December Newsletter -What A Year 2008 was !

Hello people,

You realize that our ministry newsletter has not been consistent since our (actually) one and only maiden issue of October.
Of course I apologize for that. In fact let me explain; our team of 6 leaders is still quite small but graced for the job, though we have been stretched and challenged these last few months. As such some of the regular tasks have had to be postponed for URGENT ones. And unfortunately, getting the newsletter out has been one of the postponed tasks.

HOWEVER, this can be solved. In fact, am adopting the idea of releasing random and regular project updates to keep everybody in real-time with what is happening both in the field and in-house at Westlink Evangelism Project. In appreciation of tech-onslaught, this will be accomplished as I can now send such updates directly from my mobile phone no matter where I am, be it in the jungles at the feet of the Rwenzories or on the shores of kyoga ! Hallelujah!!!

This however is not going to be substitute for the monthly newsletter that you will continue to receive from January 2009 for an in-depth coverage of what God is doing through this ministry.…..

Christmas Greetings from Jim

As we come to the end of this year, which has passed all too quickly, I look back on the twelve months of 2008 with a sense of profound gratitude to God. I am particularly grateful for his hand of blessing upon the work of Westlink project.

Here at my home in Kampala I have 3 images that remind of the significant events and experiences of the year.

The largest among them is a map of western Uganda. It is a beautiful map that we (Violet & I) produced to communicate and create awareness of the project. I look at the map and remember the places I have been to in the course of just one year.. As a boy growing up in Kampala, I never imagined that someday in the course of one year I would have the opportunity to be with colleagues and friends all across western Uganda, in Bundibugyo; Bushenui; Hoima; Ibanda; Isingiro; Kabale; Kabarole; Kamwenge; Kanungu; Kasese; Kibale, Kiruhura; Kisoro; Kyenjojo; Mbarara, Masindi; Ntungamo; Rukunjiri; crisscrossing most jungle communities behind the hills and wilderness, as well as trading centers and towns, then coming back to Kampala.

The second image that is on the wall for me is that of the annual calendar of 2008. Just 12 months ago it represented plans, visions and dreams. Now it is soon entering into the archives of my life and of the ministry.

It is a record of meetings, travels, projects, priorities Westlink consultations, planning events for 2009, and numerous church and family events.

The third image is a bulletin board that is covered with snapshots of people who have been part of the journey. These are the most prized images as they bring reminders of the way in which god has blessed Westlink evangelism project with men and women from everywhere – missionaries, pastors, theologians, evangelists, writers and artists – who are united in their commitment to proclaim and demonstrate the transforming power of the gospel in all the earth.

By themselves these images are little more a record of activity. It is only in the context of reflection that these images become instructive, and only in the context of prayer and service that our meager activity is translated into spiritual significance and eternal value.

2008 has also been a year of discovery and deepening convictions. First, I have come to deeper awareness of His abiding presesnce. Travel can be exciting and enriching, but it can also be lonely at times when we feel the separation of being far from home and family. The work can be exhilarating and rewarding at so many points, but there are also those times when we feel weak and inadequate in the face of pressing challenges. Life and health can be taken for granted, but there have been moments in this year when life itself seemed so fragile. This has been particularly true for myself, my wife and just this last week our second born son Zion, as we walked thru ordeals of apparent malaria attacks, followed hospital admissions. In each of the three cases we were reminded of His words; “Do be frightened and do not be dismayed, for the lord your God is with you wherever you go.” What a source of strength to know our lord says “ I am with you always” .

The second discovery has to do with the growing awareness that God does his best work in the most difficult of circumstances. As I have travelled around the many districts in the region of western Uganda this year, I have seen suffering and poverty, moral decay, societal and environmental challenges that almost make me numb. Yet, it is precisely in the midst of theses adverse conditions that I see the work of grace and the light of hope as God empowers His people for creative, courageous and fruitful service. The gospel indeed is the power of God, and the church is the means of hope and grace in our world no matter how overwhelming the circumstances may appear to be.

Thirdly, I have a growing conviction that God has His hand of favor upon the Westlink evangelism project for a distinct purpose. Westlink evangelism project is providing a context whwre we can meet together to wrestle with the most pressing needs of our day in terms of both theological reflection and strategic response. I believe that God is also blessing the project so as to provide a context in which we can to trust God and trust one another. At this point in history where the leadership center is shifting to the majority world, it is imperative to see that God centered, trusting friendships are being established and strengthened around the region and beyond.

It is especially gratifying to see a new generation of young and emerging leaders from around the world connecting with one another for kingdom purposes. Additionally, I believe tshat the project is being blessed by God to bring unity, vision and hope to the local church for the cause of regional evangelization.

The end of the year provides the occasion for reflection as well as for planning and dreaming about the new year which will soon begin. At this time of the year, I send you my greetings s with the prayer that you will experience the certainty of presence, the hope and power of the gospel, and the joy of being a part of the global body of Christ. May he continue to use us to be faithful in the work of the whole church taking the whole gospel to the whole world - so that those who do not yet know Him will soon be able to join us in singing and proclaiming, “Joy to the world, The Lord has come”.


Remember; the benefit of your partnership is three-fold:


1. You attract local people because you are different and exciting.

2. You can cross the divide between Protestant and Catholic and bring them together in Christ.

3. Your progressive, forward thinking encourages local rural Christians and the rest of us who are involved in this ministry.

GOD BLESS YOU!

November Newsletter -But what a month this has been?

But what a month! What a month! What a month November was!
For the most part it started with the whole wide world on its toes over the US elections on the 4th. And for many, the result couldn’t have been anything better.

In the books of History a page was turned as the greatest racial divide between White and Black was finally brought to its knees with 338 Electoral College cracks. And of course, by this time the argument for the Right Wing Philosophy has been energized. “Democracy can achieve much for those who embrace it”. And YES; THEY CAN!!! OR rather THEY DID!!!

But if you thought this particular US election was anything ‘simply American’, think again! How about the global-stake surge and the record world-interest? And from the overwhelming early voting turnout two weeks before hand, to the long Election-Day queues, the final result had to be a total overhaul of events; it was a Black man for the White House!!!

Sternly to me, the 44th US President Elect; Barack Obama is by all measure 360® in perspective. In a long time, the world had not seen a man with such an enormous host of attributes fitting into a systematic jigsaw of global interest. It doesn’t matter the lens through which you view him; let alone the angle and perspective you look at him.. Barack Obama’s attributes are literary in 3D. He is the 1st this & that and the 1st here & there!

To the Americans for instance, Obama is the 1st African-American commander in chief of the greatest nation on earth.

To the Africans he is the 1st African to take on the mantle of the greatest office in world system.

To Islamic Asia, Barack Hussein Obama; the 1st Muslim to rule The West.

And to the Left wing the same man could be the 1st “socialist” to conquer the Right!

To every people Barack Obama is a potential window of opportunity. Believe me tho; the world doesn’t have the slightest idea what this election was about!!! Let my words be few!

But as for me?

I AM READY! I just don’t have time for politics anymore; there’s so many people that are going to hell. And am not even sure there’s much time left to do the need for!!!

Maiden Newsletter October 2008)

GREETINGS
Hello, my name is Jim Kirungi. I am a missionary called into ministry by the Lord and I greet you in the mighty name of Jesus Christ. Welcome to our maiden newsletter through which it’s my job to clearly introduce the ministry of Westlink Evangelism Project to you. Speaking of which, the rest of the team and I wish to invite you to join us by accepting to be a member of this kingdom initiative and take part in this end-time harvest for Christ.

IN THIS ISSUE:
• Intro (About Westlink)
• Ministry growth
• The Bio (About Jim & Violet)
• The appeal
• The website & Connecting Point ENewsletterlINTRO (ABOUT WESTLINK)
Westlink Evangelism Project is an interdenominational Christian Outreach ministry primarily involved in local outreach within and around the 20 districts of western Uganda. Our goal is to reach out to the uttermost jungle and urban communities, targeting over 10 million people in this region to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ through culturally relevant ways, recognizing changing needs and meeting them in new and applicable ways.
The Vision & Mission
Our vision is a totally reached Western Uganda with the full gospel ensuring that “….this message of the kingdom is preached …in season and out of season… in all (of western Uganda) for a witness unto all ‘tribes languages and communities and then shall the end come”. (Mat 24:14, 2Tim 4:2)
The overall mission is to ensure that Christ is mentioned in ever EVERY E A R (healthy & deaf) and his Love & Power witnessed by all men in this part of the world.
We are a voice crying out in this end time "repent ye and turn to God, for the end of the world is at hand”, for this is “....was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness (in the end time), Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight" (Isaiah40:3, Mat 3:3)
We are co-workers with Christ in this season of a bountiful harvest. "... saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the laborers are few...." . (Mat 9:37)

We train Church-based believers and mobilize Christians from all over (the world) for the work of evangelism in this part of the world. It’s our call together with the believers in the region to pray unceasingly, that “the Lord of the harvest will send workers in his plenteous harvest in the region”, to preach his message “…in season …and out of season because “….the harvest (in western Uganda) truly is plenteous but the workers are few….” (Mat 9:37 – 38)

A Brief History
Jim Kirungi, a Christian in Uganda started Westlink Evangelism Project in 2006. He perceived the role of Westlink as that of working alongside local churches and evangelizing in areas not reached by them. His goal for the ministry is to lead others to faith in Christ; planting churches in virgin areas then encourage discipleship and placement of new converts into churches for training and spiritual growth.

Jim has been doing missions in the area since 2003 when he first went to then newly created district of Kamwenge on an internship program. On graduating from Bible College he continued to do a series of outreach missions with a couple of friends until he married in 2005. Violet too had graduated from Bible College by the time of their wedding, and later the couple proceeded with mission engagements to various districts in the region doing outreach.

THE BIO (Jim & Violet)
The Kirungi's have been married almost 4 years now, and the ministry called Westlink Evangelism Project has been sprouting steadily.

Jim has already been to 11 of the 20 districts of Western Uganda, with a goal to ensure that Christ is pronounced in this entire region before the E N D comes.

We started with a simple desire to share God’s love in the jungle communities of the region of western Uganda and to preach the message of salvation in Christ Jesus to all the people of all tribes, languages and districts in this part of the world. My fiancée then Violet and I bought basic items such as toiletries; (tooth brushes, tooth paste & soap), salt, sugar, slippers, children's toys, exercise books, pens, pencils, which with the help of local pastors, we gave out to desperately needy people and members of the congregations at the village churches where I went to minister the word.

All this was back in 2003, months after I had just quit my job to follow a “terribly irresistible” inner voice. And the few shillings I had been saving is what we used to buy those things to share Christ’s love with the needy people. In all our effort however, it all seemed like throwing a single drop into an ocean of those people’s needs. Our message was simple; their needs were enormous and we couldn’t meet them, but that God “…would supply all their needs according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus” if they considered giving Him a chance. I preached to them a God who was concerned about every detail of their need, and that he was more than able to meet them each at the point of their need; the lame; the poor; the hungry; the sick; the hurting and all who were hopeless. God moved mightily actually, healing and setting free those who sought to pray with us. We were encouraged even as tens of them received Christ and God began to open doors for us in deeper territories. Today some of the people we helped to lead to Christ are in ministry and we meet others in different locations as they come to attend the deep village leaders’ seminars and meetings we hold in different areas of western Uganda.

We sought to link-up with the people in a very relational way by serving one another through sharing of resources, experiences, and friends, to locations God was opening for us. And over the last 5 years we have worked with believers and leaders of diverse backgrounds to proclaim Christ across cultural situations. As a result, we are witnessing a Westlink Evangelism team begin to emerge with up to 9 leaders (now) joining with us from various churches and ministries.

And as the Westlink ministry has been steadily growing, so has the Kirungi family over the years. In May 2006 our first born son Christian made his debut. And 2 years later so did his sibling Zion, raising our family math to the figure 4. I mean, talk about increase!

Although Violet is currently missing-in action in the mission field to take care of the boys, she still brings to the mix an amazing passion for the fire of God and intercession. Her leadership gift and skills come in-handy. Behind the scenes she plays a key role in program designing & strategy, and oversees the budgets.

Jim heads the Westlink Evangelism Project team as visionary and head servant, and brings the party to most situations, integrating a passion for missions with technical tools and resources to put the message across to the uttermost places. Obviously you want to stay in-tune for next month’s issue and see what happens!"

Our Church Background;
We are honored to be fathered and mentored by our spiritual parents; Pastors Robert and Jessica Kayanja of Miracle Center Cathedral Rubaga. It is because of their love and support and that of many of you that we are constantly running and not growing weary.
Miracle Centre to us is a wonderful place we call home, and we are grateful for the rest of the pastors and members of Miracle Centre who have stood with us in prayer and anchored us in love. We are always overwhelmed by the enormous messages and phone calls we receive whenever we miss church for two weeks while in Western Uganda on mission engagements. Pastors; Arthur Nsamaba & wife Aggie, Pastor Ben Ochola, Pastor Dan Baguma and wife Fiona, Pastor Olwoch, Pastor Edie Lubwama, Pastor Joy Mawalo, Pastor Andrew Mwesigwa, Pastor Sseremba, Sister Joyce Kaija, Bobby and Irene, Becky, Brother Douglas, Dorothy, Pastor Enoch, and the list is sooo…. inexhaustible.
My God will reward you exceedingly for the seeds of Love and Spirit you have sawed in our lives and ministry!!!
God bless you also to Pastors Simeon & Celia Kayiwa of Namirembe Christian Fellowship. Also I can’t forget to mention; Aida, Suzan, & Sarah (all of monitor publications), my young brother McDonald Kamese in Mexico, Trevor & Jana in the US, Gayana and Jovian in Manchester and so many of you who love us very much and God Bless You ALL.

MINISTRY GROWTH Over the last 5 years the ministry has been growing under the philosophy of building relationships and sharing the love of Christ through culturally relevant ways, by recognizing changing needs and meeting them in new and applicable ways. After earning trust and respect, we use the opportunity to share our faith in an effort to bring "real life" changes through Christ.

And birthed out of mission-field experiences, we have designed several community based programs and objectives to foster the Project mission in the light of this philosophy. And apparently we are working with several outreach ministries to come and hold events in various parts of western Uganda in the coming year 2009. About seven of them have already confirmed their dates, and one of them is a church mission team in Melbourne Florida. Our target is 19 events (at least one in each district, and we are also working out a programme for another mission team that if all goes well, shall come from Mexico. My brother McDonald is doing everything to coordinate that team.
These events will be diverse in nature, depending on the programmes designs and ideas that the various teams will bring into the mix. But as usual our basic programming template involves crusades, discipleship programmes, leaders’ conferences, local schools and universities outreach.
PROJECTS AND COMMUNITY PROGRAMS
As mentioned a little while ago, a number of ministry and community-based / youth / Children programmes too are about to take off. These include;
• Train a Child Demonstration School
• Youth projects (Gifted & Abel youth) targeting schooled and unschooled teenagers as well as churched and un-churched youths. (vocational programs; sports and other talent development programs)
• Church planting and construction projects
• Christmas outreach programs
• Children’s outreach programs
• Village clinics and malaria eradication projects
• Jesus film project
• Bible school and annual mobile schools of ministry
• The kerosene project aiming to supply cheap kerosene to jungle communities at no profit
• Christian media programs
• Etc.

Currently we are in the process of registering the Project with the Uganda NGO Board as an interdenominational faith organization. Also Jim and Violet are contemplating relocating to Fort Portal in the district of Kabarole to engage in fulltime ministry and to effectively coordinate programmes and activities on the ground.

WESTLINK WEBSITE & CONNECTING POINT ENEWSLETTERJim is done with designing the website which will soon debut on the Internet. We are grateful to God for the grace and passion that it has taken him to get the job done. It has been almost a year now since he started working on the website, because it had to be done alongside mission field engagements, family and work responsibilities, and while also until recently, he was reading for his degree at the university”.
The website is such a vital tool for the ministry, and it is designed and built to deal with all information needs in a way that it leaves no question concerning this ministry unanswered.
Connecting Point ENewsletter will be our official Electronic Newsletter. It’s also done with designing and building. It will start running as soon as the website goes on air. In fact we worked around the clock in an endeavor for it to debut as our maiden issue of October 2008, but due to financial shortages here and there, we haven’t been able. However, both the website and Newsletter will be on air by the next issue of this monthly newsletter.

THE INVITEThe rest of the team and I wish to invite you to join us by accepting to be a member of this kingdom initiative and take part in the mighty end-time harvest for Christ.

Westlink is entering a new phase and Violet is currently out of field-action to take care of the boys. However, we believe that God has ordained men and women to join with us for the purpose of preaching the gospel to every people and to witness Christ. And prayerfully we are seeing a growing ministry team of uniquely gifted people joining us from various ministries and churches.

When you become a member, there are many opportunities and ways in which you can serve under The Project. You can be part of our missions team, that ventures into missions & outreach programs and activities within the jurisdiction of our vision.

For those of you who are held-up by job, business and family commitments, we plead with you to take time off and “pray unceasingly”, that “…the Lord of the harvest will send workers in his plenteous harvest” in Western Uganda, because “….the harvest (in this region) truly is plenteous but the workers are few….” (Mat 9:37 – 38).
And as I conclude this maiden issue of our newsletter, Violet and I, as well as everybody aboard the Westlink Evangelism Project hereby thank you for your time, love, and support. We appreciate your patience to read this long account of what the Lord is doing in Western Uganda.
Our last word is: God bless you all, and please; continue to stand with and to lift us in your prayers, because mission field life is an onslaught against the devil’s own war. We can’t win (souls) unless somebody believes with us. And today Violet and I, plus the team at Westlink Evangelism Project are grateful because that somebody is you.

Remember; the benefit of your partnership is three-fold:1. You attract local people because you are different and exciting.
2. You can cross the divide between Protestant and Catholic and bring them together in Christ.
3. Your progressive, forward thinking encourages local rural Christians and the rest of us who are involved in this ministry.

AND HOW SHALL THEY PREACH EXCEPT THEY BE SENT?

After observing the situation on the global market, the outgoing MD announced his concern in Mathew chapter 3. In one of his transitional speeches to the new cadre of business leaders due to take over from him, and to the future (both) cross-geographical and trans-generational audiences he said “The need and relative demand for our commodity is overwhelming, except for the understaffed department of labor.”

His professional recommendation to the new administration was that a technical step be taken in drafting and addressing a relevant proposal to a higher Human Resource Authority, requesting Him to address the issue of labor shortage and improve productivity and hence increasing sales.

Everywhere in western Uganda and in the uttermost parts of the world, the MD’s recommendation has been effected accordingly, and the said proposal reached the HRM who in response has increased staffing and appointed more workers, as well as giving tenders to more suppliers and middlemen who are taking to the stage and jumping to the opportunity to feed the global market.

From his vast experience in the market place however, renowned business guru Paul, who is also celebrated for his legacy as a middle man raises yet another real-time issue. Highlighting his concern to industrial stakeholders and players in the market system, especially the financial institutions, Paul argues in Roman 10:14 that the overwhelming demand is not being met, and thus the desperate consumer is continually committed to death daily by the millions due to the inaccessibility of the drug.

Apparently, the sales people appointed for the job are done with the due capacity building drills, and appropriately empowered for that matter, except that they are yet to be deployed due to lack of working tools and field equipment.

The supply gap for the rather (readily) available drug is persisting because the tender holder is yet to secure the necessary capital from the financial institutions which seem rather reluctant to fund this ultimate project for other agendas.
This has left the seasoned middle man stranded with all the necessary paperwork in place except the actual funding of his operations, and thus People cannot enjoy the benefits of the commodity that has not reached them, because there is non to make the ultimate delivery, even though many would have, had it not been for funding issues.

About us

Westlink Evangelism Project is a non denominational Christian outreach ministry primarily involved in local outreach within and around the 20 districts of western Uganda. Violet and I have been serving part time since 2003, but have officially gone fultime as of 2009.

Our goal is to reach the uttermost communities, to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with every man, woman and child of every tribe through culturally relevant ways, by recognizing changing needs and meeting them in new and applicable ways.

Our Vision is "An entirely reached Western Uganda until Christ becomes the loudest message in a noisy world, to ensure that EVERY EAR in this part of the world HEARS this Gospel of the Kingdom, and then shall the END come. Mathew 24:14. Jim has already been to evvery one of the 20 districts in this region
See also our;
ministry goals for 2009
Ministry highlights 2008
Family news (Behind the scenes at The Kirungi's)

A BREIF BACCK GROUND

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The Kirungi's have been maried almost 4 years now, and the ministry called Westlink Evangelism Project has been sprouting steadly. "We started with a simple desire to preach Christ, and to share freely that which freely we have recieved in Him (love and salvation) with the people in the jungle communities of Western Uganda. My fiancee then Violet and I used our little monies to buy basic items such as tooth brushes, tooth paste, soap, salt, slippers, children's toys, excercise books, pens, pecils, to give to the needy people and members of the congregations at the village churches where i had opportuntities to Christ.
We sought to link-up with the people in a very relational way by serving one another thruogh sharing of resources, experiences, and friends, to locations God was opening for us. And over the years we have worked with belivers and leaders of diverse backgrounds to proclaim Christ across cultural situations. As a result we see a Westlink Evangelism team emerge with up to 9 leaders joining with us from various churches and minitries.

The coupel has also worked with the evangelistic organization called Conect Africa, where they have been actively in service until recently. As Conect Africa is currently seasoned to reaching the war-torn Northern Uganda, the Kirungi's have gone wide west in pursiut of what they have concieved as God's specific purpose for their lives. And as the Westlink ministry has been steadly growing, so has the Kirungi family over the years. "In May 2006 our first born son Christian made his debute. And 2 years later so did his sibling Zion, raising our family maths to the figure 4. I mean, talk about increase!" Jim and Violet have also attended Miracle bible college and continue to serve in ministry there, while still Violet also serves with Pastor Jessica Kayanja in Girl Power Ministries.

Although Violet is apparently letting up active duty on The Project to take care of the boys, she still brings to the mix an amazing passion for the fire of God and intercession. Her leadership gift and skills come in-handy behind the scenes, palying a key role in program designing and strategy. She over seesthe budgets too.

Jim heads the Westlink Evangelism project team as visionary and head servant, and brings the party to most situations, integrating a passion for missions with technical tools and resources to effcetively reach the uttermost places. Obviousely you want to stay tuned to the website and see what happens!"

We are most honored to be fathered and mentored by our spiritual parents; pastors Robert and Jessica Kayanja and for being part of the Miracle Center family at the cathedral in Rubaga, Kampala Uganda.