Prayer Answers

• Thank you so much to everyone who committed to pray for our NGO registration papers. Biojemmss’ NGO certificate has been renewed for a three year period!
• Thank you to those who prayed for the two newest members of the family: Trust and Frances. Both are doing exceptionally well in school, and Trust already being moved up a year because of his achievements and capability.
• Thank you also to those who prayed during the Christmas period while Sian was out in Uganda.

Prayer Points

• Biojemmss has recently taken on a new female worker. Getting reliable, trustworthy workers has been difficult and Biojemmss has seen a number of female workers come and go in the past year. The desire is to employ one permanent female worker to attend to the young girls in the home, and look after the younger children who are day schooling. It is critical that the seed they are sowing is good, and one of love and care. Please pray that this appointment goes well and this ongoing concern is resolved.
• The young people have just sat their mid-year exams before returning home for the post-Easter period. Please pray for their wellbeing as this has been a stressful time for them. Please also pray that they have opportunity for bible study and fellowship together in their busy schedule. Although many of the older ones are in boarding school, they commit to meet together during the week to share and support each other in faith as a family.
• Biojemmss continues to look at the future and expanding the ministry. For some time Biojemmss has been interested in purchasing a piece of land to build ministry buildings, as well as to start growing crops and keeping livestock keeping as part of a sustainable initiative. Please pray for wisdom and finances in this longer-term goal
• Biojemmss continues to try and build trust and partnerships within the local community. Please pray for favour in the community and with people in positions of authority in Rukungiri, and Kampala.

Let us be excited about what this New Year has in store for Biojemmss!

First though, let me provide a little report on the happenings at the end of last year.

Christmas Period

Christmas Presents Donated to Biojemmss

Sian took her annual leave all in one go this Christmas and New Year to be out with the family for the festive season. Sian spent a great deal of time preparing for her visit, including planning and taking out games and activities which produced some hilarious photos! The Biojemmss family also did a bible series on The Father’s Embrace, care of Ellel Ministries, and had one-on-one prayer time. Christmas Day was an event! With a goat and 8 chickens to prepare, everyone chipped in to get things ready….the first one up at 4am!! Sian even managed to take pasta, chocolate, spices and a whole plethora of treats for everyone to enjoy. The home was decorated for the Christmas season, with a small Christmas tree and lights and hanging decorations. The young people even had a visit from Father Christmas this year with stockings on their beds! This was a really special time of just being together as a family.

Holiday Visitors

Biojemmss was privileged to welcome a number of visitors this Christmas including David and Bobbie Tinnion from Elim International Missions:

Bobbie, Bright, Sian & David

“God has called us to who are called to EQUIP, ENCOURAGE & ENABLE church leaders throughout the nations and this we endeavoured to do whilst visiting Sian at BIOJEMMSS. We enjoyed being with the young people at BIOJEMMSS but our main focus was to bring strength, encouragement and help to Sian as a leader of the Biojemmss ministry. It was thrilling to see what Sian had achieved and we hope that we can continue to resource BIOJEMMSS by introducing Sian to those who may be able to help her.”
David and Bobbie

Biojemmss was also visited by Jimmie King, a good friend of Biojemmss and a producer on Uganda’s national TV network.
This was a fantastic opportunity for fellowship, and was really encouraging both to Sian and to the young people.

Boxing Day

Sadam on the Boating Trip

To top off an incredible Christmas day, Biojemmss had a family outing on Boxing Day. Bright managed to hire a matatu taxi and the family travelled one hour to a resort island called Mutuumo Island. Crossing over by boat, they spent the day playing football, volleyball and other sports. This was possible because of the donations some of you provided for the festive season, so a massive thank you especially to you! The day was also spent with a lot of plashing as many of the young people learnt to swim (not part of the Ugandan culture to learn). It’s fair to say they were a lot more confident getting into the boat on the way back!

Donations

Additional Suitcases!

Thanks to Sam Pritchard who works for British Airways, it was possible for Sian to carry out 10 extra suitcases filled with donations to Rukungiri. This was just incredible. These donations came in from far and wide. Included were new clothes, games, Christian literature, children’s books, footwear, a mini Christmas tree and lights etc! These donations, particularly the clothes, were used as Christmas gifts for the youth, and Christmas afternoon was a typical affair of endless family photos!

Member Highlights

Brenda, the five year old girl taken on by Biojemmss last summer, is doing really well and has grown so much! She successfully completed her first year at school and grown out of all her new clothes. Her English is also improving and she can now greet beautifully.

Biojemmss has two new members of the family;

New family member Trust with Micah

Trust, aged 5. Trust abandoned and living on the streets in a District near to Rukungiri. Trust came to Rukungiri when he was adopted by an elderly lady. She was already looking after her relatives’ children, many of whom had passed away from HIV, in poverty. Trust was unlikely to ever get an education and was severely malnourished. As he was not related to the family, the woman was looking for opportunities of where Trust could go. The Community Church in Rukungiri approached Biojemmss and we accepted to adopt Trust. Micah, who is particularly gifted with young children, has taken Trust under his wing and Trust is growing in confidence. He has settled in so well and he brings great character and laughter to the family.

Brenda and Frances

Frances, aged 10. Frances is the younger brother of one of our members, Otuke. Otuke shared an incredible testimony just a few months ago which Sian had the privilege of sharing at the Elim conference. Last year he was reunited with his relatives after a decade of being apart. Otuke had lived on the streets before being picked up by a children’s home in Kampala. On being re-united with his sister, Otuke discovered that his mum had passed away leaving his younger brother orphaned and without a secure place to live. Following discussions with Otuke, it was felt by Biojemmss to be appropriate to take Frances on.

Biojemmss is also eagerly awaiting the A-level results of 4 of its members in February. It is an incredible testimony that after all the hardship and difficulty over the years, another 4 have really made it! The members are still discussing what they are going to do during their vacation year, and in the years following. Biojemmss also welcomed Joseph home for Christmas who is continuing to do well in Kampala on his Engineering Diploma.

All the other members returned to school on the 30th January, ready for a new year and a new set of exams! Please pray for protection, good health and impeccable concentration!

Retail Shop

This business venture is plodding along but not yet making a substantial profit. As such Biojemmss is seeking to re-market the shop to boost sales. We are also looking into expanding into other enterprises over the coming months, so it is a very exciting time for us and we would appreciate your prayers, and any advice, in this area.

Paperwork and all the ‘boring but necessary’ stuff…

Biojemmss submitted its NGO renewal papers at Christmas time. Please pray for favour as they get processed. Due to changes in government legislation Biojemmss is also facing the task of amending parts of its constitution, which is potentially a very time-consuming task. Sian is also expecting an outcome for her work visa over these coming months, so again please pray for favour in that situation.

Biojemmss UK

The Biojemmss UK team is steadily expanding. We are holding a Biojemmss day in March where we will review the progress of the team this side, and look to expand and develop Biojemmss’ strengths in the UK. We are always looking for suitable team members, so if you feel that this is something that you would like to be a part if, then please see the contact details at the end of the newsletter. As I’m sure you can imagine, we need money in order to keep the Biojemmss family going. If you have any fundraising ideas, we would love for you to get involved in that way too. There are so many innovative ways to raise funds, so get your thinking caps on! Again, there will be contact details at the end of this newsletter. Thank you to all of you who have fundraised for us so far; your money has helped us feed, clothe and educate some incredible young people. They are the future, and we are so excited to watch them grow through your generosity. Thank you.
Spread the word, talk about us, help us grow and pray for us.

A Message From Bright, Micah, Sian and all the staff…

Biojemmss management would just like to thank everyone who supports Biojemmss for their on-going care, contact, love and prayers. It is incredibly encouraging for all of us to know that, as Mukasa likes to say, there is a ‘cloud of people behind us’. May God bless you all.

Sponsorship Information

All gifts towards our ministry should be marked ‘Biojemmss’ on the back and sent to:

Elim International Missions
Elim International Centre
De Walden Road
West Malvern
WR14 4DF

Charity No.: 251549 (England & Wales), SC037754 (Scotland)

(Cheques need to be made payable to Elim International Missions). If you would like to set up a regular donation, please contact:
missions@elimhq.net

Thank you.

God Bless,

Charmian Eamus
Biojemmss Bulletin Writer

Biojemmss Life

The Rukungiri-based Family home is still bubbling with life. The young people are currently preparing for the final exams of this academic year. Bright and Micah, despite both suffering ill health this semester, are working hard and the home is blossoming under their care and leadership. During the holidays, the young people have been active with dancing and drama, and enjoyed daily Bible devotions and worship within the home. The young people continue to attend the churches of their choice in the community, and many of them have been able to participate in church conferences and camps this year.

Brenda (aged 5) on school visiting day

Readers may remember that last summer Biojemmss adopted 5 year old Brenda. Brenda has settled to Biojemmss life well and is now very much healthy and grown! Biojemmss is expecting to expand again this Christmas with the arrival of a 5 year old boy, and have interviewed and taken on a new female staff member in response to the growing need (more info to follow).

As for the UK, Sian Davies, Biojemmss Director, has been touring the UK giving a series of talks at various churches and conferences, including at Elim festival and Elim conference. It is through these events that more people are coming to hear of the amazing work of Biojemmss, providing opportunity for people to be inspired, get involved, and to be a part of what God is doing in Uganda. Biojemmss is dependent on this growing support for future growth and development. Sian continues to work full-time as a Social Worker to financially support herself as she serves in Biojemmss. The level of care and dedication within the Biojemmss leadership is second to none, and this is apparent through Sian’s enthusiasm, hard-work and compassion.

Biojemmss Shop and Poultry Business

I spoke about the plans for a Biojemmss Retail Shop in my last bulletin. The purpose of the shop would be not only to teach the youth how to run a business, but also to help fund the project. At Christmas the shop was just an idea. It is now very much a fully functioning reality. We would like to say thank to all who donated towards this, your generosity has made a significant impact.
It is encouraging to see the Biojemmss objectives being achieved! It stirs up a steely determination within Biojemmss to power forward and be an example to other organisations.
Last month the shop did particularly well and so we are looking to re-invest in more stock. Due to the success of this business venture we have taken on a full-time worker to manage it. We are looking to expand this venture by developing it into a wholesale shop once funds are secured. The youth are enjoying being involved with the management of the shop, and have taken real ownership of it.

We are also looking to start up a poultry business in Uganda’s capital, Kampala. This is to be run by four of our young people as a gap year project. They will save and use the profit to contribute towards their University fees. Along with the retail shop, this will be a great opportunity for them to learn independence and business skills. The poultry business will also give them a sense of pride and achievement as they will be able to contribute significantly to their own higher education. These kinds of opportunities will help develop character and independence, and therefore support the youth to successfully transition into adulthood.

Newly Opened Biojemmss Shop

Restaurant Business

Biojemmss intends to support every young person to successfully transition into adulthood and independent living. This comes under our objective “to create opportunities and facilitate activities that promote the children’s physical, emotional, intellectual and social growth”. Isaac was the first young person to be in a position to leave the Biojemmss Home. Plans had been ongoing for over a year to ensure this was a managed and fully supported move. Isaac decided on and wrote a proposal for a Restaurant business. With Biojemmss’ financial support and ongoing guidance, he has been able to successfully establish a restaurant in his home town in Lira. Bright recently went to see him and reports that he is happy and doing really well. Isaac communicated that he has also decided to work with disadvantaged children in Lira, the details of which he will be sharing with everyone when he returns home to Rukungiri for Christmas.

Isaac's shop in Lira

The Biojemmss Land Project

As mentioned in the previous newsletter we are looking to buy land in order to build a new, larger home and have land for crops etc. This is an on-going project, and one for which we would appreciate prayers. We are continuing to raise the money to buy the land. If you want to give a financial donation towards the land, please fill out the normal donation form and indicate on it that it is for the Biojemmss land project.

The land is going to take Biojemmss forward in a new and exciting way. At the moment we are reliant on renting to provide accommodation to the youth and staff on site. Although we are incredibly grateful for this wonderful home, we aim to have our own home on our own land. This will have several advantages. The project will still be based in Rukungiri as we believe that we can make a significant difference to the local community. The new site will be a home for the youth and staff, also be used as ministry buildings to serve and reach out to the local community. The land will also be used for agricultural purposes, which will allow us to be more self-sufficient, and will provide produce to sell in the Biojemmss shops. This will bring our overheads down and ensure the youth have a healthy and balanced diet.

Our plans for the future will allow us to serve and reach so many disadvantaged and lost people in Rukungiri, and in Uganda as a whole. We would love you and your local church to join in and get involved with us! If you can commit to just one fundraising event, a coffee morning, a sponsored marathon, it will make such a huge difference. It will help us to continue supporting the young people, and also enable us to reach others. You may only be able to do a little, but your little will do so much.

The Coming Months

This Christmas, if all goes to plan, will see the arrival of a new child in Biojemmss. This is an interesting time for us as we grow and expand. We have also taken on new members of staff in Uganda, and the UK based team is growing. The faster we grow in Uganda, the bigger and more expansive the UK team needs to become. There are many areas of service within the team, including book keeping, media etc. If you have a skill that you would like to offer Biojemmss, please find details at the end of this newsletter. If you feel that you would like to get involved, this is a commitment to be taken seriously!

Want to Help?

Without monthly donations it is very hard for us to set a budget to work to. We are very blessed in that the youth have never gone without, but there is still a desperate need for more people to commit to supporting us by way of monthly donations. If this is something that you are able to do there are forms that you can fill out on the website and send.

If you cannot commit to donating monthly, there are so many ways that you can serve Biojemmss. If you have a skill you can use to support us, or if you can connect us with a company or another organisation, please contact us at info@biojemmss.co.uk. We are currently looking for ways to send items out to Uganda. Due to new shipping laws, the price to get items out to the children has doubled, making it harder than ever to bless them with the donations of clothes and electrical items that we receive from you all. If this is an area that you can help us with, please do contact us and let us know, Thank you.

Sian Davies, Biojemmss’ Director, will be spending time at the project this coming Christmas. As it will be the festive season, we would love to be able to bless the youth with gifts. If you would like to donate financially towards these gifts, or a Christmas meal, please contact info@biojemmss.co.uk.

Thank you for your continued support and for taking an interest in the Biojemmss youth. I hope that at some point you will get a chance to meet the youth for yourselves and experience all the love that they have to offer.

God Bless,

Charmian Eamus
Biojemmss Bulletin Writer

Joel putting up Christmas Decorations on Christmas Eve