Without faith, it is impossible to please God – Hebrews 11:6
Pastor Kevin McGinley and SouthGate Church in Colorado understand that verse of Scripture very well. Several years ago, the church exercised faith to begin a journey that would radically transform lives, as well as their own ministry.
SouthGate felt God was calling them to say “yes” to His desire to use them around the world. Fueled by their compassion for children, the church decided to fund a Home of Hope in Uganda, which would provide care for up to 12 orphans. Once the funds were raised, God called Pastor Kevin and SouthGate to act again in faith, this time to provide a dormitory for the Destiny Village of Hope and School in Kampala, Uganda—a facility that would house more than 100 children! Though the call seemed daunting initially, the church did not put limits on God’s power to provide.
The dormitory was constructed to house 133 boys from the Destiny School. Previously, these students slept on the floor of a cramped and leaky building. Now they sleep in beds with comfortable bedding and mosquito nets. “We feel like princes in a palace now,” one student told the headmaster.
This summer, a team of 11 members from SouthGate traveled to Uganda to visit and dedicate their dormitory at Destiny. They got to personally experience the results of saying “yes” to God.
Also a basketball coach, Pastor Kevin had the vision to construct a basketball court for the children. God provided several generous donors to help, and the court was constructed in time for their visit.
Pastor Kevin and the team taught basketball basics while there, bonding with the students and forging relationships that would eventually lead several team members to sponsor children from the school . . . furthering the impact of their “yes” even more.
From Destiny, the team traveled to the slums of Katwe, located on the outskirts of Uganda’s capital, Kampala. Their experiences there have left an impression that Pastor Kevin says has totally revamped their attitudes toward giving.
“[There was] abject poverty staring me in the face, and yet so many of the people were so filled with joy and were willing to talk to us,” he said. They witnessed children sitting naked in the mud, while raw sewage ran freely next to them. The slums were littered with trash, and each tiny, ramshackle home was filled to absolute capacity. “We saw indescribable, unimaginable poverty that just really rocked us.”
While in the slum, they took a day to distribute clothes, bedding, and shoes and shared the message of Christ’s love with the residents. They invited community members to attend Saintsgate, a local church, where Pastor Kevin was speaking the next day. What they experienced there was incredible.
If SouthGate had not responded to God’s prompting, how many lives would have gone untouched, left to struggle without the hope of Christ?
The Results
And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose — Romans 8:28
What the SouthGate team experienced in Uganda has forever changed their lives, shaping how they do ministry and their commitment to continue making a difference. But most important, their efforts are making an eternal ripple effect in Uganda . . . all because they said “yes.”
Saying “yes” opens up a floodgate of permanent results. Our willingness to exercise faith means that others are directly impacted—just as SouthGate made an eternal impact in Uganda through their trust in God’s calling. Simply put, when you say “yes,” not only will you experience the rich blessings of God, but others will too.
Without faith, it is impossible to please God . . . impossible to make a difference . . . impossible to transform lives.
And partnering with World Help is just one way that you can help bring about that transformation. Visit our website for more information about how to get involved with our projects around the world.
On behalf of those who will be touched by your “yes,” thank you!