October 2024 Campaign Update

 Thanks to your support and generosity, we raised $25,709!  

Construction on the roof began on October 6 and was completed a week later on October 13.  Enjoy these photos of the new roof!
 
Additionally, here are a couple of videos showing just how much rain comes down once the rainy season begins:
 

August 2024 Campaign Update

The building is mostly complete, but as you can see in the picture, it still needs a roof.  We are looking for folks to partner with us to finish the roof before the rainy season begins in mid- to late-September.  Daystar needs $11,000 to accomplish this, and Northminster has already raised $7,675.  Please consider donating today to help us achieve this goal.  See the video below for more information:
 

In addition to the roof, here is what is needed before the building can open to students:

MORE NEEDS TO COMPLETE THE 12 CLASSES

1. 3 MORE CLASSROOMS = $18,919

2. 42 WINDOWS @ $109 = $4,578

3. 12 DOORS @ 163 = $1,956 (Donated)

4. FLOOR TERRAZZO = 576 SQUARE METERS @ $19 = $10,994

5. FLOOR & STAIRCASE BURGARLY = $1,892

6. BLACK BOARDS & PAINTING = SCHOOL CONTRIBUTION

 

March 2024 Campaign Update

Through the generous donations of many people and churches, we were able to raise, after matching, $42,000 for Daystar’s new building.  While this was short of our goal, Daystar was able to change their plans and will be able to begin construction on the new building very soon.  Once again, God takes what we offer and does far more than we might ever expect.
 
Original Campaign Post from May, 2023:

Helping Daystar Junior School in Uganda Add a New School Building

A donor has offered to match up to $100,000 of donations made through Northminster by the end of 2023

 

What Difference Can We Make?

As a small church, we often wonder what kind of a difference we can actually make.  In a community and world with so much need, how can we, with our limited resources, make a meaningful impact?
 

The Miracle of Multiplication

In Mark 6, a large crowd followed Jesus and his disciples to a desolate place.  Having compassion on them, Jesus begins to teach them.  As the day moves to a close, the disciples encourage Jesus to send the people home, as there was nowhere to eat nearby.  Instead, Jesus tells the disciples to give the people something to eat.  How could they possibly do this?  They are too few, and the crowd far too great.  Jesus asks them to see how much food was brought with the crowd.  All they are able to gather are five loaves of bread and two fish.  Jesus takes this meager offering, blesses it, and begins to break it apart and distribute it to the crowd.  When all is said and done, everyone has eaten their fill, and there were twelve baskets of leftovers!  Mark says that the crowd consisted of 5,000 men, which easily puts the crowd over 10,000 people.  It’s an incredible miracle that demonstrates we follow a God of ridiculous abundance and provision.  He takes the little we have to offer and works miracles.

We have often see God do this through our support of Daystar Junior School in the Makindye division of Kampala, Uganda.  What is little to us becomes abundance for them.  A few years ago, we raised around $2,000 for the school, and they were able to install a full commercial kitchen so they could feed the students. Last year, the school was able to purchase farmland with funds we raised so they can begin growing their own food.  Earlier this year, the school was able to purchase wood for new desks.  In each of these cases, God has taken the little bit we’ve been able to provide and done much more than we could have imagined or hoped.  We are expectantly anticipating seeing God turn the little bit of bread we are able to offer into buildings for the school.

 

About Daystar Junior School

Daystar Junior School was founded in 2015 by Jude Nyanzi.  Jude was moved by the Lord to provide an educational opportunity to the children of the slums, knowing that a strong Christian education is crucial to breaking the cycle of poverty these children and their families are living in. The school opened in 2015 with 197 students.  Our relationship with Jude began when he visited our church in the fall of 2017.  When Jude visited us in 2017, they had 395.  This year, 2023, Daystar has 923 registered students — all squeezed into a mere 15 classes.  To say the school is operating at capacity is an understatement.  They are in desperate need of new facilities.

The Lord has given Jude a vision of a new building, one that can be built in levels, one at a time as funds become available.  To build the first floor, the school needs $150,000 in US dollars.   The second floor would be an additional $130,000.  Such a building would cost many times that in the United States.  What wouldn’t go very far in the United States becomes an abundance in Uganda.
 

Turning Bread into Buildings

We are a small church, but we believe strongly in the work Daystar and Jude are doing in their community.  So much so, that we are seeking to raise $100,000 for Daystar by December 31, 2023.  An anonymous donor has generously offered to match any funds donated through Northminster for Daystar, up to that $100,000 by the end of the year.  If we are able to reach our goal, Daystar will have enough for the first floor of the new education building and most of what is needed for the second.

Please take the time to watch the videos, particularly the first one, to learn about Daystar and the project they are embarking on to improve their facilities for their students.  If the Lord moves you to contribute to this project, you can do so by clicking the online giving button to the right, or by sending your donation to:

Northminster Evangelical Presbyterian Church
106 Clearview Road

Madison Heights, VA 24572

Please designate your giving to “Daystar.”  100% of the funds we receive will be passed along to the school.

Thank you, in advance, for joining us as we turn our “bread” into buildings for Daystar Junior School!

To donate online, please click here (be sure to put “Daystar” in the Note/Memo field):
 
 
Get to know Daystar Junior School, and see their vision for their new classroom building:

See A Computer Model Fly-Through of the new building:

A look at Daystar’s Culture Day:

Hear from the students:

Other videos about Daystar:

 
Some helpful links to learn more:
 
Daystar Junior School is managed by a board of directors consisting of parents, teachers and the local leadership – local government council that provide oversight and accountability for the school.
 
Spiritual support for Daystar Junior School is provided by St.John Church of Uganda Lusaka.
 
Curriculum is provided by Arise Foundation USA.