TIU Students & Faculty Abide in Uganda

By Kevin Holmen (BA ’12)

This past semester, a team of students and faculty went on a short-term missions trip to Uganda (Feb. 29 through Mar. 11) through TIU and the Office of Christian Formation and Mission. One member, Kevin Holmen, has brought with him stories and a cross-cultural perspective.

When TIU students and faculty arrived in Kampala, they traveled west by bus for several hours in order to drop off Kevin and two other students at their ministry site, while the rest of the team left for Mbale in the east. Together with current students Bill Seebold (Biblical Studies) and Carl Chomko (MDiv), the aim was to serve at the Amagara Bible Institute of Discipleship & Evangelism (ABIDE).

Matt Kehn graduated from TIU with a BA in Christian Ministries in 2004. He now lives in Uganda with his wife Crystal and their growing family as the director of the program.

ABIDE invites young men who have finished secondary school to spend six months for developing mature faith, character, and leadership capacity. The Juna Amagara campus in Mbarara also maintains an orphanage and primary school.

While visiting ABIDE, Kevin’s team was welcomed into the program schedule, which included everything from morning devotions to classes on a range of topics: relational discipleship, biblical exegesis, business administration, agricultural skills, and an introduction to technology. Additionally, ABIDE welcomed these three students to each teach a class that put their respective studies into ministerial practice.

In the context of building relationships, evangelism was part of the experience. On one occasion the team went to a student’s home and met his family. They were then split into groups for outreach in that village, approaching homes and sharing the gospel with families and occasionally being translated into the local language. This was an active way to partner with new friends and depend on God by seeking to show love and pray for members of that community.

The Ugandan students graciously shared their culture and fellowship in a formative way; the partnership between TIU and ABIDE helps ready these young men to become leaders in their communities. By the time they leave ABIDE they will each feel equipped and commissioned to demonstrate what the reign of the Savior Jesus Christ looks like. The entire team deemed it a privilege to be a part of this worthy project.

Kevin Holmen graduated from TIU this May with a BA in Biblical Studies and has begun pursuing his MDiv at TEDS. He blogs at Kevindeed.