Return Monthly Update

A message from Pastor Sam

Greetings in the Lord’s name, Receive love and thanks from Return ministries International (RMI) for all your efforts to support and facilitate the work we do among those in need. It is a valuable effort and my wife and I who lead this ministry with the support of the BOD and the staff; we do not stop to prayerfully think of each one of you. RMI would like to bring to your attention an urgent need that requires your prayerful support and practical response as the Lord shall lead you. These are totally understandable hard times financially and it has indeed hit the work of the gospel here to the core and has affected us in various ways. RMI is experiencing a burden of a shortfall in the finance and cash flow which in a way has halted the smooth flow of the programs and the administration’s tasks in general since the beginning of 2016. The available monthly income right now meets minimal basic demands like rent, feeding, few school dues for some children, health and few administrative costs that fit within our range.

Among others, the short fall of $5359 monthly has been caused by the following reasons

• The increased cost of living in Uganda which has witnessed a sharp increase in the prices of almost everything you could think about in our national economy that heavily depend on imports, forex rates and forces of demand and supply. That is when living in a free market economy and a cash based country becomes a hungry predator to the impoverished.
• The unstable forex rates which keep fluctuating yet the funds from the Sponsors remain the same. In a day, the USD changes from one rate to another almost every hour and so forex losses at every cash withdraw is inevitable yet the cost of things on the market are not changing at the same rate.
• Increased cost of Education services including school requirements and tuition fees which take a lion’s share from the monthly income pot.
• 51% of our sponsors in the US have resigned over the past two years

The impact from this shortfall reality is that:

• Some of our children who have lost sponsors and the children who have moved to high levels of educations which dictate the increase in fees and other basic needs are not able to go to school because we can’t meet their school fees and requirement needs.
• All the children at RMI are handled as a family and therefore we struggle when some of the children have to stay home while others who have sponsors are going to school.
• The shortfall has somewhat caused us a habit of ‘’borrowing from Paul to pay Peter’’ and that exercise is not right, but yet not avoidable because of the emergency situation we find ourselves in.
• The feeding of the children has been a little compromised due to the increase on the cost of buying and preparing food for all our supported children and the care staff. This affects the education of the children who are able to attend school, because without appropriate nutrition they are not able to concentrate in school
• Salaries and wages of the staff are in arrears due to the fact that the priorities of both Education and feeding are taking as huge chunk of the monthly income. Many of our staff have been working for several months without a salary.

Solutions to the shortfall

• To vigorously recruit for more sponsors in our new sponsorship program with Hope Graffed In
• To appeal to the sponsors we have resigned in the past years to return once again to supporting our ministry through sponsoring a new child.
• To appeal to generous individuals to help us with a bailout from the shortfall burden immediately with a larger gift to cover the $5459 monthly shortfall, with the hope that our consistent monthly income will increase to meet the shortfall.

Please pray with us for these things and share them with your friends. If you are able to give financially, we thank you.

Thank you for your gift.

Sponsorship

These are 18 of the 300 children that need a sponsor. We have identified this group as the most in need. When they are sponsored we will add more profiles to the program.

Despite the challenge we are facing we have Held our peace.On the other side of the coin there is joy and hope in the Lord. He has been faithful and he is still faithful. There several things to thank God for this past month as we wait for new answers of blessings ahead.

Pastor and his family

I was able to take 1 1/2 days rest this month. As the pastor and the team leader stress is part and parcel of the game, After a health breakdown for about 2 years, I have learned to manage my stress levels in order to keep Myself, family and ministry healthy. I have learned a skill of running away and hide in the bushes or at lake side on the green pastures to have my soul restored. We had a one and half days away from ministry with my wife and kids just to sleep ,eat and talk. It was refreshing, we don’t usually do this, but for the good of every one I have to do it either willingly or by force . Please if you a well wisher and you love us hold me accountable on this.

Achievements (We give all glory to God.)

• Surgery for Sophia Mirembe: One of our sponsored child Sophia had a safe successful surgery. She was battling with Hernia. The lord provided all the funds needed. Thank you friends to Sophia who supported financially. She has recovered and is healthy, running up and down.

  

• Planning workshop: We have had a wonderful time building systems for the ministry with our Board of Directors. And we have made a lot of progress. We believe this foundation we are setting up is going to enable to the ministry to grow.

  

• The church: is reaching more to the community, with message of Jesus Christ, who is the reason behind all we do. Our children are growing in the Lord and committed to serve in various capacities of the ministry.

  

• Sustainability Projects: So far the rabbit farm is gradually taking shape, we hope it will benefit the kids home in the nearby future in terms of income and life skills to the children,as they learn to work with their hands which instills a sense of responsibility in their heart.

  

• New sponsors: We have got got 2 new children sponsors this past month, we are thankful to the Lord for their commitment to partner with us to build lives.

Prayer Requests