billings Montana where my daughter and her husband and three children live. Soon to be five children see http://www.jesusbabies.blogspot.com/ Do you remember I told you that my wife visited the Amani Baby Cottage?... Well, my daughter is adopting two babies, a boy and girl, (Christopher & Katie) they are lovingly referred by the orphanage and us as the Jesus babies (that happens to be another testimony in itself). We believe a major part of our ministry is sharing our personal testimony. Let us know if you would like us to visit your church.
On March 31st, Robyn & I will be departing for Uganda for a five month journey. This will be my first time visiting the Children's Center. Once there I am sure we will receive our next instructions. We will need a lot of prayer! We have a lot of work to do.
Thank you for allowing me to share my story.
Believing He Will Provide, Jim Fruehan
Here's how it all began: In 2005, after reading Rick Warren's Purpose Driven Life, Robyn, my wife (of 31 years) decided that she really wanted to go on a mission trip to Africa. She went with Believers World Outreach for about two weeks. She visited the Amani Baby Cottage in Jinja and Jireh Childrens Center in Masaka, Uganda. While at the Children's Center, she met with Pastor Kintu Grace Benjamin , and told him that she would get him to America. She was not sure why she even told him that. The Lord had a plan. Being a woman of commitment, she raised funds to bring Pastor Grace to our home in San Diego, California. This was not an easy task, he was denied a Visa two times and it looked hopeless. But we had a lot of people praying and calling the embassy and praying some more, and children at the center were praying and fasting! These kids that are so hungry most of the time, are fasting! That is a statement of faith!! Well, once the Lord introduced me with Pastor Grace, it all began. I first thought I would help him with some business cards, and then I thought, you need a newsletter, we can do that. Soon it was; "We need to start a non-profit foundation for Jireh Ministries in Uganda." So we did. I told the Lord; "If you want me to do this I will need a lot of help". So He sent a lot of help, when He decided that I really needed it. I thought this was a part time job that I could do while I was running our family construction business that we had since 1999. He decided that we are supposed to work the Ministry full time, we sold our house and got rid of a lot of "stuff". We stopped the business and basically I hung up the tool belt to carry the cross. We are broke by earthly standards but rich in the Lord. We truly live by what Pastor Grace told me was the premise his Ministry was founded on. Genesis 22:14 "The Lord Will Provide". We have moved to Billings Montana where my daughter and her husband and three children live. Soon to be five children see http://www.jesusbabies.blogspot.com/ Do you remember I told you that my wife visited the Amani Baby Cottage?... Well, my daughter is adopting two babies, a boy and girl, (Christopher & Katie) they are lovingly referred by the orphanage and us as the Jesus babies (that happens to be another testimony in itself). We believe a major part of our ministry is sharing our personal testimony. Let us know if you would like us to visit your church.
On March 31st, Robyn & I will be departing for Uganda for a five month journey. This will be my first time visiting the Children's Center. Once there I am sure we will receive our next instructions. We will need a lot of prayer! We have a lot of work to do.
Thank you for allowing me to share my story.
Believing He Will Provide, Jim Fruehan
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