No matter how many times Amy Compston has shared her riveting testimony – and it has to be in the high hundreds by now – it always sounds like the first time ever hearing it.

That happened again Saturday when she told her story during the dedication of the property for the Amy For Africa Christian Academy Secondary School. But the setting in which she told it had to be a first. It was in front of an audience of mostly Muslim men and women from the community where the new property is located.

I was watching and listening to Amy as intently as ever, even though I’ve heard her share the story hundreds of times. It is the story of our life before becoming a child of God and it even had the Muslim audience engaged in her every word. The “reruns” of Amy’s story still makes the hair stand up on the back of your neck.

It so effectively shares the gospel in a relatable way. As she was telling about “being a drunkard and loving it,” some of the Muslim men listening offered a hint of a devilish smile. Her story is so real that is relatable in some way to almost anyone. But it’s her delivery, and passion, and obvious love for the Lord who spared her from a life of addictions and heartbreak that makes the story resonate. Whether you are a believer or a non-believer, you are touched by this story of redemption that she tells so well.

Aside from her husband Chris, I may have heard that story more than anyone else. But watching her Saturday was different. It was letting everyone know – even this Muslim audience – that her life is changed because of Jesus Christ. She makes it clear. End of story.

Saturday was a big day, an encouraging day for the Amy For Africa ministry. God is moving. As the P7 students are preparing to finish at the school near Jinja, they needed a place to go. Prayers have been a part of this growing process for two years when the Lord laid it on the hearts of Chris and Amy. It has been two years of asking the Lord, “What do we do about property?” And then the answer comes. This 11-acre property has loads of potential for a new school and more. And even though the property is in a Muslim community, it was made clear on Saturday that Amy For Africa’s organization were followers of Jesus Christ.

Moses, our country coordinator, spoke only a few words but they were powerful gospel-breathed words that “God has come into this place,” setting it up nicely for what was to follow. Then Amy’s mesmerizing testimony had to make them wonder about the power of this Jesus who took away her sins.

As if more were needed, my brother, a workhorse during this mission trip, declared the gospel in a sermon that, while brief, had sting and reality to it. He introduced everyone to the name above all names, Jesus Christ, saying that every knee will bow, including his own “nearly 70-year-old knees.” And then he closed in prayer from his knees.

What. A. Day.

Day 4, June 7, 2024

There were so many aspects to this mission trip to Uganda with Amy For Africa that highlight reels from what happened were sure to be abundant.

Seeing the AFA Christian Academy with my own eyes was important. But here is another one that has been equally big: Having my brother, Tim, serving the two weeks with me. I have written about him before so most of you know how I feel about him. In short, he’s my hero on this earth – and I mean it.

We are different in a lot of ways and that can be unusual for brothers who grew up under the same roof. He is three years older than me, didn’t play youth sports and had nothing to do with sports, listened to some funky music growing up and played in the band. He was an introvert and looked for ways to fit into the world. Although playing tuba in the high school band, Tim was a drummer (even playing for the great Coco the Clown). Meanwhile, I played sports, watched sports, listened to sports and eventually wrote about sports.

Our father bought us A2000 baseball gloves from Ben Williamson at the ages of maybe 12 and 9. I wore mine out to where there was a hole in the leather. I’m not sure Tim used his. Ever. I looked years for it hoping to find this unused A2000 and call it my own, but never found it.

Before this trip, the only other time I can remember being on a trip with Tim was when mom and dad put us on a train in downtown Ashland and sent us to an aunt and uncle in Louisville for the week. I was a little fella so I’m sure I was clinging to my big brother all that week. He has always been important, even once showing me a Christmas haul early that morning but making sure I did not tell mom and dad that the whole Santa thing was phony. I kept our secret for a few years.

And for good measure, we also don’t look alike. At all.

We do have some similarities and they are important: Both of us married above our paygrade. Way above. Tim lost his precious wife, Pam, in 2017 to brain cancer. I’ve never seen anybody hurt like he did over that loss, but God has taken good care of him. I have been away from my wife, Beth, longer on this trip than since my last visit to Uganda in 2017. We have been inseparable companions over that seven years because of my working from home. We honestly love that life, too. I have missed her a ton!

Our most important brotherly trait? We are both born again believers who love the Lord passionately.

I asked Tim about going with me to Uganda last fall and he quickly agreed even though he had three or four mission trips out of the country scheduled. And it has been epic for us. We have been closer the last 10 years or so than anytime in our lives, calling each other often and leaning on each other when it was needed. My brother can do anything. Amy Compston knows that too. She has him preaching or speaking on 13 days of our trip. Ride the horse if you have one.

On Friday, he was the speaker for the AFACA chapel service that included 400 excited children. When I say excited, I mean EXCITED! After some praise and worship that was out of this world with the children singing at the top of their lungs while bouncing and dancing in place to the rhythm of their flamboyant leader. The whole room was busting with praise to music and the beating of the African drums. Tim had eyeballed the drums the day before, even telling the worship leader he had one like his.

Tim walked over to the corner where three boys were pounding on the drums and asked one if he could step in and play (remember, he was a drummer). He kept the rhythm going in true African fashion as the children shrieked with joy. Then he stopped and walked over to his chair, grabbed his Bible and spoke to the children with calm assurance. He asked them how many of them thought he was 100 years old? A few raised their hands. But then he delivered a gospel message on their level about taking the right or wrong path in life.

He’s such a good pastor and a friend to so many. His wise counsel has been instrumental here on several occasions to others already. On Saturday, we are both scheduled to speak at a dedication of the field where the AFA high school will be built – me as the president of AFA and Tim as the one who gives the dedication sermon. That’s after we visit the place called “The Ghetto” and feed hungry children – after Tim presents a gospel message.

I have the best Big Brother and we are having the best time ever. He continues to build hero points in my book. And I think Clarence and Peggy would be proud of how their boys turned out.

Day 3, June 6, 2024

This was the day that could make me an emotional wreck and I knew it.
Like many other followers of the Amy For Africa ministry, I have seen the breathtaking photographs of the AFA Christian Academy in Uganda.
But this was going to be different. My emotions were on edge riding up the big hill to where the school is so perfectly located for all to see. We could catch glimpses of it riding up the bumpy road.
What was it going to look like in person?
When our driver pulled around to the front of the school, the celebration was about to begin. The schoolchildren greeted us with cheers and song and dance. The older ones were on the front lawn and the others were lined up on the balconies of the massive school.

I was overwhelmed and so was everybody else in the van on this perfect morning. Many riding with us were like me, longtime AFA supporters who had only seen photographs of the school.
But it was more than the school itself, as magnificent as it was. And it was more than the dancing and singing of these beautiful children who treated us like royalty. We were showered with confetti as we exited the van, hugged by these strangers who did not seem like strangers with their smiles that seemed, well, grateful – not to us, but to the Lord Almighty. We reached for our cellphones and took pictures in every direction. Videos were rolling too.
They were all smiling and rejoicing because of what the Lord has done. You could not keep them from smiling.
I flashed back to 2013 when Amy Compston, fresh off competing in the Boston Marathon – the one where the bombs went off – decided she was going to run for Jesus and asked if I could help. We barely knew each other but I said yes. The first goal was to raise money for Christian schools in Uganda. She had seen videos that absolutely broke her heart.
Little did any of us know that it would soon be a life work for she and her husband Chris. Amy For Africa (she was not a fan of the name but a friend of mine and I were insistent) was launched as a fundraiser. That was the beginning and it seems to have no end.
So much has happened since then as God worked through the lives of Amy and Chris, calling them into the full-time mission field of Uganda as independent missionaries. They have become vessels of the Living God, leaving self behind and leaving the details to Him.
This Christian school, which educates more than 400 students and can eventually hold 1,000, stands as a testament to what can happen with faithful obedience. It is also a reminder that God can and does use ordinary people to do extraordinary things.
While admiring this beautiful building, the tears and prayers that went into it all came flash-flooding in my mind, too. So many victories, so many setbacks, so many answered prayers and oh what victories.
The calling on the lives of Chris and Amy Compston goes beyond breathtaking.
The live-changing education and, most importantly, the life-changing gospel that these students are receiving will resonate through eternity.
God has put many people from all walks of life in the path of Amy For Africa. Sometimes they came out of nowhere and met a need, sometimes it was simply an encouraging word, sometimes it was a prayer.
With AFA, it always came down to prayer. And the power of prayer is what built this school. COVID stopped the world cold in 2020 but not the building of God’s school in Uganda because the government said construction work could continue and it did to completion.
It is not a mirage or an AI image. The AFA Christian Academy is real – I saw it through my own watery eyes.

Day 1-2, June 4-5, 2024

My brother reminded us of these three little words as we were starting our mission adventure with Amy For Africa on Monday.

It may have to be our adopted motto for the next two weeks as we spread the gospel in Uganda. The first day is one of the toughest to “find the joy” with traveling 24 hours with little to no sleep, flight delays, airline meals and no way to make yourself comfortable.

But we also know this trip is not about our comfort. It is about introducing people who do not know the one who brings the ultimate comfort – Jesus Christ. We are going to evangelize and encourage, exhale and exclaim the name of Jesus and to see for ourselves what the Lord has accomplished through the ministry of Chris and Amy Compston, aka Amy For Africa.

We can “find the joy” in the passion they have for the Ugandan children and adults where they serve. We see it on the many photographs, videos and stories that Amy shares.

Several members of this team have been involved in multiple ways with multiple trips, mighty donations and many prayers. 

Having my brother with me makes it bucket list worthy. I have so much love, pride and respect for how mightily God has used him in ministry throughout a lifetime. He retired from being a pastor about a year ago but has not retired from being a witness for God. This will be his fifth mission trip since “retiring.” He has embraced the AFA ministry and Amy will be putting him to good use with 13 preaching assignments. That shows how much she thinks of him. He never flinched. It will also be the longest trip we have been on together since we were little boys going to Myrtle Beach with our parents back in the early ‘70s. 

“Find the joy?” That will be easy for me.

My guess is no matter what comes, it will be easy for us all to “find the joy” in the next two weeks. We will all be sharing in Bible studies with children and adults through the many outreaches of AFA.

My brother will be preaching Sunday at Victoria Baptist Church in Jinja, which Harold Cathey built some 30-35 years ago. My father-in-law and mother-in-law were integral in that project from top to bottom and inside to outside. The beautiful church is a circular design and my father-in-law tells me how you can see Lake Victoria from the top of it. He knows because he was working on the rooftop when it was being constructed.

The thread to what the Lord did through Harold and Beverly Cathey runs directly through Amy For Africa. God knew all along.

Pray with us as we seek the Lord and “find the joy.”