Small Hands , Big Love: Transforming Lives through Discipleship

How FRESH LIFE MINISTRIES is nurturing faith and serving communities in Mbale, Uganda - by Julius Mugabe

A Vision that Multiplies

‍God has given Julius a clear mandate: not only to make disciples, but also to raise up disciples who will make disciples of others. This vision drives the heart of FRESH LIFE MINISTRIES in Uganda.

Julius is committed to following the principle in 2 Timothy 2:2, where Paul instructs Timothy to entrust what he has learned to faithful people who will also be able to teach others. Through his partnership with Disciplers International (DI), Julius is learning and applying a step-by-step approach to discipleship that equips believers to grow in their faith and help others do the same. He is passionate about reaching children, youth, churches, and communities through various means such as Bible clubs, community outreaches, and discipleship trainings. Julius seeks to help people know Christ intimately, grow in their relationship with Him, and become disciple-makers themselves. With support from DI, they are touching lives from all age groups.

Building Capacity Through Discipleship

One way we carry out this mission is by showing the Jesus Film in villages and schools, creating opportunities for people to hear the gospel and respond to Jesus Christ. However, our work does not end when the film ends. We follow-up with new believers, guiding them through the Step-by-Step Discipleship Process and connecting them with local churches where they can grow in faith and build relationships with other believers. Where needed, we also take steps to plant new churches so that more people can be reached and established in their faith.

Prayer gatherings, leadership conferences, and workshops further strengthen believers, equip church leaders, and prepare others for the work of discipleship. With the encouragement and support of Disciplers International, we continue to work alongside local churches and communities, helping believers practice what they learn and pass it on to others.

My goal is not simply to increase attendance at meetings, but to see believers become rooted in Scripture, grow in their relationship with Jesus, and share what they learn with others.

Teaching Children to Serve Like Jesus

It is so important to teach children about Jesus when they are young. Discipleship early on helps them build a foundation in faith and prepares them to become godly members of their communities.

FRESH LIFE MINISTRIES promotes discipleship through its Children’s Bible Club, where kids learn that following Jesus means more than just listening to Bible lessons and memorizing Scripture; it also involves showing His love through practical acts of kindness. The ministry organizes community outreaches to help children put their faith into action.

During one outreach, the children visited 10 homes carrying brooms and modest gifts, including soap, sugar, Vaseline, and bread. Joyfully, they swept compounds, fetched water, washed plates, tended gardens, arranged firewood, read the Bible, shared a short message, sang, and prayed with the families they visited.

For the children, this was more than a community activity; it was a practical lesson in faithful Christian service. They discovered that serving others does not require wealth or adulthood. Even small acts, offered sincerely, can encourage and dignify others. Through such experiences, the children learn to live out their faith, demonstrate Christ’s love, and become compassionate disciples who make a difference in their communities.

A Visit to Jajja Namono

One visit has stayed with me. We met Jajja Namono, a woman over 70 who lives with her grandson. Her compound had become overgrown and needed attention. The children cleared and swept the compound and house, washed plates, and fetched water from a borehole, helping with tasks that had become difficult for Jajja to manage alone. As she watched them, Jajja expressed amazement at the children’s knowledge and behavior. She said:

 Abana bano balina kumanya Kweli, which means, “these children have knowledge indeed.”

 Her response showed that the children were not merely repeating what they had learned at Bible club, they were putting it into practice. The kids presented Jajja with their gifts, and she prayed for them. Seeing the positive difference their faith made in Jajja’s life filled the children with joy. This outreach reflects Leviticus 19:32, which calls for respect for older people, and Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 25:40 - serving people in need is serving Him.

That day reminded me that discipleship becomes visible when what we teach begins to shape how we treat others.

Discipleship with Hands and Feet

Every Saturday, the Children’s Bible Club provides an opportunity for children to grow in their understanding of God’s Word and develop habits that strengthen their faith.

Through the Prayer of Commitment, Guide to Worship, Bible teaching, and practicing the Five Spiritual Disciplines, the children are learning how to build a personal relationship with God. They also play games, sing songs, memorize Bible verses, and enjoy fun activities that make learning about God joyful and engaging. The club also encourages them to share what they learn with their friends and families. Rather than keeping these lessons to themselves, in this way, they are beginning to understand that they, too, can play a part in making disciples.

For Julius, working with children is an important part of building a generation that knows Christ, grows in faith, and helps others grow in their relationship with Jesus as well.

Helping Kids Stay in School

Discipleship also means addressing practical barriers to learning. Some children struggle to attend school consistently because they lack basic scholastic materials. The ministry helps provide exercise books, pens, pencils, rulers, erasers and mathematical sets.

Jeremiah’s experience shows why this support matters. After the school term began, he missed three weeks of school because he had run out of books. When he got the materials he needed, he returned to class smiling. A modest intervention helped remove a barrier to learning.

Julius explains the connection between practical support and spiritual care: “When we give a book, we keep a child in class. When we disciple a child, we keep a family in Christ.” The ministry hopes each child who receives support will invite a friend to join the Bible club.

By combining material support with biblical teaching and caring relationships, FRESH LIFE MINISTRIES does what it can to help children remain in school, grow in confidence and understand that their lives matter.

Deep Roots Among Young People and Believers

At Malukhu Redeemed Church in Mbale, I took part in training over 40 young people and church members in the Step-by-Step Process using DI resources. One participant reflected on worship: We thought worship ends when music ends. Now we know that it starts when we go home. I was encouraged by this insight because worship continues beyond a church service in the way we speak, work, serve, and treat people throughout the week. Through this training, I hope to strengthen people’s understanding and confidence so they can encourage others in their walk with Christ and contribute to their communities.

I want those we train to become disciplers who pass on what they have learned.

A Growing Cycle of Discipleship

When I consider all these activities, I see a growing cycle of discipleship with new believers receiving follow-up and joining local churches, where they can grow in their faith. Young people and church members deepen their understanding of God’s Word and gain the tools to guide others. Children learn from Scripture and put what they learn into practice through acts of service, while practical assistance helps them remain in school and continue their education. In this way, each activity contributes to the same vision: nurturing believers who grow in Christ and help others grow in Him.

This work depends on partnership. I am very grateful to church leaders, parents, volunteer teachers, and community members who help children and adults grow. I also thank Disciplers International for encouraging us to build a lasting culture of discipleship rather than rely on one-off activities. Looking ahead, I hope to continue the children’s outreach, support children who lack school materials, and equip more believers to make disciples. Those who cleaned Jajja Namono’s compound showed me what this looks like: their hands were small, but their love was real.

Discipleship is not only something I teach; it is something I want to see lived out and multiplied.

My prayer is that the faith nurtured today will bless families, strengthen churches, and raise more disciples who make disciples.

When children learn to love, serve, and share their faith, they become more than recipients of discipleship; they become disciple-makers.

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