Uganda Update/ What the Vision is....

I just wanted to give you a quick update on where I am at, what is the current status of the whole Uganda Project, and also more information on what we will be doing. Currently, the Lord has been very faithful and also has been teaching me so much on faith and just building that relationship with him.

Since the last time I have written to you, the Lord has provided. As you know I was apart of Teen Mania Ministries’ Acquire the Fire Ministry Team; going around the country setting up, running, and tearing down the event for all the youth of America. I was not able to fulfill my commitment in raising the proper support for that and I was released from my commitment early. At that time I still needed to raise $2,150. The Lord has provided and now I only need to raise $934. I still need to fulfill my commitment in raising that support before I proceed to go to Uganda. Now with the support for the Uganda trip itself, I was able to raise $70. So at this point in time, I still need to raise a total of $15,364. The Lord has been so faithful in what he is doing.

So, I have been given more information on what we will be doing over in Uganda and also who we will be partnering up with. Teen Mania’s heartbeat is to provoke a young generation to passionately pursue Jesus Christ and take His life giving message to the ends of the earth. We have been doing this now for over 20 years through every aspect of Teen Mania but specifically through raising up leaders in the Honor Academy Internship. From the very beginning the end goal and vision of Teen Mania has been reaching the nations.

Through our partnership with a local pastor, Martin Ssempa in Uganda, we have the incredible opportunity to take the internship to foreign soil for the first time. Ssempa’s ministry and heartbeat are very similar to Teen Mania and he has been very influential in Uganda for nearly two decades as well. Due to their similar passions and ministries, Ssempa and the president of Teen Mania, Ron Luce, had an instant connection once they met. Ssempa has already been developing and raising up leaders in Uganda who love God and can bring change to Africa.

However, he needs the structure, disciplines and curriculum of the successful Honor Academy program we have been running for so many years. The Africans have the passion and zeal for God, but they are desperate for the structure and discipline of the American church. Our goal would be that after a few years, the Honor Academy would be self-sufficient and able to run by Ugandan leadership and Ugandan alumni of the internship.

Uganda is a strategic location for our first international expansion for many reasons. Uganda is a country of young people. 51% are below the age of 14 and 2% are 65 or older. They are so young and have very limited adult influence to raise them up in the ways of the Lord to impact their nation for Christ. Also, this has high strategic value because in Kampala, our base of operations, we would have the opportunity to interact with college age students from several different countries in Africa such as the Sudan, Kenya and Somalia. These students all come to Uganda to attend University because it is so inexpensive and then many end up working in Uganda. According to Ssempa’s team, about 30% of the young adults in Uganda are from these other countries in Africa and many will actually end up participating in the internship, or Leadership Development Institute (LDI). Through planting the LDI and raising up leaders in Uganda, we have the potential to influence church and secular leadership throughout the country, as well as the entire continent of Africa.

I just received news that I will be heading back to Texas and Teen Mania on November 4, 2009 to start training for the LDI. Our plan right now is to head to Uganda sometime in the week of November 11, 2009. Here is how you can help. In the beginning of this letter I said I have still to raise $15,364. I am still trying to find supporters who would be able to give financially and also commit to praying for me and the team while we are their.

There are a few ways to donate. First is to give a one time donation of $154, second to donate for 6 months at $25 a month, third to donate $13 a month, or if you cannot commit to this you are able to give a one time donation of your choice.
You can send all donations made out to Teen Mania Ministries with “Andrew Downey ID#2441613” in the memo line to Honor Academy, c/o Intern Relations, P.O. Box 2000, Lindale, TX 75771. Remember all donations made out this way are tax-deductable. For all personal checks and cash donations, you can send that to Andrew Downey, 557 SW Cutoff Unit 136, Worcester, MA 01607.

I want to thank you so much for what you are all doing, and all the support that you are giving. I know that most of all our team needs prayer. A lot of us on the team are struggling and need all the prayer that we can get. I know that the Lord is going to provide for all of us. Thank you so much again for all that you are doing. May God bless you all with all that you are currently and soon to do.

Sincerely,

Andrew Downey