We are David and Rhonda from Texas where we raised our three girls, Talitha, Hannah, and Anais. We truly wanted to have our next child Gabriel in Uganda to begin to connect with the people, but that was not permitted, so at that time we disappointedly had Gabriel in The Colony, Texas at home. God showed us later that this was best. After several months we moved to Uganda as a family serving among the Basoga people in the truly beautiful, tropical town of Jinja, Uganda where the Nile River begins. During our time in Uganda, we enjoyed the challenge of learning the language and the culture, making friends, working among the Lawenyama village, and David traveling all over the tribe with George. Talitha traveled to Entebbe with David and contracted malaria and it went cerebral, which quickly took her life. In utter shock, we returned from Uganda to America, thinking we would remain for a few months to get our thoughts and hearts in order after Taltiha’s death in 2007 and then be able to return to our home in Uganda. We make our plans, but God carries them out.
Rhonda became pregnant with Josiah within a few weeks and we saw that our family needed much healing before we could return to be a reflection of Jesus’s love, grace, and faithfulness. This meant that we would remain in the States for a time, which took us to Colorado to work with an international orphan ministry. David, during this time, studied about the hurting, trafficked, abused children extensively more than he really wanted to know. Eventually, we moved to the small town of Larkspur nestled in the Front Range of the Rockies where Rhonda would be thrilled to become the children’s pastor of New Covenant Church as she developed the children’s ministry. God brought some of the needed healing for our family at this church, individually, and as a family. There was much to do in developing the Children of God ministry at church and waiting on God’s timing. Yet, God eventually moved us on. Stepping out of our positions at church was in July 2015 to finish raising support for our move back to Uganda was only our first step.
What a divine blessing it is to work with children and to have the opportunity to return to the people of Uganda. On our return, we studied the language, worked with Otin a Wa, and some of the local churches. God raised up so many wonderful African Pastors that we had the privilege of working with such as Rev. Dickens.
After years of working with the church, our family was at a place that we were needed back in the States. This time tore at our hearts. We have such a desire to work with the Ugandans and it is such a wonderful life there, but even more so, we believe our children are our number one responsibility and mission field. With that, we trusted the church of Uganda into God’s safe keeping as we planned our return to the States and asked God for His direction to continue what He began on this side.
Returning to our daughters was timely and valued. We formed 28:19 Ministries that first year to carry on the work of training and discipling pastors that they might be equipped to raise up a faithful church be a sparkling bride and reach the next generation with the true, powerful Gospel of Jesus Christ. Since 2021 God has broadened the ministry with a translation work, literacy for biblical understanding, healing ministry, and a wide range of children’s ministry including saving trafficked children.
