When my family first answered the call to pursue the International Mission Board for full-time missions, we had no idea where we would end up or what we would be doing. My initial thinking was that we would serve somewhere in Africa in theological education.
However, God had other plans. He closed doors in this field and led us to a job match in northern Uganda, serving with refugees. In March 2025, we landed in Uganda and began language study. As new IMB missionaries this was to be our focus for most, if not all, of our first year.
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This has been life-changing for our family. We are blessed to have a welcoming community of not only national friends, but also other missionaries working here in Uganda. Our children are thriving. They have made friends and have settled into new rhythms of school and social lives.
I would be lying if I said that language study was easy. It is possibly one of the most difficult things I have ever done in my life. We are learning a language spoken by the refugee community in a city and country that speaks predominately English. While many people around us speak English, having even the most basic ability in a new language has allowed us to meet new people and develop friendships. We are grateful for Southern Baptists and Cooperative Program giving that allows us to focus on language learning during this time.
‘Shift in ministry here’
Since arriving in Uganda, we have seen a shift in ministry here. For the past decade or more, the team in the city of Arua has spent most of its time in the refugee settlement. They have experienced much fruit over the years. Churches have been planted; countless men, women and children have come to faith in Jesus and turned from Islam and African traditional religions.
My wife and I have witnessed firsthand the work done before our arrival that has led to this point. Our team’s focus is still on serving refugees, but we have seen a need to train and equip not only refugees but also Africans to take ownership of their faith and reach the lost around them.
In Sub-Saharan Africa, our goal is to see “African churches sending African missionaries to the ends of the earth.” With that in mind and with the evident changes, our team has committed to fulfilling that vision.
In November 2025, we launched our first of what we pray is many classes in what is currently named the Missionary Training Center. As a full-time language student, I could not spend much time in the classroom, but I was able to teach once a week and share the load with our team leaders.
In February this year, we saw 17 students, both men and women, representing three countries complete the course. Praise God! Several of these students have already entered the mission field.
One has returned to a hostile environment in his home country to share the gospel and plant churches. Others have found people groups in northern Uganda that have little or no gospel engagement and are making plans to enter these tribes.
God put a desire on my heart to teach and to reach the unreached. Little did I know that He had a perfect plan in place for that to happen. When God drew us to this position, He knew what giftings we had, and He knew how He would use us.
What comes next
As we come to the end of our first year and the end of full-time language study, my wife and I are making plans for what comes next. My wife has met many amazing women in need of guidance and discipleship. As she has been praying for God to reveal whom she should connect with, He has brought women into her path, and she is preparing to lead them in a discipleship group in the coming months.
Through our language teachers, we have connected with a local church, and I have had the opportunity to teach several times. There are many young men who need to be discipled, and my plan is to bring them in and help prepare them to lead others. I am also excited to continue the work of the training center, teaching men and women to go the ends of the earth and bring the gospel to dark places.
Throughout my years in ministry, both as a pastor in the U.S. for many years and now as a missionary on the field, I have had one verse that has been my motivation.
New place, same calling
In 2 Timothy 2:2, it says,“and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.”This verse is my foundation when I teach.
As a student pastor for many years, I wanted young people to own their faith and share it with others. As a missionary, I have a responsibility to take what I have been taught, what I have learned from Scripture, and teach it to others so they too can teach the next generation.
God has placed me in a new place, but the calling is still the same. I am so grateful for the opportunity to serve and to entrust what I have learned to “faithful men (and women) who will be able to teach others also.”
EDITOR’S NOTE — This story was written by Ricky Holder and originally published by the International Mission Board.
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