I am a missionary pastor to pastors on the mission field in East Africa. I began ministerial studies in 2007 and completed them in 2011 and I was then ordained by two international ministries, Free International Ministries and MCWE Ministries. Run Away Brides International Ministries used to be under the umbrella of Barefoot Gardens Fellowship beginning in 2010. In 2018 RABS International Ministries became an independent registered ministry in 2018. My volunteer role is the International Director of RABS. RABS brings runaway brides of Christ back to Him through conferences held in many areas in Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania. RABS also does humanitarian work in these nations.
One month ago, at our school Edenset Nursery & Primary School, Mercy 5 years old in Nursery, and top of her class, succumbed to death from food poisoning. Some unknown woman took the child to her home after finding her on the road going back home from school.
The girl had no shoes and being that it is a dry season the ground was hot. Some children walk along the grasses besides the road to lessen the intense burn. This exposes them to risk of snake bites and thorns. It was told, Mercy decided to first rest under a tree after walking a distance of 3 miles going back home from school. She was exhausted, hungry, and thirsty. The killer found her in such a dire state and lured her to first go with her at her home as to give her some water and food.
Later she went home. During the night the child complained of persistent stomachache. She was rushed to the hospital. Upon the doctor’s examination she was found to have been poisoned. It was too late to save her life and she breathed her last.
During our recent school term’s parents – teachers’ (PTA) meeting, parents expressed deep grief for such a sad happening in our school. They proposed that the school finds ways to construct a dormitory to help such other at risk children that walk between 2-8 miles to and from school. The distance makes them weary before they even get to learn and hence contributing to their poor academic performance.
One child Ruth aged 7 in Primary 2 said, ‘I am tired walking to school everyday, my parents force me to come. They don’t know that I get pain in my feet. Stones hit, prick, and wound me.’ She walks 6 miles to and from school, always passing through some thicket that endanger her life. No wonder some students dropout of school due to such factors as this.
Some Parents from distant places first escort their children on foot and if they don’t these children fear to come to school alone. One day while escorting Julie and Catherine, a leopard was seen just crossing the road. The mother Toepister narrates, ‘I held them, stood still and breathless as if dead until it went its way.’
We have always desired to construct a boarding section but only being bedeviled by funding that is quite high. We can’t go it alone, we need the intervention of God and therefore, request your prayers. We believe God to make a difference.
Reverend Eve Clive Nansereko Director of Education Edenset Nursery and Primary School Nabinaka Village, Mazzi parish, Kamira Sub County, Luwero district, Uganda
To learn more contact: Reverend Eve Clive Nansereko.
If empathy were a dirt road and love a highway then compassion is an interstate. Jesus had compassion on the people. Jesus was looking for a secluded place for His disciples and Himself to grieve the death of John the Baptist. However, when He saw the crowds of people running after Him, He had compassion for them. He stopped and ministered unto them and many were healed and delivered from evil spirits.
When need and philanthropy of heart intersect, compassion is born. Perhaps today compassion will rise in you and your gift to RABS to continue educating these girls will become your legacy!
The population of the Karamoja Region in Uganda has grown considerably in the past 20 years. At the same time the population of the wild elephants has also grown much quicker than expected. This is causing a real disaster because these elephants choose to raid these remote villages’ gardens and crops.
There has been a lot of contention between the people and the elephants. Some farmers’ retaliation have gone as far as killing these elephants. At the same time the elephants during their raidings, have mutilated, injured, and killed villagers trying to protect their necessary food to sustain their lives in the most humblest of ways.
Another factor is reluctancy of the government to intervene on behalf of the people, because of conflict of interest in favor of preserving wild life. Tourism is very important in the national economy and Uganda’s wildlife protection is highly regarded.
Elephants have seasons they trek from one region to another even across country borders to Sudan, Kenya and or Ethiopia. Two of the villages RABS serves are in Kaabong and they are close to the national park and along the corridor that elephants pass through. In Moroto it’s mainly one village, Musaasi, that is disturbed by these animals.
This is a known problem and there are experts who have been trying in different ways to stop these elephants from raiding the gardens and the crops of the nearby remote villages. They have used planting crops that the elephants do not desire along the borders of the farmers’ fields. National parks where the population of elephants have quadrupled have some fencing, but hungry elephants do not respect boundaries.
Another attempt that’s being practiced is digging deep ditches around the fields of the farmers. It’s a good idea but what has been found is that it is the farmers who have to do the laborious work of digging these deep ditches, not only is it time consuming it is also very expensive. Some of the cost has been covered by different associations, but in reality most of these ditches do not deter the determined wild elephants. In fact there have been some elephants who have become injured and trapped in these ditches which is inhumane.
Until we find a solution where there can be cohabitation between man and elephant we must do our very best to take care of the villagers and most especially the thousands and thousands of small children in these remote and rural areas.
In the past there has been International associations and nonprofits that have come to the aid of the Karamoja region to assist through Medical Care and food for these that are in desperate situations. As I said there have been International associations in the past who have helped, but unfortunately many of them no longer come to the region because it is a dangerous area. Until that perfect day comes where the solution has been found and put into practice, we must do our very best for the future of these beloved children.
There is very little policing in these areas and a lot of humans who are also raiders plague the region. Cattle raiding has become a very popular crime in this area and sadly many lives have been lost. At times when Run Away Brides International Ministries missionaries have traveled there, we have had to request soldiers to go with the missionaries to keep them safe.
What can we do at this time? All that we can do is come together and as a force against starvation, let us put our funds together and make sure food is making it into the Karamoja Region of Uganda.
God bless you and I thank you for the help and the connection that you and I have together in our heart of hearts to not allow another child to die from starvation or malnutrition.
One of the happiest days of my life. Seeing Mama Cyndi’s Milling project in full operation. The concept of a RABS’ business to help support the missions and humanitarian campaigns began knocking in late 2017, after my visits to Uganda and Tanzania.
We built the Mill in one of the poorest communities, Kierika Kasokoso, a suburb of Kampala. Construction began later that year.
Returning from a 35 day mission both in Kenya and Uganda the RABS International Team and our Kampala strong Leaders and I dedicated it to the Lord and His Kingdom and the community in February 2018. These photos were taken in 2019 while I was on the mission field in Uganda.
I’d like to share a godly truth with you, when God knocks on your heart’s door and tells you to do what seems impossible, just surrender and do it!!!
He works it all out to be achievable. I had paid off my mortgage November 2016 and was gladly building up my retirement account. However, in 2017, I heard the Lord’s voice in my heart that the money I was putting aside wasn’t mine but it belonged to His Kingdom.
I’d be lying if I said I immediately complied. It took some convincing. In the end, I surrendered to the Lord. The result is this Mill that indeed has attributed to hundreds of salvations both in the community and the surrounding areas and in the nation itself.
Each year 25% of the net proceeds helps feed some of the Mill’s neighbors such as the elderly women, widows, and single mothers. When we have emergencies in the mission field, the Mill immediately takes care of them.
I don’t share this to brag, I share it to encourage you. This project was hard, troubling, heartbreaking, maddening, way over budget, and at times overwhelming. However, the ‘test’ that the RABS Uganda Team and I went through became our ‘testimony’ to the goodness of God. The messes we found ourselves in at times, became our messages witnessing that we should never stop trusting Jesus.
Remember: There is always a story behind the glory! We who believe in the Lord Jesus will stumble and fall, but His outstretched arm will always lift us up!
The Mill is owned and operated by RABS Ministries International LTD of Uganda. Donations are always welcome.
In this busy world many people claim to be a charitable organization, yet they are not, they are opportunist taking advantage of good people. On May 18, 2024, Run Away Brides International Ministries seal of transparency was elevated from the Silver Seal to the Gold Transparency Seal. Anything you want to know about our authenticity including our financial status can be found at https://www.guidestar.org/profile/shared/bd61974a-c124-41eb-bf8c-0ad2e7b99697
“You can give without loving. But you cannot love without giving.” Amy Carmichael
2023 FILLED WITH GRATITUDE: We wish to thank you for your past generosity in supporting some East African Childrens’ Education. Most children in the remote villages are not educated and most that are do not go beyond 5th to 8th grade.
It is very rare and expensive for the average village Ugandan family to send one child to school, let alone a large family of children. Many village children end-up being the family water-hauler which includes carrying water containers much too heavy for a child who walks approximately 3 to 5 miles to the nearest government well. They tend to the flocks in dangerous wilderness areas. They work the fields and family gardens. They tend to younger siblings to help their mothers.
Contraceptives in many remote villages are not allowed by the husband and some villages are too deep into the bush that such care is unavailable. With their many cultural practices, we must be respectful. It is not our place to force changes on their generational lifestyles.
However, we can make a difference by helping educate some of the youth by meeting school fee costs and school supply costs. With hope that in time when they become adults there will be a good chance that education will assist in some changes beneficial to all remote villages and the villagers.
God bless you and thank you for your partnership with RABS International Ministries.
THIRD TERM KARAMOJA SCHOOL FACILITATION REPORT 2023
It is with great pleasure that I bring greetings from the 18 students that are being sponsored by RABS International Ministries in Karamoja districts of Kaabong and Moroto. Special thanks to Mummy Cyndi and all RABs partners and facilitators for enabling these children to attend school who otherwise would be out of school.
This time I began my activities with the Kaabong children after a cumbersome bus journey. The bus broke down and we spent an extra four hours in Soroti as the crew were fixing the problem. We ended up spending twenty five hours on the road.
I found when I arrived three of the four girls (from Loleria) had already reported at school. I reviewed their academic performances for the last term and they had all improved much more than the previous terms. I delivered the school requirements and their personal effects and the next day I proceeded to Loyoro, the home village of the fourth girl to find out what was happening to her.
I found Judith had stayed because she had lost her uncle and they were supposed to bury him that evening. I decided to wait and attend the burial ceremony. I was eager to witness if they are still practicing their crude ways of placing the dead body on top of a rock in the countryside and leaving it there, but to my surprise, this family conducted a more civilized ceremony. They even dug a tomb and after burial, covered it with concrete. This is very rare in Karamoja.
I had some time with Judith, I encouraged her to be strong and urged her to report to school as soon as possible.
The next day I was supposed to travel to Moroto, but I abandoned the trip because we received reports of a clash between army troops and karamojong warriors who had raided a village near Kotido and took away cattle. I had to wait until it was clearly safe to move and that was a day after the day I had scheduled.
Traveling from Kaabong to Kotido was relatively safe but from Kotido to Moroto was interrupted about thirty kilometers to Moroto when the taxi van ran out of fuel but the place looked secure because we were near a camp for workers of a road construction company. We waited until some guys brought fuel from Moroto and proceeded after refueling the van.
At Moroto I met with the sponsored school children, checking their reports for last term and delivering the scholastic materials and school dues to the children and head teacher respectfully. I was given an opportunity to minister to all the children who were present with a video show and the word. I showed a short clip about a bride trying out different gowns and a movie that was acted by karamojongs about a girl called Nakiru who passed through many hardships at home but managed to persevere and continued school until she became a doctor.
I preached to them that in as much as school is preparing them for their future, they also need to be prepared for eternity by fitting in the right garments as a bride does. Many accepted to prepare for eternity by inviting Christ to be their Savior and Lord, and promised to continue attending school despite the challenges involved. I also had some good time with Nechap, the lame girl, very happy to be in my company but her wheel chair broke down and she was not using it.
I am very grateful for the priceless precious sacrifices and contributions of our dear RABS partners who through their relentless and continuous dedication, these children are safely at school and financially facilitated to carry through the entire term.
Surely the blessings of the almighty God will abide with you all and especially Mama Cyndi for spearheading this cause heartedly and enthusiastically. I also thank you all for allowing me to be part of this undertaking.
GOD BLESS YOU, MUWANGUZI DENIS PETER. (Volunteer Uganda national director/coordinator Karamoja ministry)
RABS Ugandan students’ update June 5, 2023
Dear Mama Cyndi, RABs board, fellow Ministers and our dear ministry partners, Second term facilitation mission has been carried out successfully in both districts of Moroto and Kaabong.
I first staged at Moroto and the activities there were conducted without hindrances because most of the children had already reported to school except Lokawa who was bedridden with malaria, and Nachap. I checked through each child’s report form of last term and there was considerable improvement in overall performance except for Nechap. I also had a meeting with the parents and emphasized they must help their children report to school in time and not allow them to come back home before the term ends.
I was surprised to see Nechap again crawling and upon inquiring why, I was informed that she cannot push herself in the wheel chair. During the school term other children help push her around the school, but during holidays she stays alone and therefore resorts to crawling. I went to find out the condition of the the wheel chair and found that it needed some repairs where the seat gets fixed to the rod and the wheels are missing some of the support strips.
It was a full day traveling from Moroto to Kotido and then to Kaabong. Kotido and Kaabong are among the districts in northern Karamoja were insecurity involving murders, clashes with army troops, vandalism and robbery occur most. Traveling from Kotido to Kaabong is more risky, as karamojong warriors have raided vehicles, robbed them and killed occupants in several incidences. It was near some of these dangerous spots that the taxi I was traveling in broke down. Its fan belt got torn and as thus we could not move until a new fan belt was brought and installed.
We had to wait for three hours before mechanics from Kotido would arrive and fix the car. Most vehicles refused to stop to help us, I presume because they feared we had staged the occurance to ambush and rob them. It was after two hours that a driver of an NGO vehicle stopped and allowed to help carry three of us to Kaabong leaving the others waiting for other sympathisers.
I was deterred from going to the villages the next day because there was an operation carried out by the army to recover guns from village members. It was on Friday that I was able to travel to Loleria to meet the girls.
I found out one of the girls had relocated to another village. She was sent away by her guardian because of hunger. However I was able to visit the homes of two other girls, engaged with the guardians and prepared them to report to school. The next day I had to travel to Kakamar to meet the third girl, but found out that the village women and older girls had gone to a distant village where visitors to a certain church were distributing food. Because of the security situation, I left before 6pm when they had not come back. I left her transport funds to bring her to school the next day.
By Sunday morning, they had all reported to the boarding facilities. However Regina, a primary seven candidate, was needed to clear registration for primary leaving exams(PLE) by the end of June. I used part of the boarding fees and school fees to pay for P.L.E. and promised to top up the balance in due course.
I was able to visit Catherine at her place of work and she was very happy. She is doing well and sent greetings. She is a public testimony of how RABs ministry helps such disadvantaged children to become useful and responsible members of the community.
I used the 2 am bus that passes Karenga, Kitgum, Gulu, Luwero to Kampala because I had to connect to another soul winning mission starting Monday.
I thank Run Away Brides Ministry and it’s committed partners for enabling some of the vulnerable and needy children in Karamoja to attend school without limitation or lack of basic necessities. The Lord bless you for your generosity towards this course.!
REPORT ON RABS HUMANITARIAN SUPPORT FOR ELDERLY AND SINGLE MOTHERS IN KASOKOSO KIREKA.
Dear beloved Mum and Rabs board U.S.
Receive greetings from Kasokoso/ Mama Cyndi’s Milling Company. With much respect, I write this short report to you, appreciating you for the great support Mama Cyndi’s milling project has been doing for the last 5 years of its operation.
The above mentioned project has so far aided the vulnerable women, especially those elderly and single mothers in the community. People/women in Kasokoso community in conjunction with the Local Council chairpersons have not remained the same as evidenced in photos below.
On the 9th of April, 2023, Easter Sunday, Mama Cyndi’s Milling project compassionately gave out 300kg of flour worth 950,000 Uganda shillings. The number was quite high as we normally do but this time around, due to escalated cost of food in Uganda, we were able to give to 60 mothers each 5 kg (11.023 pounds) of maize / corn flour. We appreciate God and Rabs once more for this great support you always render to these people of God who are in need.
With due respect, we need more of your prayers for the Mill to bring this dream to its highest potential enabling it to give compassionately to more people of our community. We not only desire to physically feed them, but to also feed them spiritually, which we witness every time the Mill reaches into their lives with the gift of flour. We look forward to the days when not only we help feed these vulnerable people, but also we can help support RABS missions throughout East Africa.
May you live longer to see more of God’s goodness in this land of the living.
The financial donation was made possible from the monthly 25 percent of Mama Cyndi’s Milling monthly net profit. Every month the Mill donates 25% of its net profits to RABS Africa for ministerial and humanitarian purposes.
I remain yours, Pastor Milton Wanyama RABS Africa Coordinator
Relying on God has to start all over everyday, as if nothing has yet been done.
C.S. Lewis
Providing 18 students in Karamoja Uganda educational and basic needs funds
Sending missionary pastors into unreached areas of East Africa & surrounding areas
Publishing ‘free’ Christian written materials in national languages
Subsidizing some missions’ cost through Mama Cyndi’s Milling Company
Distributing free Flour at Milling Company to widows, poor, single moms
Providing church planting consultation
Pastoring the pastors in ongoing weekly RABS’ online teaching
International collective prayer partners and focused prayer teams
Pastoral Care including physical, spiritual, and emotional services
SOME OF THE NEWLY TRAINED RABS LEADERS SHOWING THEIR RABS BIBLE STUDY BOOKS THEY HAVE LEARNED FROM AND WILL NOW TAKE TO THEIR CONGREGATIONSHUNDREDS OF CHIDREN CAME TO THE RABS CRUSADESLEFT; PASTOR MILTON; RIGHT EVANGELIST GERVAS SAYING GOODBYE AT THE MBEYA TANZANIA AIRPORT
This divinely designed opportunity for Edenset School to have electricity installed came following Pastor Cyndi Higgins’ 2018 visit.
With her compassionate heart to serve Christ in Africa and in holy desiring to see children in Africa receive quality education and be transformed in a Christian community, she began campaigning for funds to support bringing electricity to the school. This was no easy job because there wasn’t electricity yet brought to the entire remote village called Nabinaka, nor the region in Mazzi parish, Kamira sub county in Luwero district, Uganda.
In 2021, the dream became a reality.
We’d like to bring you a 2023 report showing the amazing progress our students have made because of electricity!
I truly believe that God hears the cry of His people. When we remember the agonizing moments our students used to pass through while learning under disruptive tree shades, temporary muddy structures, and light produced by burning smoky risky candles that actually left some of our students dead when a fire broke out, we are humbled all the more and continue trusting God, praising and honoring Him as we see the Children are very happy, confident, and parents testifying for the great transformation they see at Edenset Nursery & Primary School.
Indeed we thank God for your precious life and for using you to bless and impact our community with improved education through infrastructure, electrical lighting that is greatly supporting the learning and teaching, extra lessons, research as phones are easily charged and the students and staff are able to use the internet for learning information and more.
This is giving our school higher performance as already seen from Primary 7 mock-test results. We are trusting God for excellent performance on the National Exams this year come November. I also believe that if God accepts our prayers, a computer laboratory would increase the students performance levels even beyond the present.
The need of a boarding facility on our campus continues to bite hard on far distant learners whose parents have continued requesting a dormitory facility to reduce risks of their children walking impassable roads, dangerous sexual predators hiding in dense woods where children must walk to get to school. These travel hours on foot also causes learner exhaustion. All these challenges they face causes the tendency for dropping out of school. We continue to pray that the Lord works out a way for Edenset’s geographically disadvantaged students.
Just a few days back one of our children we offer bursary, Nakijoba Ruth P5, came with her friend Allen also P5 and challenged me saying, “Mum, when will you ever construct for us a living room? It is so hard coming from our village, it’s far.” I told them, “Pray and God will answer. Heaven and earth and all that therein belongs to Him.
We remain encouraged and hopeful.
Eve Clive Nansereko
Founder and Director
Edenset Nursery & Primary School
EDENSET PRIMARY AND NURSERY SCHOOL
Basic information:
School name: EDENSET Primary & Nursery School
Project: School Electricity Access (SEA) Project 2021
Location: Nabinaka Village, Mazzi parish, Kamira Sub County, Luwero district, Uganda
Document title: The SEA project implementation report
INTRODUCTION
The success of the SEA project came about as a result of a Request for proposal (RFP) by Pastor Cyndi Higgins, the founder and international director of Run Away Brides (RABS) international ministries situated in the U.S.A but with evangelical programs running in the continent of Africa. Through her ministry and service she has supported the school to access reliable electricity to which this report is in respect thereto.
BACKGROUND
Edenset primary and Nursery school, a remote school providing education to a community which according to 2002 Kamira sub county baseline survey had 0.4% of the population with ordinary level of education certificate. No wonder, the area is considered as the Karamoja of Luwero because of its deep rooted backwardness in terms of social, economic and spiritual conditions in the heart of Luwero district in Uganda. The possibility at any near future access to electricity did not exist until now. We are fully connected to the service through the support of RABS. This is a great ray of hope for the school to solve the frail sections of its efforts to reach out and sustain academic excellence.
This divinely designed opportunity comes following Pastor Cyndi Higgins compassionate heart to serve Christ in the heartland of Africa and in a holy discontent of passionately desiring to see children in Africa receive quality education as well as a Christ transformed community.
She was at the school located at a ‘small’ remote village called Nabinaka, in Mazzi parish, Kamira sub county in Luwero district, Uganda in 2018. She ecstatically preached in a RABS Conference organized by Good Samaritan Outreach International Church with, a ‘big God,’ on the homeland of the school where she left the community set free from bondage.
No sooner had she left, the government then planned to extend an electricity grid to the village which is over 30 kms away from the nearest electricity grid. Praise the Lord! Now, the light of Christ does not only get seen in the spiritual but is also manifested in the physical illuminating the dark parts of life.
IMPACT / OUTCOMES OF THE ELECTRICITY INSTALLATION
What an amazing impact that has quickly come with the electricity installation program as implemented at the school! So far:
There has arisen general parent and community excitement and great hope in achieving their educational objectives for their children.This has led to a start of the biggest number of the previous students approaching 400 despite Covid 19 effects yet other schools within the area are struggling with very few student enrolment.
More new students have been enrolled with increased appreciation from parents, local leaders among others.
There has been growth in church/chapel attendance, membership as well as Sunday school that is building a generation which will have more people appreciating Christ’s work in their lives as well as upholding moral uprightness.
Three new qualified teachers from distant districts have been recruited and they have accepted to live and work with the school that needs them most which was not so before electrical installation, as they see a promising future and opportunities to further their career through research.
HIGH LIGHTS OF IMPLEMENTATION ACTIVITIES IN PICTORIAL REPRESENTATION FOR THE SEA PROJECT
The project implementation activities circled around 5 classroom block, staffroom, administrative block and dormitory, the chapel/church and included acquisition of electricity license, purchase of materials, wiring, installation, and labor. Materials were purchased according to the budget and delivered on site and work begun on 21st of December, 2021 despite the interruption that came about due to the demise of Eve Clive’s father the late Nsereko Edward on the 22nd /12/2021.
The contractors engaged in the activities were from a company known as Billy electricals LTD from Kampala.
Electrical lines installed in the classroomsElectricity being installed in Church/ Chapel Edenset Students Excited to return to school after Covid 6 month closure and finding electricity had been installed. Poles and lines—lighting up the classrooms
THERE IS MUCH MORE WORK TO DO
The challenge and future Prospects
Because the five semi-finished permanent classrooms that the school has are unable to provide learning facility enough for children from Nursery to grade 7, the school with the little savings from school fees paid, raised a 4 classroom block to foundation level in August 2021. From here well-wishers, Mrs. Harriet & Joseph Sserwadda came in and supported with the building to wall plate level. However, with electrical installation there has been increased enrolment that created a need that now urgently requires completion of the building otherwise learning of the children is at stake. Therefore, we long for your prayers and still believing God for phased completion starting with roofing that has been estimated at a budget of 18,305,000 UGX ($5,720.00 USD) and soon thereafter do electrical installation estimated at 2,107,000 UGX ($658.00 USD).
Edenset Primary & Nursery School CampusNeeds roof, electricity, floors, plastering, etc. for new 4 classroom complex
