An Impact that Echoes

IGNITE Class 13 intern, Kenny, is finishing up his time on the field. Below is a testimony of his time in Uganda and a letter of thanks!

My name is Kenneth Bryant, and I’m 26 years old. I’m an intern in IGNITE Class 13, and I’m from Calvary Chapel St. Petersburg. I’m currently in the last month of my field time serving in Uganda, and I’m very thankful for my time in IGNITE. Field time here in Uganda is incredible. You can find us serving alongside Calvary Chapel Entebbe helping lead worship, teaching the kids in Sunday school and helping out at the cafe which helps support the church. Not to mention the Potter’s Field Kids program that goes on where we help by teaching the kids about Jesus, serving them a meal and playing and loving on the kids that don’t get to attend Calvary Chapel Christian School. Beyond that there’s so much support from my team and the team leaders. It’s been amazing serving alongside one another, growing in the grace of the Lord and sharing our struggles and victories with one another. If I’m being honest, living with 20 people secluded in a remote Ugandan village can create tension. Even in the times of tension, there is a great victory. I’ve seen people humbling themselves after realizing a wrong, me chiefly being one of those having to bring my self to a lowly state and ask for forgiveness for a wrong action or reaction. The best part about all of it is even when there is tension, at the end of it we’re all united in the Spirit joined together by a higher calling that is far beyond what we can think or imagine. With that being said, after all, we’ve been through together, being able to lock arms and encourage one another to press on and continue moving forward in what God is calling us to do. Spending time with the children here is fantastic. It may be cliche, but they truly impact us more then we impact them. Seeing the personalities of the people and children that are molded by the circumstances generated by a third world country and how strong they are and joyful with the little amount that they have brings a whole new perspective to the cushy lives we live in America.

Kenny spent his six months in Uganda.

I believe the most significant impact that IGNITE has had on me was a phone call from Pastor Mike. He was not happy with our actions and some of the things he had seen from us and called us out on our immaturity. I fully believe that by discernment and being lead by the Spirit, Pastor Mike brought to our ears well-needed words of exhortation, challenging us in areas that we needed to be challenged in, breathing life into a team that was on the verge of falling apart. Me being the oldest intern, it hit me hard, and it positively impacted me, pushing me to strive harder and not take for granted the time that I have here. Though I still catch myself at times being less than grateful, I know the Lord is working in me through this tool we call IGNITE. Being here I’ve been placed in situations that bring to the surface ugly truths about my nature, and I need God’s grace to pour out upon my life. I need Him to continue to put me through the furnace to allow those impurities to rise that He may scrape them off with the gentle touch of His Spirit.  

Kenny during Potter’s Field Kids Uganda.

After going through IGNITE and all that it has to offer, it has made an impact on my life that will continue to echo throughout the rest of my life and even bleed into the lives of others. Since I’ve been here, my mother has begun seeking after Jesus. While on the phone with her she began to express how she started going to church and looking to get involved with the woman’s fellowship and proceeded to say “I’m just following in my son’s footsteps.” Though I know it’s all the Lord, and IGNITE isn’t the reason why my mom decided to seek after Jesus, she had seen a step of faith I took and decided she should too. That leap of faith I made happened to be IGNITE. It has been a very foundational experience which I will always be able to look to for encouragement, given that I’ve seen God show up on so many occasions speaking into my life and driving me to continue to press on.

(From left to right) Interns Kenny, Max, and Rachel during an island outreach.

I would highly recommend IGNITE to anyone looking to dedicate their life to the Lord. This time of intense discipleship, minimal distractions which leave us with no excuses, being able to spend quality time with the Lord is something that is very impactful, and if approached with the right heart God will use it to radically transform the lives of anyone who is willing. I want to say “thank you” to all of the sponsors who have supported this ministry and the transformational work that is happening in all the field locations. All of the lives it’s touching beyond the interns, but as well as the surrounding ministries and the relationships with the churches we’re able to develop and most of all the relationships with the children that we’re able to create. Just know that everything you’re doing is touching more lives than even us on the field can fathom. 

May the Lord bless you abundantly!

Sincerely,

Kenny

 

Potter’s Field Kids Uganda: Freddy

 

Caroline (of East Nantmeal Christian Fellowship) spent the past six months serving in Uganda with the Potter’s Field IGNITE Program. During this time Caroline has fallen in love with the children that attend PFK Uganda and one of those precious children is Freddy!

            I had only been in Uganda one week when I met Fredrick at a food stand right near his house. The first time I saw him he ran to greet me before even knowing who I was! I instantly fell in love with this smiley boy as he held my hand and told me his name was “Freddy.” I was more than excited to find out that he has been coming to Kids Club for about a year now! He first heard about PFK because he saw many different kids wearing the blue t-shirts that are handed out. Curiosity drove him to ask where everyone had gotten them, and one of his friends told him about our Saturday kids program! So, through the clubs, I have been able to get to know him better since that first week.

            Fredrick told me that his favorite color is white because it is the color that Jesus wears. It seems that each time I see him he has a funny story to tell me about his week. Freddy spends most of his time at school or doing house chores, but the times in-between he tries to make interesting so he can share with me the highlight of his week! He lives with his younger sister, Emily, and his mom only a few minutes walk from Calvary Chapel Entebbe. Once he told me that he never sees his father because he works in a village very far away. He is also not exactly sure of his age, but he guesses he is around six years old. At this young age, it is already clear that he takes a fatherly role with his two-year-old sister. Each Saturday he walks with her to Kids Club and keeps a close eye on her. Once I noticed him crying terribly so I went up to him and asked, “Freddy, what’s wrong?” He responded through the tears that he had lost his sister. The situation was solved quickly; we found her and his worries were cleared. But it’s moments like these that have caused me to realize how large his role is within his family even though he has hardly begun the first grade. It continues to impress me that he takes the initiative to get him and his sister ready every week and never wants to miss a Kids club. In fact, every week at the end of the day he asks me, “Will I see you next Saturday?”

 

Freddy with his sister!

 

            Having him at Kids Club is such a game changer because he always brings so much energy to the group. He is always ready to play, and singing is his favorite thing to do! This was figured out early on because he loves the songs “Father Abraham” and “Yesu Jangu” (Jesus come), and it is common to hear him walking around singing those tunes. Also, during lessons he pays attention very well! He says it is too hard for him to pick a favorite Bible story, but did say that he learned about Adam and Eve last week at PFK and he was able to retell the entire story from memory! At the end of Kids Club, he follows us to the boat and has asked many times, “Can I also come?” It’s sad for me to tell him that he cannot, but it is so encouraging to me to know that he will always have the love and support that children need. That support may not come from his home, but it will always come from God and the Potter’s Field Kids Club. Please continue to pray for Fredrick and his sister, Emily. Pray that they would always be allowed to come on Saturdays and learn more about their heavenly Father who loves them and what it looks like to grow in a deeper relationship with Him.

 

Your Support Is Making An Impact!

To the Supporters of Potter’s Field Ministries,

Thank you for lifting up our arms in service for His Kingdom! We would like to share what your money has gone towards and the incredible impact that you make all around the world! The numbers below are just a picture from ONE location of the impact being accomplished in all locations through your support!

 

IGNITE INTERNS

57 IGNITE interns have been commissioned to serve in Guatemala for six months; a total of 342 months, or 28.5 years of service.

 

IGNITE Class 10 interns doing an outreach in the markets of Antigua.

 

ENGLISH TAUGHT IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Our interns have had the unique opportunity to teach English in the public school system of Guatemala, using the Bible as a basis, and reaching over 1,000 students being taught over the span of six different public schools. 40 of our interns have taught in these schools for over the past four consecutive years.

 

Mission Team members from CC Boston visiting one of the public schools.

 

POTTER’S FIELD KID PROGRAMS

Our location in Guatemala has three different weekly Kids Clubs that reach the youth of each city. Each location is different, but all include a meal for each child and a Bible lesson for the kids. In the city of Parramos, 30 to 50 children attend. In Antigua, there are 40 to 60 kids each week, and Cuidad Vieja has 20 to 30 children attending. It is an amazing time of growing friendships between intern and child, and learning about the wonderful news of Jesus Christ!

 

Pastor Michael and Pam Rozell during Kids Club Antigua.

 

MISSIONS TEAMS

Potter’s Field Ministries has hosted over 57 mission teams at our base in Antigua. As a whole, 900 team members have spent 6,3000 days serving in the country of Guatemala.

 

Mission Team members helping at Kids Club Antigua.

 

MEDICAL OUTREACHES

Through your support, we have partnered with 85 Doctors, Dentists, and Nurses to serve and assist more than 5,000 patients over the course of 20 outreaches.

 

Dr. Dan Munzing during one of the medical outreaches.

 

LOCAL OUTREACHES

Each month, 150 – 200 people are impacted by interns visiting public hospitals, through prayer and giving out bread. 285 people are impacted on a monthly basis as interns visit the Hermano Pedro Hospital and spend time with patients. Mission teams have visited these hospitals over 60 times. 225 people are impacted during the bus stop outreaches, where interns hand out bread to those using public transportation to arrive at school or work. Over 100 people are impacted by outreaches all throughout the city with interns giving out breakfast and/or a gospel presentation.

 

IGNITE staff and Class 11 interns assisting the Hermano Pedro Hospital during Guatemala’s Independence Day Parade!

 

ESCUINTLA SOUP KITCHEN OUTREACHES

Escuintla is an area of Guatemala that includes a community of people who live on a trash dump. The living conditions there are extremely difficult, but through partnering with a Christian organization called BuildinGUATE, we have been able to take 25 trips with mission teams to build houses, wells, and a medical center, as well as feed the people through soup kitchens.

 

Mission Team member during a soup kitchen outreach in Escuintla, Guatemala.

 

 

XELA OUTREACHES

Three mission trips have been taken to the city of Xela, Guatemala. 54 interns served on these trips and passed out meals, gave the gospel presentation, and saw many people come to salvation.

 

IGNITE Class 13 intern in Xela, Guatemala passing out bread.

 

Uganda Soccer Project

Elliot Ruggles, IGNITE Class 13 intern serving in Uganda

My name is Elliot Ruggles and I am an intern in the IGNITE Mission Training Program which, as many of you know, is a program run by a truly amazing ministry called Potter’s Field Ministries (PFM). I am currently serving in Uganda where PFM co-laborers with churches to run Kids Clubs, helps fund a Christian school, and spreads the Gospel throughout the communities. Every week we bring kids to the churches, give them a free meal, share the Gospel and Bible stories with them, and find time to have fun with them in a safe, Christian environment. Here in Uganda alone, we have close to 1,000 kids that come weekly to a Kids Club, not to mention the Christian School, and the thousands that are reached through community outreach and Island Medical Ministries. This is only a brief overview of what the ministry is doing, and I am so thankful for all of you who partner with us in this work. My prayer is that you would be motivated to partner with us in transforming lives forever through a new project!

Put simply, the Lord has given me a simple way to use soccer to change the lives of the kids we minister to weekly. First, a little more about me:

I am a young man of the age of 19 that was sent to Uganda, Africa with 18 others to do mission work and make a difference in people’s lives through the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I grew up playing soccer, and it has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. Soccer was an outlet that I used to get my mind off many different things. My family was a military family, so we never had much money, but my parents always found enough money for a soccer ball, and over the course of my childhood I fell in love with the sport. I also fell in love with the people it puts you around. Soccer and the grace that the Lord gave me helped me get out of bad friend groups and different struggles. My life was completely changed and, as the Lord had called me out of my sinful life, He then chose to send me to Africa to help change other people’s lives.

Recently, God has shown me that He can use my passion for His Word, for soccer, and to be used of Him for the edification of His children. He birthed a vision to use soccer to minister, which hit me when my Pastor was speaking on the topic of leaving a dent in Africa. “How do we help Africa?” was my immediate thought. The first thing that came to mind was soccer. Reflecting on how much it helped me in my life, I began to ponder on how it could be used to help the people here. I have the privilege to teach in multiple schools in the area that I live in, and I see such great need in the schools. The schools themselves are extremely run down and, when the kids get free time, they usually find trash or leaves and wrap them into a ball with vines to play soccer. The happiness that these kids have when they have so little is humbling. Additionally, I currently live in a village called Nangombe and there is a group of young men, ages are from 13 to 30, that play weekly at a local soccer field. Most of these men are fishermen by profession and have hard, difficult lives. They struggle to keep their families fed and healthy, and they don’t show much emotion except for when they are on the field. I have spent some hours playing with them, and it’s beautiful seeing their faces glow when they get the chance to play a game with others who have the same hardships as they do. Soccer truly does bring joy to the people here, and I so desire to help in bringing kids and adults joy through this simple activity.

So back to that simple way you can help in changing the lives of the kids we minister to weekly, as well as adults here. The Lord gave me a vision for a simple way to bless the kids and adults here through the very same thing he used to turn my life around – soccer!  I spoke to the leadership of PFM and they are fully on board with the project, so we are looking to raise $800 or more, to be used in providing soccer balls to the young kids as well as the older kids and adults. I know that may seem like a lot of money but for that amount we can provide 13 “junior” soccer balls for the little kids and 15 “adult” soccer balls for the older kids and adults, along with 22 jerseys that can be used when they form up teams and play against each other. I can assure you, whatever you can give will 100% be used for this purpose alone. Would you pray about helping in some way financially to see this happen?

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How can you donate?

You can donate toward this project by either calling the Potter’s Field Ministries offices at 877.337.2624 and asking for the Sponsorship Department. You can then tell you are wishing to give to the Uganda Soccer Project and how much you would like to donate, and they will process your donation right over the phone for you. Or you can visit their website here, and donate online. Be sure to select the Uganda – Soccer Project as your directed giving fund when processing your donation. Giving online through the site is safe a secure! Oh, and 100% of your donation is tax deductible in case you were wondering!

What will we do with your donations?

We are planning to use these soccer balls to the minister to the many children we see each week, but be sure that will not be without first sharing the Word of the Lord. We will be doing outreaches in many different locations depending on the amount of donations we receive. An outreach will most likely take on the form of a soccer tournament with God’s Word shared for the older kids, for the young ones it could look more like singing and dancing with them to some African Gospel music along with some face painting and a playing with soccer balls.

To keep you updated:

As you know by now, the team I’m with is made up of around twenty people. All of us went through a media class that taught us photography and videography  which has been beneficial to help in telling the story and keeping all who support Potter’s Field engaged and informed in the work we all do. You actually can go to the Potter’s Field Ministries website to see videos made by us. We will be sure to put a video together of the Soccer Project so that, in that way, you can participate at a deeper level by seeing how your donation was used to bless the kids and people of Uganda.  

www.pottersfield.org

Thank you, and God bless you!

Elliot playing soccer with children in Entebbe, Uganda