Recently I had the privilege to travel to Uganda as a representative of the OPC’s Committee on Foreign Missions. I went with our committee’s Associate General Secretary. Our purpose was to visit our missionaries there in order to encourage them in their labors and provide counsel.
Since I had never been to Africa before, this was a special trip for me. In my work on the committee, I had briefly met at one time or another the missionaries serving there (usually when they were on furlough and meeting with our committee). Now I had the opportunity to get to know them better, and to learn first-hand their joys and struggles in serving the Lord in far-away Uganda.
I have deep admiration for those who are willing to sacrifice the familiarity and comforts of home to live in foreign nation, for the sake of serving Christ and making him known. Missionary service is not for the faint of heart, especially in a place as challenging as Africa. After getting a glimpse of the challenges they face, I know better how to pray for our faithful brothers and sisters serving in Uganda. They are ordinary Christians like all of us who struggle in all sorts of ways, but my respect for them grew as I witnessed first-hand their devotion and service there.
And it was a great joy to meet Ugandan Christians. What a blessing to experience the truth that our fellowship in Christ transcends all cultural and ethnic boundaries. Life is hard for these saints, but by God’s grace they are living faithfully as followers of Jesus.
May the Lord mightily use their labors and witness, along with those of our missionaries, to gather in his elect among the people of Uganda and build up his church there.
Soli Deo Gloria!
Pastor Johnson










