Encounter
 I forget sometimes how much God has done over the last few months until I sit down to write a newsletter and compile it all. Whew! It's overwhelming. It appears I should be doing this more often!
I recently went to Jinja to see one of my intercessors and had an encounter with Jesus that reminded me what this is all about. I felt God put his hand over my heart and seal it with His love and in an instant I felt refreshed, I felt joy, I felt healed. And I felt I had so much more love to give. That's what Zion is about--bringing people into an ENCOUNTER with God that transforms them, that radically heals them. But it begins with us first. In ministry we often forget that our purpose on this earth is to "enjoy God forever." I for one, want to enjoy Him more and let Him worry about the rest.
God is going to do big things this year. As the world enters a time of tribulation we hide in Him more. The words I got at the beginning of this year were: EXPANSION, and RECOVERY of what was lost. This is a year where dreams come true. Where promises are fulfilled. We are seeing that already in our women as they become leaders and head out to their communities to preach to the broken hearted. Such an act of REDEMPTION.
(image above of our commissioning ceremony over our women)
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Expansion
 In December, we completed another Counseling Seminar with over 30 women, we hosted a 3-day Marriage Conference in partnership with Pst Ron & Joy
on healthy, Godly, nonviolent relationships which 80-100 people attended each day. God moved to restore relationships and heal many hearts. In Uganda, many people live together without being married and we are raising a standard of God above culture. We dream of hosting a MASS WEDDING this year to build Godly marriages.
We also threw an amazing Christmas Party for our girls at the Rescue Home where girls received new dresses, pajamas, beanie babies, cake, and a brand new PLAYGROUND!
In January, God sent us a team from Virginia to host a Theophostic Prayer Ministry training which was so incredible. Out of all the counseling/healing methods I've learned (including sozo) I feel this is the tool God wants us to use so that He can go deep and people can encounter Him. Over the next few months our staff will be training in this and going through it ourselves to become equipped to practice and train other leaders.
God has also spoken to us about looking for LAND for our Healing Retreat Center this year. We are starting to raise funds for this vision of building a resting place for God, for hurting missionaries, and for the Ugandans, Congolese and Sudanese who struggle to connect with God and grow in Him because their hearts are broken.
I believe more and more every day that we will not see people turn to God in Uganda with authentic hearts until He brings healing into their life. God has called Uganda to be a "city of refuge," so we are preparing for that!
We are raising $25,000 for the first phase of purchasing land. You can GIVE a one-time gift or now you can give
MONTHLY on our website!
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Excitement
 So fun to see the transformation in our kids from scared, sad little girls, to girls walking in freedom and being able to PLAY!
The sad reality is that its estimated between 7,000-12,000 children are currently used in child prostitution in Uganda. With Gulu being a major route for truckers, these numbers will only continue to rise. Some are forced by parents or abandonment, follow in their mothers footsteps, or in their own words say: "I would rather die of AIDS than not have food." Unprotected sex goes for around $2.50 verses protected sex which goes for around $.50 so many children are contracting HIV. It is an injustice which breaks God's heart and we are committed to rescuing these girls.
Right now we are excited to be identifying 9 more girls to enter our Rescue Home. You can sponsor
a girl to receive holistic care: love, an education, food, tutoring, and a place where she can grow up without fear.
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Give Love Twice This Valentine's
 Our
online store Imani has launched and been a great success thus far. We've employed 10 women at fair trade wages with alternative employment to prostitution and the impact on them has been TRANSFORMATIVE! They are now able to take care of their kids, thus reducing the risk of their daughters to continue the cycle of the sex-industry, they are able to save and put their kids into school, and they walk with dignity and joy knowing they are making something of themselves.
Every day they sing worship, have devotions, and every week they take English classes and go on Outreach and minister to other women and their faith has been increasing. It's truly beautiful to watch. We dream of expanding this program to hire more women and develop more creative goods.
We are currently looking for an Imani Intern to come live and work in Gulu!
We are also launching a Nursery School for the babies and children of our Imani Artisans. Nursery school is expensive for our women and our new spot on Global Giving helped us reach our goal. We've purchased a large, 4-walled tent, and miniature chairs and tables, toys and teaching materials.
One way you can help us is by contacting your local stores and shops to see if they will carry Imani products or host a Bead Party in your area!
For every necklace you buy, that is one less man she has to sleep with, one less chance to contract HIV.
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Volunteer in UGANDA!
 We couldn't do half of what we do without our volunteers. They teach, they tutor, they pray, they lead devotions, they organize reports, and they love. Now you can come to Uganda to make a difference. Or you can volunteer in the States (contact lexi@zionproject.org.)
Click on the links below to find out more!
OPEN INTERN/VOLUNTEER POSITIONS:
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Be a World Changer
 Be an Intercessor:
- Uganda Elections are Feb 18th: Pray for Peace
- Discernment as we identify new girls for our home
- New Staff-God to send the right people
- For people here to fall in love with God and have an Encounter with Him so REVIVAL can break forth!
Be a Giver:
- Volunteer in the USA (email lexi@zionproject.org)
- Volunteer in Uganda (individual or team)
- Send us Swahili bibles!!! P.O. Box 350 Gulu, Uganda (East Africa) or make a donation: $8.00 per bible
- Join us on Facebook
- Join Sarita's prayer list (email sarita@zionproject.org)
- Subscribe to Sarita's blog
- Host a Jewelry Party (email beads@zionproject.org)
- Introduce us to your Missions Committee
- Purchase something on our Wish List!
- Join our Intercessors Team/Prayer Phone calls (email Tanya at namasteseeker@gmail.com)
- Sponsor a girl in our home by yourself or with friends (only $35 a month!)
- Sponsor our Rescue Home for a month ($1,500)
- Sponsor a Staff Member by Giving Monthly (we now have 9 staff and plan to have 11 this year)
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Want to See Us?
 God has been healing my own heart so much in recent months and giving me a deeper passion to see His body healed and more in love with Him. You can read more on my blog.
But I'm excited to be going back to America this summer so I can share more with you!
Tyson and I just want to say thank you for the ways you support us, pray for us, and dream with us. Tyson has been busy planting his 5 acre Pineapple Farm and growing his Hotel Website Wajoli
and has many dreams of creating employment for Ugandans. And God is making the work a little easier for me by sending people. I'm excited for our friends and prayer warriors Tanya & Christian Torp to join us in Uganda this year to partner with us in this ministry. I will finally have a partner in crime !:) You can give to them by donating
to Zion Project and indicating "The Torps." Or send a check to: P.O. Box 321 Quinque, VA 22965.
Here is my schedule for the summer, please book me early if you want me to speak! :)
May 9-22- San Francisco, California (possibly L.A.)
May 23-June 5th- Virginia
June 10-26- Belgium
love,
Sarita
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