God’s Economy

FALL/WINTER 2021  |  3 MINUTE READ
J. W., MISSIONARY IN UGANDA

When you were ten years old, what would you have done with $2,000? Bought a new video game system? A bike? A computer? Would you have thought about donating it to kids on the other side of the world that you would probably never meet face-to-face? Yeah, me neither.

Here in Uganda, where I’ve served as a missionary with my wife, D, and our three kids for the past ten years, there’s a place called Kikongo Primary School. It’s an amazing school that provides a quality education for children, many of whom are orphans and children from single-parent households who might not otherwise have this opportunity. The faculty and staff there are largely Christian, which allows the students to witness the transformation Jesus brings.

Since we’re passionate about this school and its mission, D and I like to share about it whenever we get a chance. So it’s not uncommon for us to receive a question about how to sponsor students there. But we had never received a question from someone like Molly before—and by someone like Molly, I mean a ten-year-old girl from Indianapolis, Indiana.

When I read Molly’s email, her question touched my heart, and without giving it too much thought, I quickly responded with the details of how she could help and added, “Our family will match whatever she chooses to give.” After all, how much money could she possibly have raised?

Molly, her brother, and some friends raise money through a lemonade stand.

What I would soon discover was that Molly had been working and saving her money for a long time. She had heard about Kikongo at a church VBS program and was inspired to start raising funds to help more students be able to attend the school. She set up lemonade stands and saved her Christmas money, eventually raising $2,000 to send to Kikongo.

D and I were blown away. We were in shock at the level of commitment that Molly had to students that she didn’t even know but to a God she clearly knows very well. We kept our promise and matched the funds she had raised—and we weren’t the only ones who were moved by Molly’s generosity.

Molly and her parents were hoping to keep the gift quiet to avoid drawing attention to themselves, but I couldn’t keep it a secret. (What can I say? I’m not exactly shy.) I was so excited about how God was at work that I had to share it with others, who then shared it with even more people. As word spread, God moved more and more people to sponsor students to attend Kikongo, to the point where the school reached full capacity and we had to start directing people to give to other ministries!

If I was excited to share the news with people in the States and those doing ministry with us in Uganda, I was ecstatic at the thought of telling the students who would now be able to attend Kikongo. And their reactions didn’t disappoint. The two boys who were the first to hear the news responded instantly by praising God for providing and for everyone who played a part in this miracle.

The students are eager for good news.

Many of the teachers at Kikongo had been praying during the COVID season, especially because the economy in the area had taken a huge hit. But Molly’s mom, Christina, said it best: “God’s economy is not our economy. He takes what He wants, and He’ll use what He wants. Even a ten-year-old from Indianapolis.”

The students at Kikongo had been waiting for two months to hear about funding for the next school year. When they heard the news, they did what we believers do. They received the news with resounding joy and shared with the students next to them who didn’t yet understand what it meant. The crowd of students was overtaken by waves and waves of praise.

Students rejoice that funding has come in for their next school year.

If ever there was a need for a story of hope, it was then. God brought this life-changing news at the perfect time. Despite COVID, despite the economy, and despite global events that transcend our understanding at times, God has been, is, and will be victorious. These young souls know that very well.

ACTION STEPS

PRAY: Lift up the students and faculty at Kikongo. Pray that God will continue to provide for them and that He will continue to move in powerful, life-changing ways. And ask God how you might be inspired or inspire others to find their role in the story of redemption He’s writing.

GO: Do you want to see the next generation learn and grow? Do you want to empower them to take the Gospel and join the transformational work God is doing across the globe? Check out our interactive opportunity map to see how you can partner with and equip the next generation.

GIVE: Partner with what God is doing through Kikongo Primary School by providing a scholarship for children who don’t have the resources to attend school. Help these children receive a quality education—and give them an opportunity to meet the God who can shape their eternity.

Missionary Bio: J and D W have served as missionaries in Uganda since 2012.