Joe’s Calling

“For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works which God prepared in advance for us to do.”
~ EPHESIANS 2:10

Growing up in Lugazi, a small town in Uganda, I never fully understood God’s handiwork in the way He orchestrated every aspect of my life for His service. It is only later that I realized God intended for good all the brokenness I experienced in both my family and personal life.

I received Christ at the age of thirteen, but soon after my life spiraled into rebellion. Fast forward to life after college. While serving with my church family and Bible Study Fellowship International as a children’s leader, I was moved to start an after schools’ program centered around Scripture. So I began to visit my small town in Lugazi, Uganda every week to run a VBS type of schedule with kids, some of whose parents were my friends growing up.

Through this experience, God showed me the enormous need for a Christian education. Despite the many times we got rained on or endured the scorching tropical sun since it was open air, our numbers never once dwindled. The parents and children alike appreciated the value of learning scripture, a craft or skill, and occasionally scholastic materials if we got some.
The time I spent with these kids helped me see a tremendous need, a need I consequently presented to God. I asked God to open up doors for me to go study discipleship and evangelism at Moody Bible Institute in Chicago, and thereafter do a Masters in Education at Wheaton College in Chicago. God indeed opened up the door and provided for me. In 2009, I moved and started school at Moody Bible Institute. Wheaton College did not happen because God had a better deal. God moved me to “The South” where the weather suits my skin.

Memphis Teacher Residency accepted me and my wife into their Urban Education Masters program. This program required that in return for my masters, I commit to teaching in high need Memphis schools for three years after the one year of teaching residency. There was not a better opportunity than this! I received a Christian education through Union University which involved four days a week in an actual classroom with kids and a mentor teacher and two days in school for graduate coursework. This way I was able to immediately apply everything I was learning.

After graduation, God gave me a ‘Special Commission’, at Hamilton Middle School in South Memphis. It was truly a memorable and rich experience. If anything, working at Hamilton Middle reminded me of the enormous need there is, but also how truly education is one of the best equalizers. No matter how difficult things got at Hamilton, I remembered that my purpose was to stay faithful and diligent in doing what I was called and hired to do. I have received both training and experience. As a matter of fact, I did my time!

I was reminded of Habakkuk 2:3 as I wrote this:

“For the vision awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false. Though it lingers, wait for it, it will certainly come and will not delay.”

God prepared in advance good works for us to do alongside Him. He wants you and me to hold onto the partnership we have with Him according to Ephesians 2:10. I am inviting you to partner with God in His work empowering people to love and serve Him with all their minds and strength.

In 2019 we acquired land, and in 2021 we started construction. The Levite’s academy having built during the Pandemic was the hardest but also the biggest blessing for my community. Uganda went into lockdown for three years. The longest lockdown in the world. By the time schools were allowed to reopen, students had lost three years of learning! 

When we opened our doors in 2023, many of the parents and students alike had lost hope in traditional education. Students felt way too old for the classes they were asked to go back into. 

An integrated curriculum was just the right option for them. We are grateful to God for the opportunity to be available right when we are/were most needed. Our integrated curriculum is helping address two key issues: 64% of youth Unemployment and 85% of mothers in Uganda giving birth before they turn 18.