Editor: Tell us about how Abba Father's House vision came about

Juliette Najja: This happened a little while after I first got re-united to Christ. I had vision and in the vision I found myself in a place where I found a woman with her children. The kids were demanding her attention but the youngest child was crying non stop and the woman was distressed as she seemed to not know what to do. I asked her if I could take the child from her and she allowed me. So I took the child outside to see if I could calm the child down. When we got out, the child stopped crying so I continued holding her with my left arm. Suddenly, I realised that there was a candle in my right hand although I did not know where it came from. As I stood in wonder I saw a flash and the candle was lit and the light ascended up and a straight line was drawn and it turned into a golden colour. While I was watching what was going on, the candle sparkled off another flash and drew another line across and formed a cross which filled the whole earth as far as I could see and also turned into a golden colour. Yet another sparkle flashed from the candle a man who I believe was Jesus appeared on the cross. A while after, another sparkle flashed a No. 7 appeared on the right hand side of the man whom I believe was Jesus and also turned into golden colour. About a month later I was reading James 1:27 and got a quickening in my heart, God saying if you look after the orphans and comfort the widows, I will cause my light to shine on you and to alight your way. Frankly speaking I did not like the idea of looking after orphans to cut the long story short but as I continued to fellowship with God, I developed the will and then it turned into a desire which keeps me going despite all odds until now which is the reason I do what I do

Editor: How many children does Abba Father's House now has in its care?

Julitte Najja: 17 children

Editor: What would you consider as your greatest challenge so far?

Julliette Najja: Raising funds stands out to be our biggest challenge. We are able to look after the children through individuals volunteering to sponsor them in our care however problem arises when a sponsor decides not to continue with their child sponsorship as it is very difficult to return a child because they barely have homes to return to. Once a sponsor for a child in our care pulls out, our biggest challenge remains how to continue to care for that child and also carry on paying the salaries for our staff. The inflation in Uganda and the world financial crisis also means less sponsorship received. Staff management has also been a bit of a challenge because local people are slow in adapting and implementing our aims. I and my directors visit the centre at least 3 times a year to monitor the progress physically although we have a local committee in Jinja where the home is located.

Editor: Highlight some of the things you have managed to achieve since Abba Father's House started

Juliette Najja: After wrestling with the vision for a while I decided to accept the call and to focus on the possibilities instead of what seemed impossible. A few years later, a thought crossed my mind to sell my flat and move elsewhere. I invited the estate agent to value my flat and jokingly I put it on the market. Two weeks later I had a buyer and realised some reasonable equity, so I decided to use that money to get started. Along the way, came a Ugandan Pastor who has a centre for children in Kampala city. I shared my vision with him and discussed the possibility of getting started. He agreed to help me although he did not tell me about the costs and hardships involved. I had no idea how much it would cost to set up the home and of the running cost, otherwise I would still be waiting to have enough money. Any way, I moved house and church and met some really helpful people at my new church (RCF). Through godly connections and contacts I started coming across people who started supporting me in various ways most especially my church (RCF). I continued sharing my passion for disadvantaged people with various people including my work mates at Ealing Council. Some laughed, other scorned but some where touched and they are now co-sponsor some of the children in our placement.

Our passion as a charity is to build homes and create a peaceful atmosphere where disadvantaged children can dwell and have a chance for a better life with a purpose to give the children and widows love, spiritual and practical care, skill training and encouragement to enable them to have hope for the future. We are now a charity organization fully registered in the UK. So far we have managed to build a home which can accommodate 35 orphans, constructed another building (chicken house) to enable us rear chickens to raise local funds to support the home and have also constructed another temporary building for growing organic mushroom which also helps us to raise funds locally. We have managed to alleviate fear and broken heartedness from the children in our care, they are benefiting to knowing God, education, medical, emotional care and also learning saleable skills such as making crafts, sewing, rearing chickens and turkeys, gardening, cooking etc. We also offer support to widows by praying for them, teaching them the word of God and encouraging them to have hope, look to God for a better future. The widow’s project has been stirred up during the 4 weeks I spent in Uganda during Christmas time and the New Year. They produce necklaces, wallets, hand bags, huts, etc. which are exported to UK

Editor: That is so wonderful. What are your future plans for Abba Father's House?

Juliette Najja: To be the conduit of God’s love to beneficiaries and to our neighbors and also to advance the kingdom of God by participating and supporting evangelism. We desire to construct a day centre to enable us start a nursery school, computer skill literacy and other admin skills, to operate a catering service and also to provide accommodation for our widows who are currently doing their skill training and crafts under a mange tree shade. We desire to raise and encourage children in our care to carry the vision even after our time. We are also looking for funds to expand our bakery, purchase a mills motor so we can offer grain milling services to the local villages. We also intend to use this building as a church on Sundays and we hope to hire it out for occasions and functions to help us raise funds. We would also like to multiply into other parts of the country, Africa and else where.

Editor: In what ways can people support Abba Father's House.

Juliette Najja: We have been in operation for only four years and the work is still great. Support for child sponsorship is very much needed. It costs £50 to sponsor a child a month but a child can have more than one sponsor by people giving what they can. We would like to construct a Day Centre so financial support is much required. We would like to create more income generating project to help us raise funds locally. Volunteers are also welcome to empower our children and widows with various skills and knowledge and also to assist in monitoring what’s on the ground. Donations of play equipment etc are also a necessity. For more information about supporting Abba Father’s House, visit our website at www.Abbafathershouse.org

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Editor: As a Christian, what do you consider to be the biggest challenge faced by the Body of Christ Today?

Juliette Najja: What I believe is the biggest challenge faced by the body of Christ is lack of unity and non-constructive criticism of Christians of one another. We have taken our eyes off Christ and we are busy getting offended about what others are doing wrong instead of being focused on what we believe is right and getting on with doing it. World business and empire building has also robbed the church of sound encounter with the Lord. We seem to be doing things in the flesh mostly and spending most time running around putting other things before God. Is high time we all rise up and unite our prayer efforts so that we can begin to do the Father’s business which is all to do with salvation of souls, redemption from death and regeneration of life for eternal life purposes.

Editor: What are your views about Hope Alliance and what we are aiming to achieve

Juliette Najja: I think Hope Alliance is focused on bridging the gap in the Body of Christ and unite people in the Body for kingdom advancement purposes. Everyone has a different calling and the body has many members each with unique responsibility, so I look forward to seeing what God will do through Hope Alliance and I pray for its continuous success.

Editor: What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?

Juliette Najja: I enjoy having a quiet time with the Lord because I get to hear and to be reminded things I could have forgotten. I enjoy listening to worship music and dancing although I don’t do much of it. I intend to join a dance class to help me unwind once in a while. I also enjoy teaching the Word of God and it makes my life tick.

Editor: How would you like to be remembered by future generations?

Juliette Najja: I would like to be remembered as the tiny mustard seed which grew and became very big and the birds came and rested in it. I like to contribute to giving the weary rest.

Editor: We thank God for your life and pray the Lord continues to inspire you and increase success for you for His kingdom glory. The way forward for us as Christians is actions and not just talking and if you are reading this, I hope you rise up to do something for Christ sake.

Together we can make a difference.

Blessings.