Interview with Seddinda Lydia – Personnel Officer

I’m Lydia Seddinda and I’m a staff at New Hope Uganda. Primarily, I am a mother and that is why I am here. Secondary, as per now, I’m helping in the personnel office in the areas of recruiting staff and seeing that they are taken care of well. My job is to see that we are building team work in what we are doing, which is majorly “Bringing the Fatherhood of God to the fatherless,” and making sure we have enough staff to do the work in our different departments. That is what I am doing as per now, but primarily I’m a mother; mother for the children and for the staff.

How long have you been a mother here?

I have been a mother at NHU for 14 years now. This is my third year in the personnel office, but most of the other years I was the family mother in Ebenezer family and that is still my focus even though I have now been assigned as their ‘jajja’ (grandmother). My heart is still there and that is where I am called, but at different times God can assign you where He sees fit according to the ability He has given you.

What have been some of the challenges you have met, from transitioning from family mother to the personnel office?

Since I came to the personnel office my focus has been building into staff and into children. So, personally I have the challenge of reaching out directly to the children, because now I support staff so they can directly reach out to the children. I miss those opportunities to directly engage with the children. What I used to do then I can’t do now because of these staff-related assignments that I have on a day-to-day basis. The personnel office is quite a challenge, whereby getting the right people for the ministry is a challenge because being a Christian-based and Truth-focused children’s ministry, we need to get the right people. We need people who love to reach out and have a heart for ministry, because we emphasize that this is not a job, but a ministry and a calling. Receiving the right people in the right position is a challenge because of the way people think and see things. They may be highly-qualified, but their interests and what they believe may differ what we value here, so we can’t compromise because we need to get the right people. Some positions need really mature people so we can’t just give them the job easily and some people want higher pays which we can’t afford. They might be really good, but the pay they want is beyond our budget so we can’t have them. These are a few of the challenges we face in the personnel office.

What are some of the personnel office’s goals?

We want to build a team which can be able to minister according to the vision and mission of NHU. So, in that way we have to recruit, select, interview, and train people to fit that mission. Our major goal in the personnel office is that every staff is known, cared for, and equipped for service in ministry. That means we have to see that we get the right people, we get to know them, and we equip them through trainings, seminars, fellowships, the institute, and church. We also send some for further studies so that they may be able to be more properly equipped. That is our main focus in the personnel office.

How do you find your work?

On one side, it is enjoyable, I love people and I get to interact with them in my work. On the other side, it is a bit challenging when you can’t meet the needs of our people. If you meet people and they have needs and you can’t meet them, people become frustrated, disappointed, and some withdraw. All in all, it’s a good opportunity to reach out and share with people and get to know more new people.

Where have you seen God work in what you are doing?

God has been really working. First of all, I see that God is providing, He is giving us people and is adding to us. In my two years working in personnel, I have seen thirty new staff members join our team. We haven’t had a big turnover rate which is nice, because hearts are turning towards our children and the ministry, even through our challenges. I also see God raising up our sons and daughters and it really blesses my heart to see that some of them are now godly leaders in our ministry. I have seen God providing, especially in the areas of salaries. We have quite a big number of staff members, but there isn’t a month where we have had to say sorry we can’t pay your salary. By all means, God has been faithful there! Our children are growing and I see that they are maturing, He has taken care of the needs of our children. The ministry is growing and God is providing according to that.

Do you have any stories that you would like to share with us?

What I can say is that I thank God that He is a God of purpose. Personally, I have seen it in my life and in my family as a single mom. To see my children growing up and becoming men and women through this ministry is a testimony of God’s work and the fulfillment of His promises in our lives. I’ve seen Him bring the “Fatherhood of God to the fatherless” in my family. I came 14 years ago, when my kids were still young, and now they are grown and they are becoming godly men and women. One of my daughters has gotten married and that is a blessing, from here she was a girl, but now she is a Mrs. and a mother. Now, I am a NHU grandmother, I have 13 grandsons and granddaughters now in Ebenezer family. I’m advancing now and am transitioning from being a mama to a grandmama. It’s really beautiful to see a life without hope become hopeful. It’s a blessing to see that the ministry is real and impacting, and it has been a blessing seeing it in my own family. You can see that our ministry is growing from fathers and mothers to grandfathers and grandmothers. We are the second ‘generationers’ which is a blessing.

Do you have anything to add on?

I want to appreciate the people who are partnering with us; sponsors, donors, and people who are praying for this ministry. I also want to appreciate the staff members for being valuable to the children and the leadership for leading us in the right way. God has blessed us with godly leaders who are focused on the vision and are encouraging others into the vision. After all of these years, I have seen a consistency of growing more into the vision. I want to appreciate God and the leaders for sticking to the mission and helping us to see it more clearly through teachings, fellowships, and envisioning. They are interested in us and our spiritual lives and are encouraging us to grow. Mukama yebazibwe! (Praise God!)

How can people pray for you?

Please pray for provision, we are in need of more staff to reach out to our children. We are having a tough time right now finding accommodation for our staff. Please pray that God will build more buildings so that we have accommodation for more staff. You can pray for God to bring the right people who have a heart to do His mission and for people who would be willing to stay longer, because parenting needs someone who is committed to see a life growing. Please pray that God will provide accommodation for long serving-staff so that they can raise men and women who will glorify God.

Interview by Emmanuel Ocakacon and Devin Hiller

The Ugandan school year begins at the end of January and finishes at the end of November.  Our year is now in full swing and Kasana Children’s Centre has welcomed 80+ new children to the New Hope family. Each child has his/her own story and needs. We pray that we will soon know each new son or daughter at least in part as the Father knows him/her.

We welcomed and prayed for each child and their guardians at our Sunday, Feb. 10 church service. It was wonderful to usher them into the New Hope family. Next week, the children will start having their mid-terms at school. Please pray that each child will be able to do their very best and be at peace with the results. But even more, we would appreciate your prayers that we, as staff, give freely of what Jesus has given us and love each child with the love of Christ.

Our theme in 2013, is “In Christ Alone”. We know we can only give what we have received from Him. May God use us to show each one His Fatherhood and help each child know the joy that comes from being a part of God’s  family.

God’s Perfect Planning

New microscopes

It always amazes me how God puts a short-term team together. Each time I lead a team to New Hope,  it seems that the work God wants to accomplish happens because

Mike wiring the new home

the perfect people are on the team.
This last trip November 16th to November 30th proved to me that I may lead a team to New Hope, but God is still in control. We had five women and four men from the US set to travel to New Hope and one Ugandan woman to join us from Kampala (the capital city of Uganda).
We arrived at New Hope around 4:00 PM Monday evening and we were all tired from a 46 hour journey. The men were looking at their sleeping bunks and the women were preparing for their first of four nights of a women’s conference. The conference was focused on “There is inner healing from the Lord”. The first night drew about 70 women from all over the area with worship and praise and the Word. The moving of the Holy Spirit began to be manifested by testimonies of past hurts abuse and more. By the last night of the conference, there were more than 150 women attending and God was healing the hearts of the women. The conference ended with a Saturday tea and testimonies poured from the hearts of the village women and healing was evident. God used these six women to bring comfort, healing and peace through the Word to much troubled hearts. All of these six women had been through a class called “Healing Hearts” and when the team was being form by God little did anyone know that God would use their past, hurts and experience of God’s healing power to the souls of these women so mighty. We were all blessed!
The men had their shared of divine appoints as well. Our IT person Russ was able to set up the new microscopes and computer combination for the clinic to help detect malaria and other parasites in the blood. He trained the Kasana nurse and the Kobwin clinic staff at the same time. This new microscope will detect malaria in seconds and the computer allows the staff to save the image for future use. Russ also helped in the office by fixing some machines and also helping out by putting in light fixtures and other items in the home for a staff member.
Our electrician Mike was busy wiring a new home for a staff member, helping out with plumbing and solar panel problems in staff homes.
Our certified mechanic Mark had his hands dirty up to his elbows. The vocational mechanic school had purchased an old Toyota van for the students to work on. Mark took his talents and guided the students by replacing the water pump and fixing other problems to the van. The van ran so well that the team used it to take a trip to Murchison Falls and without any problems.

Team CCS, 2012

I took pictures of New Hope, families and the activities that were accruing for the website, plus helping out in the office by educating some staff members on Word and

women’s conference

Excel.
I am amazed what God can do!

- Steve Agosto, Team Leader, CCS, Team Uganda 2012

London

November 19th-Our first day at New Hope Kasana was a difficult one. We had been traveling from Seattle to a overnight stay in London, to a over night in Entebbe. But after 48 hours on the road we finally arrived at New

Leaving Entebbe to New Hope

Hope. That first night the women from the team begin the 4 night women’s conference for all the women at New Hope and in the village. The Holy Spirt moved in the hearts of all with teh word of God delivered and hearts begin to heal. The men from the team retired around 8:00PM while the women retired around 10:30PM. What a day!

Women’s conference at Kasana.

After Black Friday (shopping day after Thanksgiving) and Cyber Monday when acquiring (at great prices) is the focus, wouldn’t it be wonderful to start the Christmas season by focusing on giving. The hope is that Tuesday, Nov. 27, Giving Tuesday would become THE DAY to give to the organization or organizations (we hope for you that would include New Hope Uganda) that you feel called to partner with.

We continue to thank God for your prayers, encouragement and financial support. Next week we will be having our year-end celebrations at Kasana’s primary, secondary and vocational schools and soon thereafter at Kobwin Children’s Centre and Musana Camps as well. It is amazing that another year is almost completed.

God has always provided for us and this year has been no exception. Our mid-year financial review showed that we were right at even. We praised God that we were not in debt. At the same time, we also had no emergency fund to speak of, were not able to provide a much-needed raise for our Staff, and have some pretty basic needs that we are not able to meet – like having at least one textbook for every two children. Most years, you all have been very generous to us in the closing months of the year and this has helped us complete our budgets and provide other important items that were dropped from budgets because of funds available. We are praying that this end of year will be our best yet.

A couple of years ago Gary Wood, our North American Director, worked very hard to make us a part of Combined Federal Campaign (CFC). This has provided us with another much-needed source of revenue over the past two years. The CFC people and many others across America are promoting what they hope will become a new tradition that we would like to be a part of. It is called “Giving Tuesday” and we think it might as well become a global tradition, not just an American one.

We encourage you to help start a new tradition and bless New Hope Uganda at the same time. On Tuesday, Nov. 27, you can give on our website or by sending a check on that date (to the appropriate country address found on the website). If you do use the website, please choose the Giving Tuesday option on the program menu bar and then if you have a specific program area where you want the funds to go to please designate that in the “Comments” box. Our biggest need would be for undesignated gifts that we can first use to complete any underfunded budgets for 2012 and next would go to the highest need project area, but if you do have a specific area that you are interested in helping fund, that would also be a huge blessing to us. Click here you are interested in our current needs list.

If you have any questions about Giving Tuesday, any program area at New Hope, our Needs List or anything else regarding our ministry, please feel free to contact us. We would like to keep you as informed and connected to the work God continues to do here as we possibly can.

God bless you and have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

In Christ,

Tal Anderson
New Hope Uganda Manager

PS If you are interested in learning more about Giving Tuesday, you can link to the official Giving Tuesday website from our webpage’s Donate page.

To Donate

By Jennie Dangers

Oh friends!  How on earth can I find words to express the joy in my heart, the amazement at the grace of God, the awe at the miracles He can do and has done? September 29th, 2012 is a day I will never forget- a day two people I have loved and walked closely with for 17 and 14 years married each other! And a day of remembering God’s miracles not only in Eva and Medie’s lives, but in countless others as well!

Let’s start with my Eva.

Eva- whose parents both passed away years ago, whose original name (that her adoptive parents changed) meant “throw away,” but who was has been cherished and loved and raised as a daughter in the Bakimi family since she was 3-years-old.

Medie- the youngest son of a Muslim family; one who gave his life to Jesus many years ago and has been persecuted emotionally by many since then but has stayed strong in His faith.

Eva- my fearful and closed little 1st grade student; my precious 4th grader who began to cautiously share her heart; my 8th grader committed to living her life for Jesus even if it meant standing alone; my dear 11th grader and later university student learning to let her light shine in new schools far away from home; my dear sister choosing to open her heart to her adoptive parents and trust them truly as her own; my dear friend who allowed me to walk with her as a mentor as she attended the New Hope Institute of Childcare and Family; my friend, fellow staff member, and neighbor for the last year!

Medie- my 4th grader who didn’t know what all this stuff about Jesus meant and whose older brother had just been killed in a car accident; my 8th grader who had given his life to Jesus and was in constant pain because of daily choices he had to make- how to serve Jesus with his whole heart while still loving and honoring and obeying his parents; a new university student in agony as his “soul mate,” best friend and brother in Christ, Emmanuel, died suddenly of an aneurism; a man of vision who saw himself “blessed to bless,” and who, with his other best friends, Mugabi and James, started “Emmanuel Youth Outreaches” and inspired the next generation of Kasana’s young people to live a life of service; a young man seeking God’s will for his life standing strong out there in the “real world;” and now my fellow NHU staff member who gave up opportunities of more lucrative and prestigious jobs to go help start New Hope’s Musana Camps with his dear friend (and best man!) Syd Sparks.

Medie and Eva- good friends to each other for the last 14 years.  Medie and Eva, the “glue” that holds our “Favoured Family” together (the name the students I’ve worked with over the last 17 years have given themselves).  Medie and Eva, the ones everyone knows love Jesus and live their lives for Him.

Medie and Eva- ”bantu bange” -”my people”- those I belong to and those who belong to me.  Medie and Eva, a man and woman seeking to build a family on His truth- despite their pasts and cultures, and filled with hope and faith in His Word for their future.

A man and woman I’m sure you’ll be hearing more about in the years to come in this nation!!

And it wasn’t just Eva and Medie whose amazing stories brought joy and significance to this day!

Uncle Jonnes and Auntie Gertrude, Eva’s adoptive parents- both from broken homes, but now soon celebrating their 25th wedding anniversary.  Medie’s parents- Hadji Muhammad Kanyike and “Mamma Mulungi,” neighbors of New Hope for the last 25 years, and Hadji one of our drivers for most of that time; loved friends of everyone at Kasana; Hadji a faithful Muslim trying to honor Allah as best he can and not understanding the choices of his son, and then later his grandson, and daughter; Hadji- a man faithful to his faith but with torn loyalties – should he even attend the wedding of his son- who was marrying a pastor’s daughter in a Christian Church? Mamma Mulungi and Hadji- one of those miracle couples who are this year celebrating their 50th year of marriage!

In order to honor the Kanyikes- a couple I love and respect deeply despite our fundamental differences, I do not want to go into the details of why what happened at the wedding was miraculous.  But for those of you who know our history, rejoice with us!

Before Uncle Jonnes gave the sermon at the wedding, he said he wanted to sing a song of rejoicing and praise to God in his mother tongue- Rukiga.  He welcomed the audience to dance with him, but none of us expected what happened next!

As Uncle Jonnes began to sing and dance, Hadji grabbed his wife’s hand, and pulled her up to the front of the church to dance together with Uncle Jonnes!  A hadji and a pastor dancing together in church- in front of their children who had just wed each other!! Seconds later, Mamma Mulungi went and grabbed Auntie Gertrude to dance with her!  My dad soon joined, and then the whole Kanyike family joined too- giving their blessing to their son and brother, and rejoicing together in God’s goodness!!

I wish I could walk with you through the stories of this bridal party, our history together (most of the people in this picture have known each other most of their lives!), our stories of God’s grace, and the hopes of prayers one day we know He will answer in the lives of those who don’t know Him yet- but I have not asked permission to share their stories…  Suffice it to say that each one of us is a miracle- people who humanly speaking shouldn’t be alive today, some who were literally thrown away at birth, a widow now married again to a wonderful man, Muslims and former Muslims who now love Jesus; orphans who now have family; some, like me, whose hearts were bitter and full of questions but that God has continued to heal and who can now rejoice totally at the wedding of those I see as my “children,” though I am still not married… and on and on.

And on September 29^th, together, we went all out and celebrated His goodness!

Dear Family, Friends, Brothers & Sisters in Christ

By Keith McFarland, NHICF Principal, Staff since 2004

Transformation. It is an incredible word. The Greek meaning is more like metamorphosis- the complete change of form or character. This is the heart of the Institute of Childcare and Family- New Hope’s twenty week course designed to equip men and women for effective ministry to the fatherless around the world. It is a true “journey of transformation and relationship” that goes deep into the heart in the context of the community of believers gathered here. Over the past TEN years, NHICF has gone through its own transformation, even as it has been used as God’s vessel of transformation in the lives, marriages, families and ministries of hundreds of God’s people from around Uganda and the world.

On September 22^nd over 150 graduates of the Institute gathered together to celebrate God’s work in their lives and ministries and to give thanks to God for the work of the Institute over the past 10 years. Testimonies were sweet, as was the time for re-connecting and refreshment in God’s Word. The messages sought to re-kindle passionate pursuit of Jesus and the living out of His transformation through lives that radically impact other people, children, and ministries.

Ten years ago Laura Beth and I were a part of the very first class. Newly married, we were trying to figure out life and ministry together. In many ways I was still a boy trying to figure out what it means to be a man, how to lead the gift of a wife God had given me, and how to effectively minister to at-risk children. In the twenty weeks of the Institute God called me into manhood, grounded our marriage and family, and equipped us for living fruitful lives of ministry in any context. We were transformed. And we are still being transformed.

Over the past ten years we have watched our amazing Father God transform the Institute as He has taken us deeper into the life-transforming power of the Gospel. We have gone deeper in worldview and our cultures’ impact on all areas of life, idols and the wounds of the heart, the Glory of God and a true God-centered worldview, the orphan heart and the Fatherhood of God, the Gospel and spiritual adoption, manhood and womanhood, singleness, marriage and family, parenting and shepherding the hearts of our children, suffering and the Gospel, biblical counseling, the storyline of Scripture, bible interpretation and application, Christian education, and more.

Over these ten years we have had the joy of watching the spiritual and physical fatherless come into intimate relationship with God as their Father. We have witnessed hard and wounded hearts be confronted, redeemed and set free. We have seen men and women come into a secure identity as men and women of God. We have watched struggling and broken marriages find new foundations, new life, and new intimacy. We have witnessed men and women gain confidence in the Word of God and their ability to teach it to others and minister to those in need. And we have seen ministries transformed through the lives of these men and women living out the Gospel in their ministry context.

These ten years have witnessed us train 165 of our own STAFF from over twenty different tribes and all together over 300 men and women from 15 other nations.  The Institute is impacting local churches through its Pastoral Training Institute- serving as God’s vessel of transformation and equipping for local pastors, their families and churches. The Institute is also being lived out and offered in Kenya and India through former students who own the heart and vision and desire to see others experience Gospel-transformation.

Yet this is just the beginning. As God expands the reach of the Institute beyond Uganda, beyond Kenya and India, we are anticipating more Institutes in more countries, both for the building up of ministries to the fatherless and for the building up of Jesus’ Church around the world. Transformation. We like that word. Feel free to come and join us on this journey.

Read a Student Testimonial

Read Additional Student Testimonials

Over 700 of us celebrated the marriage of Medie and Eva. Both grew up here as New Hope children and both came back to work here as New Hope staff. The entire New Hope family spent much time in preparation for this wonderful day and the day itself was an incredible celebration of God’s goodness.

By Constance Dobbs, Staff since 2003

When we planned to bring children to Kobwin we also had to think of how we would structure our sponsorship program.  This was a very different group of children from very different experiences – at least half had been abducted by Kony’s rebels and forced to become child soldiers.  The others had experienced tremendous traumas of their own due to the rebels ‘activities’ in their home area of Amuria, which is a three hour drive, northeast of Kobwin.

The biggest question was whether to make sponsorship  at Kobwin relational or non-relational and it was decided, from the beginning that it should be non- relational.  Non-relational means that there is no written communication, no gifts sent that are separate form the monthly sponsorship donation, and the children do not know of these sponsors. But, we do ask that the sponsor pray for the child and we do send several updates a year to guide the sponsor’s prayerfulness.  And thanks be to God, many of these ‘non-relational’ sponsors take this intercessory role very seriously!

Since the beginning  as I saw these children arrive on the back of a lorry with a small, black plastic bag of belongings clutched to their chests, these children have openly expressed thankfulness to God for what He has done. They have been thankful for God bringing them to Kobwin, for how He provides for them, and for the people He brings to visit and pour into their lives.  These children know that it is their heavenly Father who provides for them. They thank God that he uses New Hope Uganda to bring this provision into their lives.

Sponsorship is not a new idea to Uganda or Africa at large. ‘If you have a sponsor you have it made’, is often the mind-set.  So, to break this mold of a person (sponsor) being your provider to understanding God the Father as your provider is monumental. We praise God that it has happened and continues to happen at Kobwin. We are very careful about how the children receive what they receive – that they do not see it coming from a person in particular.  They all receive what they need but not all receive at the same time. Just how our Father meets individual needs, their needs are met as they arise, as is possible.

If you are visiting and you ask one of the children, who gave you those shoes or where did you get that backpack?  They likely will say, “God provided it – we all got one.”  Or maybe, “I had been needing shoes, many of us had, and one day, Uncle said,  ‘God has provided’ and many of us –those who needed, were given shoes. God is so good to us in this place!”

God has provided us with a very unique sponsorship scheme in Kobwin, maybe you would like to join the family of silent ‘donors’, silent intercessors?

If you would like to sponsor a Kobwin child, please contact  our sponsorship office.

If you would like to promote New Hope sponsorship at your church, place of work, or among other groups you associate with, please contact our sponsorship office and we will get you the information  you need.