An enthusiastically-sung hymn. Solid Bible teaching. Forty-five people growing in their faith, 22 of whom have come to Christ in the past two months.
This does my heart good to see this," Texans on Mission Chief Executive Director Mickey Lenamon said with a smile.
The gathering is part of God working across Northern Uganda and South Sudan. In the last 12 months, Texans on Mission has started 267 weekly community Bible studies in rural villages at every water well they have repaired or drilled. More than 19,000 people participate in them, often encompassing nearly everyone in the community.
They eagerly testify to how God changed their lives.
Before this water, I didn't know anything about the word of God," one man shared, "But now, I know the Word of God. I'm telling other people about God's love."
Another woman points to a beaded bracelet on her wrist. Texans and Ugandans on Mission staff members used it as a tool to share the Gospel with her.
"When you brought the water, I didn't even know how to pray," one woman shares. "Now I know how to pray. This bracelet reminds me that God loves me. I never take it off, and I use it to tell other people about God's love."
They're more than new converts; they're growing disciples. Each community has a benevolence fund that helps others in the village. They help each other. Twenty percent of them have grown into self-sustaining churches with pastors.
Periodic baptism services last for hours and the lines are long. Fifty-three at one. Forty at another. Ninety-three at a third.
"Now they're putting their faith into an action step," said Samuel Ojok, who oversees the ministry in Uganda and South Sudan.
The wave of growing Bible studies and new churches is a movement of God, said Pastor Michael Oryem.
"This has taken root in communities where we thought evangelism had stalled," he said. "We were caught by surprise. People are coming to faith. They are growing in God."
Texans on Mission has drawn together dozens of partners in Northern Uganda. Denominational leaders are cooperating more than ever.
"This effort has included 31 denominations," said Bishop Benjamin Otema. "That has never happened. This has brought unity to the denominations. We come together to preach Christ and Christ alone."
The introduction of clean drinking water and the Gospel into communities has made people rethink what may be possible. People across the region are now seeing themselves as people God loves. They believe they can become business people and improve their lives.
"You are a catalyst under God," said Simon Cawdell with Church Missionary Society of Texans on Mission Water Impact." It is transformational."
Transformation happens one person at a time, Lenamon noted the next day.
"God truly wants to change the life of each and every person," Lenamon said. "He's doing that in abundance across Northern Uganda. I've never seen anything like it. This is tremendous."
