In All You Do

George explaining his vision for ISO Graphics

In all you do.

Kingdom business.  Gospel centered business.  Biblically based business.  What do all these really mean?  Shouldn’t business and Jesus be kept separate?  Keep church at church and work at work?  What can a small business owner do on the mission field?  These are questions that I have grappled with since starting a business some 15 years ago.  After nine months in Africa there is an answer to all these questions emerging.   People.  Yes, people.  Business is relational.  Jesus gave us some commands to be lived out.  The first is to love God with all our heart, mind, soul and strength.  The second one is to love our neighbor as our self.  There are many more life directions from Jesus, but these stand apart.  How do we bring glory to God and show our love for Him?  By loving people.   Can it really be that simple?  Yes.  The temptations in business are to lie, steal and cheat our way to success.  If there is a shortcut to riches, take it.  It all comes down to loving ourselves more than others.

God has given us work.  He worked to create our Earth.  He loved us and shared the joy of work with his prized creation, people.  Unfortunately, because of sin, work now has more challenges as the weeds are constantly growing, but it is still a gift that we can bring glory to God through.  I have found joy in working with a few young followers of Christ, who also happen to be bright, young entrepreneurs. 

I met George and Henry on the streets of Soroti Uganda.  Henry fresh out of college and George busy working in a one room shop making sign posts.  Both of these young men are in their twenty’s and will tell you that they love God so much.  They love to share His word and desire to see the community of Soroti grow in their love for Him and each other.   As our relationships grew we discovered we all shared a passion for business, God, and had compassion for the oppressed. 

George grew up without a father and had to fend for himself and “make his own way”.  Here in Uganda that means doing small work wherever you can find it to have enough money to eat that day.  George found out that God had given him a gift.  The gift of ideas.  Give him a book and it will be devoured in only a day or two.  He will take the information and share it with those he knows the information could help.  Whenever he has a few extra shillings you can find George sharing it with the boys living on the streets with no mothers or fathers.  George has a smile.  It is as wide as the ocean and when he is smiling it just lifts your spirits.  He loves people.   With a little business building knowledge like a working business plan, a knowledge of keeping your business finances and personal finances separate, where to  get start up capital that won’t penalize your business and cash flow management George was off and running.  I stopped in the ISO Graphics (In Salvation we Overcome)  office he is working out of today.  His smile was big as ever.  Work is coming in.  People are taking note of his professionalism, his honesty and his genuine love for them and their businesses.   God is glorified.

Henry is one of 12 sons.  His father and mother have done a fine job raising their children in the village of Obule Lira.  They have spent their evenings pointing their kids to Christ.  His Dad was one of the first Christians in the area.  Henry recently graduated from a business school and was excited to begin working.  In Uganda the attitude is that when you graduate you need to make your own way in business because there are no jobs.  In other words you need to create your own job.  There are many talented graduates who don’t have the resources to do this and soon find themselves idle and doing small jobs to get by.  There was a training in Soroti teaching people a new method of farming called Farming God’s Way.  Henry and his brother Fred accompanied me at that training.  We learned so many principles, including taking care of God’s world and the soil.  There is no plowing or burning in Farming God’s Way!  Henry led a team in his Father’s village to begin a garden utilizing the information we learned.  Today we harvested the popcorn.  It was a celebration of what God has done and what the future will hold for this family.  Henry was also open to an idea of drying mangos with the use of the sun.  Henry wasn’t sure there would be a market for this in Soroti, but decided it was worth a try!   Partners Worldwide is an organization out of Grand Rapids Michigan.  Henry, Fred, George and myself took an overnight trip to Gulu to meet them and see what they were doing.  It was so inspiring for all of us.  They met a man named Timothy Jokenne who owned several successful businesses.  He emphasized how important operating a business with integrity was.  This lesson was an important one to see.  Success can come and does come with honest business practices.  You don’t have to lie, steal and cheat!  After returning we scheduled a business training with a gentleman from Kampala Uganda that Partners Worldwide endorsed to teach lessons on starting Biblically based businesses.   The training was very informative and Henry implemented them, quickly finalizing his business plan he was able to secure a market at the local supermarket for his dried mangoes.  Village Foods is now looking into what other foods they can pack and sell.  Henry has partnered his business with his brother Fred and his wife Ruth’s vision for helping orphans in their community.  So a portion of the income from the sale of mangoes goes to help these children with school supplies, fees, and other necessities.

Henry and Fred

What a joy it has been to be used by God as a Christian businessman here in Uganda.  He doesn’t waste His gifts.  They can all be used to expand His kingdom and bring glory to His name.   Henry and George are living out Matthew 5:16 “In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in Heaven

I want to end this post that Chris wrote with some exciting news! We will be coming back to Michigan for furlough on October 16!!  We will be in Michigan until November 25 and can not wait to spend time with our family, friends, and supporters. We are excited to have time to share about the ways God has been glorified here!