Uganda is a nation of 31 million people in Central Africa, where African Leadership has been training pastors and church leaders since 1996. As of March 2008, we have over 345 students attending 32 classes at 18 training centers with over 720 graduates who are active in church ministry.

Our National Director for Uganda is Geoffry Ocan. The national average income of Uganda is only 270.00 per year, and the vast majority of Ugandans are poor, with very few resources for pastors or church leaders to go to school or seminary. Pastor training is essential for the health and growth of the church in Liberia, for mature leadership, and to build church unity.

Uganda has been embroiled in violence and war since the 1970's, displacing over 1 million people, with a death toll of over 400,000. The conflict between the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) and the Ugandan Government has affected the majority of the population, with decades of children being abducted for use as soldiers and wives, as young as 11 years old. The LRA is accused of widespread human rights violations, including mutilation, torture, rape, the abduction of civilians, the use of child soldiers, and regular massacres of entire villages. African Leadership and Action International Ministries work to transform the lives of the formerly abducted girls who are child mothers, giving them “hope” after their wasted years in captivity, now engaged in study, skills training, and micro-enterprise, to bring them dignity, income, and school and resources for their children.

African Leadership is thankful to have a presence in Uganda. As African Leadership equips National Directors like Geoffry and his colleagues to spread the Gospel in churches and communities throughout Uganda, we are grateful for the support of our donors who make this national transformation possible. As we visit with our African Directors and attend graduation ceremonies, we are amazed at the dedication of these pastors. They usually work full time jobs in addition to their pastoral workload, while attending classes 2-4 days a week. Their desire to be better teachers and preachers is reflected in their joyful completion of the 2-year program, which provides comprehensive training in all phases of church leadership, equivalent to a foundational-level seminary or Bible College degree, utilizing a 10-course, 2,500-page Bible centered curriculum, developed and translated by African Leadership.

"Even while working on my degree studies, use of the BTCP, (Biblical Training Course for Pastors) materials has been very useful for me. I have been using the manuals for assignments and course work,with great success and excellent grades, to which my classmates keep wondering where I get the materials. Having gone through the BTCP class has made my further studies easier. The quality of instruction and materials enable me to have started teaching a class of 10 in Jinja."
Batwawula Willy, student in Jinja, Uganda.

"After my training, I have now planted a satellite church that is about 8 km away from the church I currently pastor. One of my colleagues, with whom I graduated at the beginning of last year is helping me as my assistant pastor. The church membership is steadily growing and now it has 40 members. The Church is being grounded on a solid and stronger foundation unlike the one I started pastoring before training."
Lajul Gabriel Otto, student in Gulu, Uganda.

Students attending leadership classes desperately need support to complete their courses and to graduate, so they may minister to their congregations with biblical maturity. Financial support is needed for feeding students, support for teachers, and for travel costs. It is a wondrous work of grace that so many pastors are able to attend training, as the truth of the Gospel is the only hope for most of these people, living in one of the poorest nations in the world.

Please pray for Geoffry and his family and staff, as they labor to bring hope to the communities of Uganda, by increasing the impact of the Gospel through training of pastors and church leaders. African Leadership-Uganda hopes to graduate some 100 students each year, who, when their training is finished, will periodically attend alumni training for HIV/AIDS issues, Islam apologetics, and financial management. Hopefully, from the networking of these alumni and teachers, new training centers may be established, spreading the word about our Training Program, resulting in more pastor registrations, and expanded educational opportunities for the maturity of the Church.

With such immeasurable need for training of pastors and church leaders, African Leadership is working to bring accessible, affordable training to Uganda for the vitality and health of the Church. Uganda has poor road infrastructure, making travel difficult. African Leadership team members and teachers face difficulties traveling, with dependable vehicles always in short supply, as they organize and teach their classes. Many of the rural church leaders a low level of proficiency reading and writing. Please consider how you might lend your support, as you pray for Geoffry and his family and staff, as they labor to bring hope to the communities of Uganda, by increasing the impact of the Gospel through training of Pastors and church leaders.