SOS

An Interview with SOS Uganda Senior Leadership - Solomon & Jacky Kavuma

by Danielle Hurley

Solomon and Jacky Kavuma are both Ugandan SOS senior staff members. Solomon, previously a high school teacher and administrator, has served as the Headmaster for Legacy Christian Academy since 2012. Jacky, a former accountant for a company in Kampala, has served as the Finance and Administration Manager for SOS since 2009. They are both known for their contagious laughter (Solomon with his bellow, and Jacky and her giggles). But they haven't always been so joyful. Solomon grew up with an Anglican father and a Catholic mother and tried to please them both by participating in both religions. He describes himself as "confused." He continues, "Then I married a Pentecostal wife!" Jacky wasn't always Pentecostal. She grew up in a staunch Catholic home, attended a convent school, and even aspired to be a nun! (Solomon is grateful those plans didn't succeed!) But in university (where she met Solomon), Jacky met a Pentecostal friend who invited her to church and encouraged her to read the Bible for herself instead of waiting to hear it at church. Jacky recognizes God's providential care even then as He was carefully preparing the soil of their hearts for the gospel they would eventually hear many years later at SOS. Jacky realizes, "If we hadn't come into the Pentecostal church, then I don't think when Shannon talked to us about reading the Bible and studying the Word it would have entered at all into our lives because Catholics don't read the Bible; you just go to church and that is it."

Though they both attended a Pentecostal church in Kampala, they never heard the true gospel or realized they were sinners. Then one day in 2009, when Solomon (with Jacky) made a routine visit to his students' homes, he drove up to Sufficiency of Scripture Ministries in Kubamitwe. He had expected to simply arrive at a local home and was surprised to find himself at an organization in the middle of a rural village. Solomon proceeded to meet his students' caregivers, Shannon and I. Shortly after small talk, Shannon dove into their background and gave them his book, Quest for Truth. Solomon describes the impact of Quest for Truth

: "Understanding what sin is about, it really opened our eyes to really know that sin can control you and it is hard for you to run away from it. ...This was the first time we understood the wrath of God and how we were saved from that, seeing it as a clear picture and how Christ really died for me, knowing there is nothing that I can do to save myself, but it was the blood of Christ. And it was only through Christ that we were able to get the grace of God, and knowing that the grace of God is just something I didn't work for, but the Lord just provided to us in our lives. He chose us! We didn't know what to do, but He loved us before we had given ourselves fully to him....Before (reading Quest for Truth), I used to just carry it (the Bible). I never had a pattern of being in the Word of God on a daily basis. I had never known that the righteousness of God was something He gave as a free gift....It is only through Jesus Christ. The new life that I live now is because of Jesus Christ who died on the cross. Quest for Truth changed our perspective! It removed the scales from our eyes! I never saw grace as a free gift of God. And now I say, 'Lord, thank you! We can't thank you enough!'"Jacky concurs that her life was changed after understanding the gospel through Quest for Truth, and that she has continued to grow through discipleship, Bible studies, and conferences.Solomon beams as he shares his excitement over the way the Lord has used so many people to build His kingdom here in a remote area in Kubamitwe. "Seeing the smiles on the kids and even the parents, in the community, the church-seeing the hope-that people are being fed on the right, true Word of God which is giving them hope. Many people have been transformed. Seeing them in that joy, the smile to rejoice in Christ!" Jacky adds, "It's amazing to see how God changes people! That transformation is from what God is doing. And when you see ladies coming to Bible studies when it is raining in a mud hut-that touches my heart. And we say, 'Our labor in the Lord is not in vain.'"Prayer Requests

Please pray for Solomon and Jacky as they continue to labor for the Lord here at SOS. Solomon requests prayer for:-Guidance as an administrator-The provision of a child to their family-Love his wife-Provision for SOS Ministries-Let Christ reign in our hearts in all thingsJacky requests prayer for:-To continue serving and loving-all to His glory, not to our own

‍Kubamite Marriage Retreat

by Damon Cupp

"I didn't realize how selfish I really am in my marriage," one man commented as we finished our very first marriage retreat. Another man said, "One thing that I learned was how much God values marriage." One of the great needs in this culture, second to salvation, is to see marriage as God sees it. One doesn't have to look far to find broken marriages and strained relationships...and that would be characteristic of one of the better marriages. This spring, Community Bible Church of Kubamitwe held its first marriage retreat, where we looked at how God views marriage and the roles and responsibilities of both the husband and wife in marriage. We had twenty-four couples attend the two-day event, and everyone left challenged and encouraged to honor God in his or her marriage. Please pray for the marriages at our church; God is working, but there is still much room for growth regarding marriage.

SOS Campus Master Plan & Fundraising Update

(this note was sent to all 1st Quarter 2015 donors; we've included it here as a blessing and update to all of our supporters)

Dear Friends,

Once again we marvel at God's abundant provision through friends like you. We know that many of you gave above and beyond your regular giving to contribute toward the Ministry Matching Grant for our Bible Training Center facilities and we want to say THANK YOU! We are pleased to announce that we received $735,000 toward our goal of $800,000! The graders have already come, walls to the offices are being raised, and we are well on our way to opening the doors to our first class of incoming pastors Lord-willing in 2017! Danielle and I are both speechless. There are days we walk around our SOS campus and tearfully contemplate how far God has brought us. There are so many memories as we look back and ask, How did we make it? For instance, I remember being without electricity and water and having to go down to the local bore hole to get bathing water for the 20+ people living with us. Or the years when my home was used as an office for 5 managers during the week and then on Sunday packed with 100 people for worship. These early days were crazy, but also incredibly good! Good because God was in them. He was giving us the needed strength. He was carrying us through. The words of Lamentations 3:19-23 come to mind, "Remember my affliction and my wandering, the wormwood and bitterness. Surely my soul remembers and is bowed down within me. This I recall to my mind, therefore I have hope. The Lord's loving kindnesses indeed never cease, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness." Therefore, on behalf of SOS, we want to use this thank you note to extol the lovingkindness and faithfulness of our God. We serve an incredible God, who cares for us (I Peter 5:7) and deserves to be exalted!

For the glory of our God,

Shannon and Danielle

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from the Executive Director - please continue to pray for SOS as the Lord continues to bless our labors and as we strive to keep up with ministry needs, ever dependent on the Lord's provision and mindful that this is His ministry. Over the next year we have plans to commence construction of the Pastoral Training Center, new missionary housing, new teacher housing, additional Legacy Uganda classroom block, an SOS Administration Building, an SOS Estate Department building and other necessary infrastructure to meet the growing needs of the ministry! Learn More, or you can Donate Now.

Yours in Christ,

Kevin Thomas

Executive Director, SOS USA/Canada

Kubamitwe United Soccer (Football) Update!

To keep all the football fans updated, the Kubamitwe United football team defeated Ggulama 5-0 and is heading to the semi-finals. Stay tuned for further details...or follow Elisa Hurley on Facebook..[update - Kubamitwe United is heading to the finals, winning 3-1]

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April 2015

SOS Ministries Updates