AUMA...TIME TO CLOSE THE BOOK!

 

It is with a heavy heart that I resign from my post as General Administrator of Association of Urban Ministries in Africa, AUMA.

 

This has been decided for a number of reasons as follows:

• The application for NPO Status has been rejected 3 times. Surely this is a clear message?
• 18 months and still no wages, or funds. How can an Organisation run on empty?
• The CMWA has been dissolved, with external Organistations recognising no further need to continue their association with AUMA.

Because of these and other factors, together with lots of prayer, I realised that there was no point in continuing to flog a dead horse, so I resigned from my duties.

 

Jean-Ray accepted my decision, and concluded our meeting suggesting that AUMA has reached its last chapter, and the book needs to be closed. We jointly agreed that this was the only appropriate decision to make.

 

I have so enjoyed the journey I have been on with AUMA, and all the learning I did on my way. And even though I struggled to create the awareness and interaction AUMA needed, I am ready to close the book, but, I will forever hold onto all the wonderful friends and memories I collected on the way.

 

Thanks to all who played a part in my journey, and for all I learnt along the way, I am blessed and truly richer in knowledge.

 

May God bless and keep you all.

 

Cheryl Robins

 

Quiet Please

Psalm 141:3 (NKJV) ³ Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth; Keep watch over the door of my lips.

So often we speak before sincerely thinking about the impact of our words. And because of that, we can either lift people’s spirits, or totally break them down.

The questions are: What impact would you want your words to have? How would you want others to respond to you? What sort of aura do you want to impart? Do you want to earn respect and friends, or do you want people to steer clear of you, turning your space into absolute loneliness?     

I would imagine that you would want to have a positive impact, allowing others to respond with respect, filling them with a desire to become a friend who loves being in your sincerely positive, caring and peaceful space.  
                         

Lord God, thank You for Your Word, which teaches and encourages us to lean on, and trust in your guidance. Father, as You guard our mouths from destruction, please fill us with wisdom to speak in ways that will radiate joy, peace, and Your light, into all those we interact with. In Jesus name I pray, amen.

ANOTHER YEAR

Two thousand and twelve is drawing to a close. Where has it gone and what has it accomplished? Where are we going?

AUMA was revived in October of 2011, and has been climbing for recognition since then. What a battle it has been, and still is. However, I believe it has not been in vain at all. So much has been achieved and accomplished!

Trying to create an awareness, with nothing really to go on, has not been as easy task. However, in saying that, it has been a task that I have thoroughly enjoyed. I have been creating social networks, places like this blog, twitter, linkedin and google plus.

But with all the awareness that I have been generating, I am still in limbo waiting for the NPO application to be approved. Once that has been achieved, I do believe the AUMA road will start showing directional signs, with many different roads that need to be investigated for works that need to be done. Because of this fact, I am super excited to continue ploughing through the little that I have, in hope of the huge fields that are no doubt being prepared for me to work in. What an exciting thought...sho!

So for all those that have been waiting, thanks and please don't give up on the wait. I say this, because I have faith in all God is doing to make this Association work, to bring glory to His almighty name throughout the continent of Africa.

There is no funding of any kind, and I have not recieved a salary or overhead funding for over a year. But, I have a deep gut feeling that AUMA is going to become an Association that Ministries will not only want to work with, but more so, need to work with. All because it will bring glory to God and not man. God is driving AUMA, so, how can it not progress to what He needs it to be. I am holding on and waiting on God, because without Him, AUMA will never be.

Please help by keeping AUMA in your prayers, as you pray for it's progression to be the source for all African Ministries. The ultimate goal is to bring all African Ministries onto common ground in the name of Jesus, the One who saves.

Acts 10:42
He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one whom God appointed as judge of the living and the dead.

'NEW LIFE!'

 

The ball is in motion, and time is drawing close...woohoo...yay!

 

What you see is a rough of the upcoming official AUMA Web page. Yes, by the end of November, or close to, we are hoping to go live by giving AUMA  a 'new life'. All thanks to AGRM in Colorado Springs, who are making this possible for us.

 

I am naturally super excited and can't wait to sink my time into keeping all of the African delegates up to date with what is happening, and going to happen, in this 'new life' of AUMA.

 

The web page will offer much in the way of resources for the Mission Organisations throughout Africa, as well as links to their own web pages, their stories, access to Facebook & Twitter, and basic all round online assistance. I am hoping that all the administrators in those Organisations, will become enthusiastic and decide to either keep their own web pages updated, or for those who don't have a website, to make that difference and get one of their own. We need to create global awareness of the Organisations that are struggling, on a daily basis, to keep their compassionate projects alive and running effectively, in order that they may continue to host and look after those in their care, who are lost, hurting and underprivledged.

 

The way of the world today, is in how we communicate through cyber space. Technology has made the world so much smaller, and the aim is to use it to your advantage. The way to achieve a broader awareness, is to have an exciting platform in the way of an updated web page. The way to grow your Organisation, is to use available media and social networking. The way to keep the world updated, is to host and maintain an effective website, as well your media and social network sites. We all therefore, need to get hooked into the way of the world, the cyber space way, to generate this 'new life' of AUMA Africa.

 

I learnt whilst I was in the USA, that media is probably one of the most important tools within your Organisation, if it is managed correctly that is. The new AUMA website will offer different resources that will help you make the best of your platform, so that your Mission/Ministry, will be able to run more effectively. There is no doubt that prospective donors will be able to easily access information about your Mission/ Ministry, if it is available on the internet.Up to date information of events, programs and sincere needs, will no doubt create a more financially fluid income to incorporate better systems and facilities for those in your care, than ever before. It is about achieving more for God's Kingdom for His glory, not ours, but His alone.

 

I ask that you kindly pray ahead of time, for the upcoming website, that it will be an effective, user friendly, vibrant, and absolutely necessary tool for all those Missions/ Ministries, needing to grow and become efficiently effective in every way. Pray that it will become a necessary tool to help enhance the skills and lives of those who host and run projects in rehabilitation, learning, housing, and comforting those needing loving and compassionate assistance in this world of today. Thanks, and I know your prayers of sincerity will be heard.

 

So watch the space that will soon be filled with the 'new life' of AUMA.

 

Father God, may You guide us in all we do towards Your wonderful Kingdom, and may You bless our Missions/ Ministrries, in ways that will see lives changed and transformed, and ready to reciece salvation, and the hope of new and eternal life, within Your Kingdom. In Jesus precious name I pray, amen.

 

 

This is for those lost, broken hearted, and hurting. Jesus has connected you with them for His ultimate glory!
So...be His obedient voice and share His hope for them!

*******************************
Old baggage may be difficult to let go of, because you believe it needs to be, and, stay a part of who you are.
But, it's old and can't be changed...ever, because it's history.
It might hold love and joy, which is great, and you should hold those bags close to your heart forever.
But, it can also hold a lot of pain and bitter memories, so why hang onto those bags?
If the latter is what your baggage holds, then do this, pack it full of your ugly past, go leave it at the foot of the cross, then walk away and find a new life full of hope in Jesus.
I guarantee, you will never look back!
Amen, amen!



 

I was blessed in May of 2012, to visit this Organisation, Association of Gospel Rescue Missions, in Colorado Springs, together with Denver Rescue Mission in Denver Colorado.

I was sponsored by the same two, as an intern to learn from them in setting up and establishing AUMA here in Africa.

Whilst I was with AGRM, I was shown administration management, from establishing and taking care of members, to establishing and taking care of donors, accounting, public relations, convention and event planning, as well as other mission association agendas. I learnt how they, as the hub of Urban Rescue Missions in the USA, have experienced the ups and downs in learning curves that have taken them to their 99th year of success. The Organisation represents God's mission callings, and is run solely for His Kingdom purposes.

The learning adventure I embarked on taught me that reinventing the wheel here in Africa is totally unnecessary, seeing as their wheels turn so wonderfully. Their cogs are well oiled and turn with practised ease. Denver Rescue Mission, who have been running for 120 years, offered so much in the nuts and bolts arena, of hosting and running rescue outreach programs for the under privileged, addicts, homeless, hungry, hurting and lost. Their first and foremost priority is to instil the love of Jesus into the lives of those who fall into their care, before they take them through programs to equip and empower them, to confidently step back into the often tough and trying realms of life, in a world full of satan’s destruction. But instead of being weak in themselves, they step out of the program, equipped in the strength and guidence of their Heavenly Father who has become their awesome Saviour.

It truly was an amazing experience, and, whilst there, AGRM offered to host AUMA’s initial website. AUMA presently only has this blog, together with Facebook, but, I am so super excited to share that the website is under-going construction steps, and hopefully will soon be up and running. This will create a global platform, and most importantly, will create a first of its kind, a broad and useful African Urban Ministry platform. This will be the place where the Urban Ministries throughout Africa will be able to obtain various resources, network on a wider scale, obtain links to necessary sites, and much more. AUMA will finally be able to subscribe members to join an Association which will equip and empower their Ministries, and grow their mission field for God's purpose and glory.

So, watch this space for more news on this upcoming exciting venture.

Until then, God bless you and your mission field in all the ways that God deems necessary, and may He give you and yours wisdom in all you do in His name, amen!

 













 

BY AIR TO JINJA

It was 10 March, early Saturday morning that our journey began. Everything was going to plan as we arrived at King Shaka, Durban’s International airport in good time to catch our domestic flight to OR Tambo International in Johannesburg.

 Goodbyes were said to my husband Mike and my daughter Cherise and off we went through departures.

We managed to visit a local shop after going through to departures called ‘eM’native collection’. This is a successful business, derived through the CAST business forum run by Westville Baptist Church volunteers.

After checking out the shop, we went through to the check in and proceeded to board our flight. We were on time and I got to sit by the window and Jean-Ray got the isle seat that he wanted, so, all were happy. We landed in Johannesburg OR Tambo Internatioanl and collected our luggage as we needed to check it onto our flight to Uganda. After doing that and collecting our boarding passes, we decided to get some lunch at the airport Wimpy where we both had a 3 tenner meal comprising of a burger, chips and a coke. During our meal Jean-Ray showed me his yellow fever certificate and asked if I had

one. Of course it was the first time I had heard of or seen it and my answer was obviously no. He suggested that we probably would not need it but he carried it with him whenever he travelled just in case he was asked for it. If only I had of had one…sigh!

We finished eating and he now needed to change some currency so we went on the hunt for a beauru de change, which we found. However, they were not able to help him and told him he needed a Standard Bank which he could find on another level. By this time he realised that we were supposed to be boarding so we started to hurry. The next thing I knew we were racing to the boarding gate which seemed an eternity away. We both ran as fast as we could and by the grace of God we made it just on time. Because we were late we were unable to choose our seats so we sat where we were booked. Jean-Ray was happy that he managed to get the isle seat whereas I got the middle seat in a three seater row.

We were happy to have made the flight. I sat next to a Ugandan doctor who was on his way back home to Kampala. The flight was 5 hours with Uganda being one hour ahead in time. The flight was pleasant and the conversation and company was good. Travelling with a pastor has its privledges as I had my own question and answer session which he could not escape, especially as he sat between me and the isle.

 We arrived at Entebe irport   at seven in the evening with a terrible start to the trip. Jean-Ray took out his passport and suddenly realised that he had lost his yellow fever certificate. He searched the airplane but it was clear that during our race to catch our flight in Johannesburg, he had lost it. We did not need the certificate however and going through customs was a breeze. We collected our bags and as we descended to the arrivals, there stood a man with a placard with Jean-Ray’s name. Our lift was there to take us on our three and a half hour journey to Jinja wher the conference was going to be held.

The journey was long, vigorours and tiring. We reached our destination, Jinja, at ten thirty tired and happy that the traveling was over. Jean-Ray went to the guest house Arise whilst I was dropped of at the house where I would spend the next 4 days of my stay in Jinja.

The house on the right belongs to Pastor Moses and his lovely wife Christine. That is where I stayed for my duration in Uganda.

Pastor Moses and his wonderful wife Christine.