Ministry Update – Uplook Ministries (Jul 16, 2014)

Dear prayer investors

Our five-week “Read for Life” programs have wrapped up both at the Starkville Boys and Girls Club and at the Amory Community Center. The Lord has blessed in so many ways. My son David, who helped design the program with Mike Donahue, was able to track each child’s progress throughout the time. The directors of both groups were delighted to see the results. Some at the beginning could not even recognize the letters of the alphabet. But by the end, 100% of the children who participated through the whole five weeks all reached the Proficient or Advanced level.

Interestingly, the Amory director, while appreciating the progress in reading skills, said he most appreciated the advance in Bible knowledge. And we were delighted that four or five of the older children told us they had claimed Christ as their Savior. We are glad that there are serious believers in both locations who are eager to follow up with these who showed spiritual interest. Your prayers are greatly appreciated.

Another key development: one of the finest Bible teachers among the African-American churches in the area, a man highly respected across the state, has asked to meet with us. His children were in the program and he was greatly impressed with what they learned. He says there a 14 churches in his fellowship, and he thinks they all should be teaching this program. This would be a great help. If the preachers in the black churches would want to see this in all the communities across the state, how “the word of the Lord” would “run swiftly and be glorified” (2 Thess 3:1).
Today most of the team who faithfully worked with us once more boarded the Sprinter van. We headed off one last time to visit the children. Two cases of “King of Glory” had arrived from brother Paul Bramsen and we were able to present a copy to each child who had participated. It was great to see the kids again, and to see many of them stop their play to open their books and begin reading. How wonderful if their parent/guardian would begin to read to their children “words by which [they] and all [their] household will be saved” (Acts 11:14). After all, God loves to save whole families!

Two weeks ago I visited a small community called Crawford, near one of the high schools where I provide supplies regularly. They were having a fund raiser to build a small pavilion to encourage families to spend quality time together. I offered to the mayor that we would provide some of the lumber needed for the project. As we talked, I told him my heart’s desire was not only to see families strengthened in such communities, but to see the Word of God taught in such venues. “A man after my own heart,” he responded. He then asked me to come with him to meet someone.

I was introduced to Mrs. P., his vice-mayor. Turns out she is a school teacher from a neighboring county. She had started a reading program in the Crawford “city” hall, and had 53 children attending. She was helping the children with reading and math. Out of her own pocket she was also providing breakfast and lunch. But, as she explained to me, soon her resources were used up and, like Mother Hubbard, her cupboard was bare. After another breakfast of dry cereal (no milk) and a lunch of plain noodles, one child suggested they should talk to Jesus. Mrs. P. thought that was a great idea. All the children bowed in prayer and asked God to help them.

The next day, a Christian from 15 miles south of Crawford heard about the program and dropped in to see for himself. He was impressed with the memory verse time and devotional, every child having brought a Bible from home. “Would you let me provide the meals for the rest of the summer?” he asked. A few hours later, a large truck backed up to the door. The children watched, wide-eyed, as their answer to prayer was carried in—sweet potatoes, collard greens, chicken nuggets, hamburgers, hot dogs, fries, etc., etc.—to the bulging freezer. In fact someone had to bring in another freezer for the overflow. I commented to Mrs. P. that one truckload of prayer answers like that would be a greater faith builder than a hundred sermons on the subject. She agreed.

Mrs. P. welcomes our help. I was out with the team today, teaching a gospel song, telling the Good News, and providing “King of Glory” books for the families there as well. We are also providing snacks and school supplies for the upcoming year (school begins here in early August). An after-school program will continue at this location and we have been welcomed to give the gospel to the children. Another door the Lord has opened. But my desire is to help train some young African-American men in gospel work and see them reach their own people in venues like this. Pray for Pierre, a very serious believer from Crawford who has just graduated. He is at our house several days of each week, hungry for all he can get of the Word.

On Saturday, Willie, one of the finest young black graduates I know, who is now working in Vicksburg with the Corps of Engineers, came to visit. He is interested in having a book table of gospel literature at a mall there. He was very excited when he heard that we were praying about a gospel team of these eager young students who could visit him there to work alongside in the gospel. This has been our hope all along, and one of the reasons we settled in Starkville. Our desire is to work with these grads, not only while they are here, but also when they settle elsewhere in the state. Please pray about this.

All for now. Your storming the ramparts in prayer is a mighty encouragement.

Jabe, for the Cause