March 2014 Updates
Updates Updates Updates
No I have not fallen off the face of the earth. I did however fall madly in love with my granddaughter. I have spent the last few weeks in New Bern North Carolina. God is so amazing and allowed me to hang out with my daughter and her family and just soak up being a grandma. Who knew how special that bond between a grandchild and grandma is, we were able to play and get into good trouble. We snuggled and laughed and played like I was a child again. I think grandchildren give you back your youth, not steel it and make you feel old. If you all know Kiesha and her silliness then you can just imagine the fun her daughter Ryland is. I laughed so much and smiled more than I have in a long time. My soul and liver are doing very well. (Known fact when you laugh you are exercising your liver)It was so hard to leave them, but I know that in a few short weeks I will be able to spend more time with them and welcome into the world grandbaby #2 Anatella Stallings.
The Pearl Ministry- partnerships
While I was in New Bern I visited a friend of a friend and was introduced to an amazing ministry. Right now they are called the Pearl Ministry, but are in the process of changing the name because they are expanding and God is taking them to all nations to work with girls who have been sexually exploited and trafficked. www.pearlministry.com It is wonderful they have been making bracelets that have a pearl on them. By purchasing a bracelet you get one and then another one is made and given to a girl who has been trafficked. eTh With your bracelet you get a card that explains to her why the pearl and in this card you get to write a word of encouragement to this girl that they are giving the bracelet to. They have been using them as a means of ministry and going into the strip clubs of Myrtle Beach, they are also working with an ex prostitute in Athens Greece who is using them as she goes into clubs and strip clubs and areas were girls are, they are also on their way to the Philippians parents of a girl who is on the world race took some with them as they meet up w/ there daughter and will be going into clubs passing them out to the girls there.
I am so excited about this partnership for 2 reasons. I have been given a few bracelets to sell and the proceeds made go to my funding and then when I return to Uganda I can give them to girls either ones at the center or as a means to witness to other girls in Uganda. I am also hoping that we can partner as a business in Uganda and allow Rahab Uganda and the girls I work with to make the bracelets. This will provide an income for the girls, how exciting is this. God took me to New Bern NC. He is amazing and works even when we are on vacation. Praise him. I have 11 bracelets left so please connect with me. Suggested donation is 35.00 and all funding goes to my sending agency so it is tax deductible.
Here is what the Card says inside
Why the Pearl
There is no place too far away and nothing too dark for God's love. You are cherished and precious in His sight. Like a pearl, you are a precious gem. A pearl, which is the only precious gem that is formed by a living organism, is found at the bottom of the ocean. Because a piece of grit has placed itself into an oyster shell, a pearl is formed.
Imagine the oyster shell as the Hands of God. Through prayer, you can place the hurt and dirt in your life into God's loving hands. Just as the oyster shell covers the "grit" and turns it into a pearl....Jesus can also turn your pain into a pearl. When we choose to place the hurt and dirt of our lives in the loving hands of Jesus, He promises to heal our physical and emotional pain because of the completed work of the Cross. His blood covers all our sin. We are made into a new creation the.....Pearl of Great Price.
Each time you wear this bracelet, be reminded of Christ’s redemptive love and your new identity in him.
Amos update
We are still working at raising funds to support getting him another bike. He had returned to his village to attend to his farming. He planted maze, a drought came and he lost the whole crop. I just ask that you lift up this young man who was working so hard to make a better future for himself. Pray that he will be blessed and that something will open up and that he can keep the strength to keep going while he regroups. I know that when I get back or sooner I will be able to supply him a new bike so he can get back on his feet. We currently have 300.00 saved. I want to tell you how strongly I feel about helping this young man. He never once asked me for anything he has only told me his story about the bike he never asked me to bail him out. He is one young man who was working very hard and doing the right things and preparing for his future he is very hard working and never works on Sundays he believed in giving that day to God. I know that this is hard for him he was so proud of himself and things were going so well. We can never explain why curtain things happen to people, but what I can say is we can make a small difference in his life.
News from Uganda:
The 16 week business class had graduated 10 girls and out of those we 2 girls who started their own shops and are up and running. Doreen is selling towels and Natasha has her own little non perishable goods store. 2 other girls are in the process of finalizing getting their products together and will be starting their shops any day. One of our ladies has a baby during the process but should be opening up as soon as she can. 2 other girls have opted not to start businesses. The others I will find out there progress as I learn. I believe that they already had small businesses and were waiting for the micro financing to help them grow. I am so proud of them.
At the drop in Center we had 12 or more girls graduate from the vocational skills class of hair dressing. This is exciting because many of them can work from their homes and know have a skill to use to make money. All the girls who were in school at the home have moved on to the next level of school we were able to get a few more girls into school this semester so I believe we are at about 21 girls in school. One girl did not go on, but will be going into a vocational school program. We are so pleased for all the girls. I am not one to typically use numbers but that is 43 girls lives who have been impacted at some level to show them they are daughters of the King and who have received a bit of Love from this amazing group of people who see that by giving a little it makes a difference in the life of someone
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Prayer requests
I will be traveling to New Bern again and we will have an opportunity on April 11,12th to have a prayer breakfast with senators and congressman and then later that morning pray in front of the Capital building in Raighley NC. May we be able to praise and worship our Lord that day and that hearts and doors are opened wide on awareness. I pray for radical things to happen with the presence of the Holy Spirit, that we see Gods hands in every part of what we are doing.
I pray for my daughter and the delivery of Anatella. I pray for her husband and Ryland my granddaughter who is 13 months old, it will be big changes.
I pray for my team in Uganda and one of the staff members Sarah (not me) is out for maternity leave she had a healthy little girl. I pray for the girls who we work with and for those we are not yet connected to, may we be a beacon of light so bright that it’s blinding love that we give. That God is our main focus and that we give LOVE like our father has asked us to give. With him all things are possible so let’s make it possible for those who are broken.
Financial updates
Please remember that in order for me to return to Uganda I need financial partners who would be willing to come along side of me monthly. I am getting close to my departure date of September 30th but sooner if I get fully funded. I am still in need of 1600.00 in monthly support. Prayerfully consider your financial partnership because with your monthly donations I can effectively change the lives of girls in Uganda. www.cten.org/sarahmiles
