Missionary of the Month - February
Our featured missionary to this month is Pastor Majok (Abraham) Garang, who serves the Lord at Calvary Chapel Naluko in Eastern Uganda, with his wife, Laura Grace. Here is the overview he provided of his ministry in Uganda and an update on how the Lord had blessed their ministry:
Greetings brethren. My name is pastor Majok Abraham and l serve in Calvary Chapel Naluko alongside my wife, Laura Grace. Naluko is a village found in the eastern part of Uganda. When we first came to Naluko, it was a 97% muslim community, filled with witchcraft (we were actually surrounded by nothing but witchdoctors). Most every girl was getting pregnant as early as 14 years old and the parents were unsupportive of them mainly because, culturally, girls have no big role in a home apart from giving birth and bringing money to the parents in a bride price manner. All this was because the parents didn’t have a relationship with God and some had not been ministered to at all, and they grew up knowing witchcraft and Islam. Many people were alcohol lead, many families fell apart because of the consumption of too much alcohol. Many children grow up without the love of their parents because the parents get remarried to different partners, so most of them live with grandparents, aunties, step moms, or step dads. Another problem for children is extreme malnourishment and others died from malnutrition because people had no knowledge about what to do with the land they had. The high rate of poverty in this community lead people to hire their land to sugarcane growers for many many years and as a result, they are left with a very small portion of land that can’t contain food for even one month. Many people died because of uncertain illness since there was no hospital in the community, (the nearest hospital was about 19 kilometre and they had to walk there or ride a bicycle) many visited the shrines in hopes of getting help. We thank God because amidst all that, He was working out a way in Hearts for Africa through Sherill Sedillo. Even though the hospital was initially aimed to give mothers a safe and loving environment to deliver their babies, it now treats anyone with any kind of condition as long as the doctors are licensed to treat it. This has also been one way that the love of God has been showed to people and we are blessed by it.
We are beyond privileged and blessed that the Lord chose us to come and minister to the people here. At first it seemed impossible to do anything here, but because God’s plans are not like ours, we had no idea that this place would change so radically. When we taught the Bible book by book, chapter by chapter, and verse by verse, many people complained saying it was boring. Word spread around and they wanted us to teach the prosperity gospel instead. We didn’t loose heart as we continued to do what the Lord had called us to do, prayerfully. Slowly people started getting the whole concept of our teaching and they were very encouraged and testimony after testimony spread around the village and even further.
The teams that Anchored International Relief brought were more than a blessing to this community. Many people had never come across white people in their entire lives, and the fact that they would come and become one with the people here, showed them love that could never be described. Many were in tears saying “We know for sure that God hasn’t forgotten about us at all. Who are we that whites (muzungu’s) can leave their homes and live in the same community with us."
The different church programs like Faith Comes By Hearing, youth ministry, women’s fellowship, married fellowship, children's ministry, the food distribution, the well drilling, and the medical outreaches have played such a huge role in the lives of the people here. Many witchdoctors have given their lives to Christ, many muslims have given their lives to Christ, and men and women are making their marriages right before God and others. We are blessed to be able to witness all that is happening in this village. There is no amount of words we can use to describe what the Lord has done and is still doing in the lives of the people here.
About 2 years ago, during the covid period, the president locked down church gathering and for a couple of months. Our sanctuary was turned into a covid ward. We bless the Lord because many gave their lives to the Lord there and some went to be with the Lord after receiving Him. A few months later, the churches were free to gather again but because we still had patients in our sanctuary, we moved into our church land that was purchased 2 years after we came and we put up tents and gathered there for a couple of months until the Lord provided and we put up a temporary shade. Prayerfully, we were able to start by excavating the land were we hope to build the sanctuary and then modify the current one to a Sunday school building since our children are currently using tents to gather every Sunday.
We are so grateful to everyone that has supported us in various ways. Thank you for the continuous love, prayers, encouragement, and support that you have for us, the people of Calvary Chapel Naluko, and the community.
Please stand with us in prayer for the following:
Please pray that God will provide for us to be able to construct the church sanctuary that is in plan and to have power installed. We have already began with the foundation of the sanctuary and we pray for God’s continuous provision.
Please pray that God will bring up more men and women to minister alongside us here in Naluko in various ministries, but mainly the children’s ministry and worship team.
Please pray for the kids we are taking care of here, that God will continuously provide for them as they go to school and grow into children that fear the Lord and that their parents will be ministered to and have love for their children and want to be part of their lives.
Since there is still lots of malnutrition, we are praying and already have a plan to start up a feeding centre to help the children. Please pray that God will provide all the resources we need and that He will guide us, give us knowledge, and bring up the right people to help.
Please pray for me and my wife that God will provide for us and continue to give us knowledge, wisdom, and a spirit of discernment. Since many people look to us for help in council, food, treatment, school fees, and many others, its also sometimes overwhelming, but please stand with us in prayer.
All your prayers, support, encouragement, council, visits, and more are a huge blessing to us. We appreciate it all. Please feel free to visit us whenever it’s possible. We will be full of joy to see you all. Thank you all so much, may our Heavenly Father continue to bless you all, provide for you, and give you all good health in abundance.
