January 2025

Christmas is one of my favorite times of the year. It is so festive and full of joy and fun for many people, especially the children. I am so thankful to our God for sending His only son to come and be born in order to live and die on a cross for us, and to live again, so that we may have a relationship with Him and live eternally one day in His Kingdom for all who believe.

We celebrated Christmas with a big Christmas party, the largest we have had yet, with over 3,000 sponsored and community children. We again had the help of Jesus Legacy, a group of young people reaching their country for Christ. We had 83 youth give their lives to Christ that day and a week later, in Sunday school, we had another 55 children/youth give their lives to Christ. We are seizing the opportunity and have begun discipleship classes with them already. We are so excited to see God working in the community. There was good food, cake and candy for all the children and lots of fun too.

We also had a good Christmas at the Bear Valley Children’s Home and sharing of what the true meaning of Christmas is. The children love the story of Jesus’ birth and learning more about their Father in Heaven and His son, Jesus Christ.

A New Year for Sponsorship

We began the month of January with a Parent/Guardians Seminar. We have this each year to touch base with the parents and guardians of the children who are sponsored. There are always things to talk about, not to mention a chance to share the gospel. This is a chance to learn about how the kids are living at

home and the problems they are going through, what needs discipline and a way to encourage them. It is also a way for us to bond in a partnership with the parents so they feel like they are contributing to the child’s welfare too. We let them know how they can help us by providing certain things, as we provide for the school fees and some basic needs and nutrition. We let them know their part of helping and what they can do. We are thankful for all that God does for these young ones and the impact it has on the entire families. We give praise and thanks to the Lord for all the committed sponsors that we have. May the Lord bless each and every one of you.

Raymie

Katherine, Laura & Baby Asa

Please Consider Us!

Does your family have a family foundation or do you know people at a foundation that might consider a financial gift to Hines Ugandan Ministries? It would be a blessing to us to have you advocate for us to receive foundation funding. Please contact Barb at barb@hineskids.org or call us at 303-847-9522.

The icing on our Christmas season was the addition of many babies born in December. Our dear missionary, Laura, and her husband Godfrey, now have a little boy named Asa. He is so, so cute. I get to be a Jjajja (grandma) and it is exciting. Several other babies were born to grown up and married children from my home. There was a wedding as well!

I so enjoy all of the children in my home, knowing they all come from very difficult situations. Two such children are a brother and sister, Morgan, now 20, and Michelle, age 15. Eight years ago, on the day after Christmas, a pastor friend of ours from nearby Mbale, came to us with these two children whose ill mother had been evicted from their rented home after their father passed away. The family was living on the streets and their mother could not care for them. Morgan and Michelle were not in good shape and they were frightened when they first came to our home.

After some time, food and love they settled in and we took them to our Genesis Primary School. They did well with Morgan finishing with top grades and Michelle just finishing at Genesis with top grades as well. Both are now in high school and we give thanks to God for making it possible for us to help these children grow into young people that love the Lord and have hope for a meaningful future. They do not forget where they came from and the days of sleeping on the streets of Mbale, and they are thankful to have a loving home. We thank you again and again, and we thank God! Love you all and God bless, Katherine

A Special Request

After 24 faithful years, my car here in Uganda is now dead and the time has come to invest in a new long term vehicle. This gently used vehicle will hopefully serve our Children's Home and our entire ministry for another 24 or more years, Lord willing! Thank you in advance for your faithful prayer and giving. Katherine

Help with Katherines new wheels here!