Be Part of our Marriage Ministry in Uganda!

Through an “only-God-can-connect-the-dots-like-this” experience, we will be joining Evangel Church World Vision in Jinga, Uganda ministering to pastors and their wives on the topic of marriage. (Want to hear this incredible God story on how untied shoes and a Montgomery, Alabama coffeeshop led us to Africa? Check out this No More Perfect Podcast episode where we share the details of how God connected the dots on this!)

We are so grateful for how God can redeem brokenness. We’re so grateful that He can turn ashes into beauty. He’s done that in our marriage, and we absolutely love that God is allowing us to help other couples find that 2.0 marriage they’re looking for.

We’ve had the privilege of bringing hope and help to marriages in the U.S. and in Europe. Unexpectedly, God has recently opened the door for us to also do so in Africa.

We are so grateful for how God can redeem brokenness. We’re so grateful that He can turn ashes into beauty. He’s done that in our marriage, and we absolutely love that God is allowing us to help other couples find that 2.0 marriage they’re looking for. We’ve had the privilege of bringing hope and help to marriages in the U.S. and in Europe. Unexpectedly, God has recently opened the door for us to also do so in Africa.

The more we have talked with our hosts Pastor Zachariah Sserwadda and Daniel Tulibagenyi, the more we have come to understand why they’ve been praying specifically for God to provide someone to teach on marriage for the pastors they minister to. Marriage is challenging for most of us. Blending two lives together into one is a challenge that requires us to seek God. It’s particularly challenging when you are combining faith with a culture that doesn’t support a healthy marriage perspective. That’s what’s happening in Uganda.

Pastors there are dealing with extreme poverty, in fact many will walk two days to attend this event. They lack good resources for their marriages. Pastor Zachariah brings together 2000+ pastors every summer for ministry training. This summer they are asking them to bring their wives and the focus will be on marriage. We will be the speakers and teaching our No More Perfect Marriages Seminar content plus additional sessions on rebuilding trust.

The goal is to strengthen ministry marriages, equip the pastors and their wives to minister to the marriages in their churches, and to bring a megaphone to God’s truth to make it louder than culture. Our trip dates are June 17- July 7, 2023. We will also be ministering to marriages at a local university, at a church in nearby Tanzania, and we will also be ministering to moms and special needs children with Promise International. We’re humbled that God can use us in this way.

We not only need to raise support for the expenses associated with travel but also the expenses of the main marriage event for pastors as this is beyond what they usually do when they bring pastors together for training.

The amount we raise will determine the number of pastors and their wives who can join us. Our minimum fundraising goal is $25,040 and it will cover the expenses of the trip and ministering to 250 couples (500 people). Imagine how this will not only impact their homes but also the churches they serve!

Once we hit that goal, every additional $3500 we raise will allow us to minister to 100 more couples and their respective churches. We’d love to raise enough to minister to 1000 couples (2000 people) which will then be multiplied to their churches. That would require a total amount of $51,440.

Raising the remainder that is needed is too big for us to do alone. It’s a God-sized task that only the body of Christ coming together can make happen. We can be the mouth, but we need others to join us as prayerful sending partners.

Will you be part of our sending team? This will likely take gifts of all sizes to make this happen. For example:

$35 will sponsor one couple

$350 will sponsor 10 couples

$3500 will sponsor 100 couples

$7000 will sponsor 200 couples

Can you help us reach those in Uganda who need healthy marriages as a foundation for healthy families and healthy churches?

There are two ways to donate:

✅You can donate here on this page through Go Fund Me (not tax deductible)

✅You can donate directly through our non-profit His Harvest Ministries here (this is tax deductible--put SAVAGE in the box labeled "ministry you are supporting")

✅You can donate to the Promise International Ministry for special needs children here

Here are some pictures from past conferences the Evangel Church World Vision has hosted:

We are preparing our hearts and minds for this opportunity. It’s overwhelming. It’s exciting. And if we’re honest, it’s scary too. Jill has been to Africa once, but this will be the first time for Mark. Working with translators takes a lot of energy and traveling overseas and navigating a different culture can be challenging.

Yet, we will celebrate our 40th wedding anniversary while we are there ministering to marriages in Africa. We can’t think of a better way to do that!

Thank you in advance for any way you are led to partner with us and become a part of the ministry God is opening doors to in Africa!