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“It’s Not All Good, But God Is.” Pt. 3
Jerry’s Third and Final Rrip Blog From Uganda
Jude and Christine proudly stand on the farm that made Jude “a man” in his wife’s eyes
Last year when we visited Uganda, I had the privilege of getting to know Jude much better. Our FGW trainer, Joshua, was in the hospital, so Jude was our host. He took us to see Joshua’s work, but we did not visit Jude’s area. On this visit, we saw Jude’s DMM (Disciple Making Movement) work and the new farmers trained in FGW. I was pleased to see the farmers’ zeal to implement and share FGW after experiencing the benefits. More training is necessary to get some of the farms up to standard, but the bible tells us not to despise small beginnings.
One thing that is not small is the movement God has birthed through Jude. He is truly a DMM practitioner. His team is stewarding 160 groups that focus on loving God, loving others, and making disciples. On our final day in Uganda, I got to join a combination of some of these groups. Our group was led by a young man named Reagan. He is 20 years old and has 20 groups, mostly comprised of youth.
Reagan said Bibles are the most significant need in the 20 groups he leads. Many young people can’t afford them.
Reagan’s ability to lead the group and draw answers out of its members impressed me. However, the group members also encouraged me as they shared how they had obeyed the previous week’s scripture. Their intentionality to obey the scriptures and share the gospel with others sets a high bar for newcomers. They begin to learn, obey, and share immediately. This is a disciple-making movement.
Jude also works with our Widows and Abandoned Women Ministry. He said that serving his community by meeting the practical needs of widows and abandoned women helped the movement gain traction. One of those women was Florence. Her story is a real-life scary movie.
Florence and her husband had three children. Like many families, they were struggling to survive. In an attempt to escape this crushing poverty, her husband consulted a witch doctor. The prescription given was to sacrifice his children so his family would prosper. Florence fled with her children to a neighbor’s home. What happened next was horrifying.
When her husband found them, he attacked Florence and her children with an axe. He killed one of their children and one of the neighbor’s kids. Florence and two of her children somehow survived the gruesome attack but bear the scars as constant reminders. With the dress she is wearing below, we could see the scar on her back that stretched from her neck to her shoulder. At the time, Florence was carrying her son (the young man standing with her) on her back. As her husband swung at his baby boy, he slashed his face and her shoulder. Their daughter is left with a disfigured arm and scars on her hands that need surgery. Florence was left with her legs so badly mangled that they had to be amputated.
Sister Florence shares her terrifying and triumphant testimony. Thanks to the prosthetic legs investors like you helped provide, she can now stand and walk again. PRAISE GOD!
But here Florence is, standing and sharing her story. She represents countless widows and abandoned women who will not just lay down and die. She even said she will begin practicing Farming God’s Way when she gets land. These women are not lazy or waiting for a handout. They are the most vulnerable women among us, and we are called to serve them. Your support in helping these women has been essential and life-changing, and I want to thank you.
But we would not need your support if we had more godly men, obedient disciples, loving their wives as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her. Farming God’s Way and Disciple-Making Movements bring the solution to poverty. Through the spread of the Gospel, men can be reconciled to God, themselves, others, and creation, restoring their dignity and purpose. Then, FGW training helps families meet their own practical needs and make a profit. I can’t help but wonder if we had reached Florence’s village with FGW training before her husband visited the witch doctor, would her life be different?
Either way, Jesus tells us in John 10:10 NLT, “The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.” Please pray that the disciple-making movement God started in Uganda will continue to multiply, taking the gospel and FGW to more villages.
Thank you for your time and attention.
Grace and Peace,
Jerry Jefferson
Director, Farming God’s Way
