Wednesday, July 29, 2015

WE HAVE REACH OUR GOAL!


THANKS TO EVERYONE FOR YOUR SUPPORT! 

I am pleased to announce that we have reached our goal of raising $125,000 for the Ugandan Dream!  Praise the Lord!  Each donation has provided the way for the children’s dreams to become a reality!  

I was with Carol John in Maryland when we began to add up the donations given this week.  Here is a testimony from Carol on that moment we discovered that we reached our goal...

A word from Carol John, Treasurer for Raining Hope: 
“I remember where we were.  We were in the family room.  It was only a few minutes after midnight when my email notified me of the now infamous over-the-top gift.  We had just received notification from Heather of all the checks she was going to deposit.  And we quickly added them up.  Different sources, different soon-to-be-deposited amounts - first doing the math in our heads, then writing it all down quickly on scratch paper.  Anticipation… adding… and YES we had made it!  $125,050.00!!  Praise God.  We celebrated with Peanut M&Ms!  Happy and stunned all at once.  I can’t tell you how special it was for it to happen while we were together.  How good of God to let us share it.  I won’t forget this moment.”

I called Godfrey right away to let him know that we reached our goal!  Most of the children had already left for school.  But Godfrey was speechless with the great news!  Here are a few words from Godfrey, Fred & Joan who sent me an email after we talked on the phone... 

“Praise the Lord so much!  Hallelujah to the King of Kings!  I am so excited to hear the good news in the morning about the successful raising of the money for the house.  How great is our God!  Jeremiah 29:11!  (Fred) 

“It was great joy when our Mama Kisakye called and broke the news that all the house balance has been received.  We believe in much more great things at “The Palace” and continuing in God’s service as our spiritual lives are nurtured and we believe we will achieve our dreams.”  (Joan - older) 

“To hear the news this morning...it came as drops of rain to a dry ground to hear about the balance for the new house being paid off from you this morning.  It is amazing what God can do when we trust Him.  Your call changed the course of my day!  When you were here, you used the phrase, ‘I do not know how to feel right now,’ after you visited the home for the first time.  This is the same feeling I have right now.” (Godfrey) 

“Ask the Lord for rain in the spring, for he makes the storm clouds. And he will send showers of rain so every field becomes a lush pasture.”  Zechariah 10:1

Then later that day, all the children came home from school.  Godfrey told me that he led their nightly devotion time, then broke the news!   He said that they were SO EXCITED! They spent time praising the Lord and thanking Him for answering prayer.  Then they called...

This is Carol’s account of the phone call...
“I remember where we were when Godfrey and the kids called you.  We were in the van in a parking structure when the phone rang.  As you put the phone in speaker mode I could hear cheering, singing, and several voices saying, “I love you, Mum!”  When they started singing praises to Jesus, you melted.  What a privilege to be with you at that special, personal time.  I won’t forget that moment.”

The kids began singing, “Oh, He loves us, oh, how he loves us, oh, how He loves.”  Then they broke out in “I have a joy, joy, joy, joy down in my heart, down in my heart!”  That moment will forever be etched in my heart! 

Carol remembers all the way back when we won the bid on the house.  “In that moment I realized deep inside me that it was happening.  That God was about to do something amazing, and I was going to witness it.  He wanted us to have the house! I won’t forget that moment.”

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”  Jeremiah 29:11

It doesn’t stop here!   We are still receiving donations!   As you saw in the last special update, the cost for the renovations will be close to $15,000.  The money we are continuing to receive will be used towards the needed renovations.  

Here is where funds that are over and above the goal will be used: 
Roof for the main house  - $4,270 
Perimeter wall - $2,340 
Main gate - New $1,220 
Boy’s Quarters - $1,470 
(This is to finish the half of the house that is incomplete) 
Electrical needs - $962 
Plumbing - $2,742 
Labor - plumbing $548
Septic Tank - $678 
Total - $14,232

If you would like to continue to help with the Ugandan Dream, you can make donations on our regular website - www.raininghope.org  .  We will continue to post updates on the progress of the renovations!

So for tonight, I want to express my gratitude to all of you for your prayers and support since the launch on November 9, 2014.  No matter where you are when you receive this news,  please join us as we celebrate & praise the Lord together!  He has done what only He can do!  He receives all the glory!  

“Praise him for his mighty deeds;  praise him according to his excellent greatness!” 
Psalm 150:2 

Hallelujah! 
mama eydie kisakye! 

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