Is a missionary commitment for at least 2 years targeting any committed Christian with the passion and gifting who wants to engage in holistic missions serving in the needy community. We are convinced that lasting transformation will happen when more time is invested in working towards it and it’s ultimately our goal to challenge and facilitate missionaries to engage in Long Term Missions commitments. Long-term missions provide an avenue for deeper relationship and transformation in the communities.
Samuel Opolot
Executive Director
Samuel is the Team Leader of Global Link Afrika. He has a background in Education. Samuel has a great passion for Faithful Bible Handling and Missions. He is therefore greatly involved in Bible Study and Bible Exposition Training through Living Word Uganda and Langham Preaching Uganda.
He has previously served in various capacities with the International Fellowship of Evangelical Students(IFES) Movement in Uganda, affiliated to Fellowship of Christian Unions (FOCUS) including as the acting General Secretary. He is married to Alice Opolot and they have two children.
Samuel Baker Okullo
Director – Administration/Finance
Baker holds a Bachelors degree in Economics of Makerere University Kampala and attained a professional Diploma in Theological Studies from Jos ECWA Theological Seminary Nigeria having attended the Institute of Staff Development Training (ISDT), a program of International Fellowship of Evangelical Students (IFES). After high School, Samuel Baker taught Economics and Geography for 4 years at Kangai Secondary School where he also served as the patron of Scripture Union. Thereafter, he served for 4 years with FOCUS Uganda, the IFES Movement in Uganda, as the Regional Training Secretary and Coordinator for West Nile region.
While in West Nile he served as a radio producer and presenter on social issues affecting young people, over Voice of Life 100.9 FM Arua. He is passionate to see young people discover their God given potential and to see them empowered to serve. Baker longs to see the body of Christ taking up its place in indigenous mission mobilization in fulfillment of Global Mission. He is married to Cinderella Okullo who is a community health worker.
Gillian Gathoni Edube
Director – Missions/Partnership
Gillian is a graduate from Kenya Methodist University with a Bachelor of Business Administration in Entrepreneurship and a Diploma in Micro Finance Management as well as Cross-cultural Communications. At College and University Gillian was a leader in different capacities. Among the many positions she held she was foremost Chairperson for the Christian Unions.
After graduating from university she was involved in a Short Term Experience in Ministry (STEM) with Fellowship of Christian University Students (FOCUS Kenya) after which she was sent to Norway (LAGET) as a missionary for one year. There she met her husband Robert Edube. She also worked with FAULU Kenya as a Development Finance Officer.
She relocated to Uganda after she got married to Robert Edube to whom she has been married for 7 years and has 2 children Roy and Bernice. In Uganda she worked for FOCUS Uganda both as a volunteer and thereafter as Director for Missions and Training for 3 years. Gillian is currently the Director for Missions and Partnership at Global Link Afrika, which she has joined from the very start of the organization in 2012. She is a committed Christian who fellowships at Watoto Church.
Solomon Nyakuni
Program Assistant
Solomon has a certificate in Nursing from Arua School of comprehensive Nursing and Midwifery. He was the chairperson Scripture Union in High school and at college. While at college he also worked as the West Nile Students Committee chairperson with FOCUS.
He is a former Missions Intern with GLA posted in Busia Namasyolo health Center II, Uganda and he is a very committed Christian.
ALICE AKELLO
She is one of the long term missionaries who has served with us for three years now. She has just completed her one year in Kenya and she comes back to listen to the next move.
Alice Akello has decided to take on a long term mission program after her one year program with GLOBAL LINK AFRIKA (GLA). We dig deeper into her life and find out what it took her to sign up for the long term. Derrick Wandera Met with her and shared with him her story.
QN. Who is Alice Akello?
My full name is Akello Alice Elizabeth, a born of Ngora District in the Eastern part of Uganda. I am 23 years old and second of my siblings, a graduate with a diploma in Nursing from Mulago school of Nursing. I am currently working with Global Link Afrika (GLA) in the missions department.
QN. How did you spend your last year?
Last year I was deployed at Kei Health Center III in Yumbe District for one year as a mission intern. Prior to the deployment, we went through an Explore Missions Training which helped us figure out the kind of work we were to do as missionaries. I should say my last year was well-spent with lots of growth and learning opportunities. While in Yumbe, I was exposed to a culture of where the population is more than 80% non Christian. This posed a challenge for me, a challenge I overcame by God’s grace. Doing many things like community outreach, bible study, conferences and many other activities was the order of the day. I also taught in a primary school which I was wanting with the service delivery, but all thanks to the Almighty for enabling me go through the one year fruitfully.
QN. You have decided to take on a long term mission with GLA that comes with many decision making challenges how have you managed that?
Yes Derrick, my one year at Yumbe did not come just as simple as I may state it in word. It came with many challenges and huddles for me to jump, but the thing is, I did not look at these challenges from the negative angle. These challenges strengthened my belief in the Lord, strengthened my urge to seek God’s face and made me even yarn for more challenges to make sure I am taking on something I am sure is what God wants me to do. The decision making here was not the point, all it was, was answering God’s call. A way I cherish to go, just allowing myself to be used by God as He pleases. In fact I am sure whatever I faced or will face is what God wants me to go through. Regardless of the doubts, moments of thinking I may be taking the wrong path and all expectations from my family and the people around me to want to think that I can get a ‘regular job’ and work out the issues of finances in my life, I have not been shaken. I have and will always answer God’s call!
QN. What finally unfolded your decision to take on the long term in missions?
(Takes a deep breath)… Just like I said, it is not my decision but the decision is God’s… to call me and I will answer and also my passion for missions is not a today feeling, it is a continuation of what my heart has longed for adored irresistibly. Missions I have and will always love! The trainings (EMT) and conferences (LWU) that GLA arranges in between the one year program just keep my heart encouraged to even love missions the more. But the need in the communities, the fact that I grew up in a village setting exposed me to the need in the village kind of setting. That always drove me to go and serve there and see what I can avail to them.
QN. Missionaries do not expect a hefty cheque every end of the month like any other kind of employment, how are you managing the temptation to take up a another job and do you plan to take care of your needs in your family and yourself?
I hope you understand this and get it clearly, I really know that I have a family to take care of, my siblings and many other things but again that is left to God to answer that question. I am in a position to get a good job and take care of my family but I can get it and still not solve all of them. I do believe that I have very many things to take care of, including my family and others. But I also believe God will take care of that as well.
QN. What about the planes set before, you have always talked about marriage what do you plan to do now that you have chosen long term?
I have always dreamt big just as anyone else could and believe you me it all ends up into God’s hands. It all about Him to what he is supposed to do as I do what he sends me to do.
QN. As part of your one year, one of your tasks was to fund-raise, you might have found it easy and if not what remedies have you put forward for the long term ministry?
It is not easy, it has not been easy. I would not mind to leave in the village and all the conditions that it comes with, but fundraising…ooohh… it is one thing I vehemently dread! It is not a cup of tea for me really and not a venture I would wish to explore but, you know, I have come to learn that it is one inevitable thing that I cannot run away from. I will still talk to people and tell them what I do and above it all, I will put my knees down and ask Him who has called me to do this to take care of my fears.
QN. At your placement in Kei, you are given a house, some food from friends and many privileges in the village and so, it might not seem so hard, and here at GLA you have to provide for your transport, accommodation, food and the like. How are you managing this whole change?
While in Yumbe, only one person committed to give and it worked out for with other small untimely gifts. But here in GLA, it is something different all together; I am talking about what I do. Of course, to some, I appear a beggar, while others give some good response. My trust is that it is not about me to convince people but it is all to God and to that I have done my part in talking to many and waiting to God to convince and convict them.
QN. What is your understanding about missions and relationships and dating?
What, do you want me married now? Am I delaying or what? What do you want to know about me and marriage?
QN: I mean you have been in a one year program and one would think that after the one year, you get married or begin relating.
No. Marriage is not anywhere in my thoughts right now, Derrick. Just know the urge to complete this plan of God is impending for now and if its God’s plan for me to get someone while here, then so be it. But as for now, I am not in any relationship and wouldn’t want to be. But I hope to be, married some day!
QN. There are people out there who might be having a thinking of doing long term missions and yet they also would like to get married. What would be your advice for those people?
GLA’s policies caters for such people and it says that for those who would like to go for long term and also are interested in marriage, it advises that they can get married and become a family and then come and pursue their calling. But as for me I am not relating!
QN. There has been an argument that the best way of carrying out mission is by serving more than just the spiritual realm but also the physical. How did you do this?
Yah that is very true to a certain extent because you cannot be preaching to a hungry old woman and you think they will listen to you. That means if you have, give but you do according to what you can afford. You have to cut your coat according to your shirt. However it must be recognized that acts of service alone without the clear presentation of the gospel may not necessarily bring people to the Kingdom!
QN. What would be your advice to any youth who is thinking of going for missions?
Go for it! If you hear God calling you, why not? You know we are called to support missions differently; others are called to give to missions, others to identify missionaries (like GLA does) while others to go for missions. So whichever way you are called, just go for it. The bible states clearly that…go ye therefore and make disciples of all nations… and that is the great commission by God to his people. And yes the harvest is a plentiful but the workers are few in the field. There is certainly need for more laborers.
GERALD LUDHUBA
My name is Gerald Ludhuba, 24 years old, and a mugishu by tribe from Mbale district. I currently reside in Namwendwa, Kamuli district in Eastern Uganda where our family permanently shifted to since 2000. I gave myself to Christ in 2003 when I was in Primary School when Scripture Union had an outreach to our school. That marked the start of the journey in salvation for me.
Growing up in a purely Anglican family I was the first out of the 10 siblings in my family to get saved. From my polygamous family I am the first born. I have slowly and steadily walked this journey of growth in Christ and thank God, along the way, my mother and 3 other family members have also given their lives to Christ.
Going to Busoga College Mwiri in Jinja district from 2006- 2009 for my O’ level ,my growth continued as I served in the Scripture Union as the Chairperson, before I went to Budini Secondary School for my A’ level in Kaliro district from 2010-2011. The vision to serve God intensified from Arua School of Comprehensive Nursing and Midwifery where I attained a Certificate in Comprehensive Nursing 2011 – 2014.
As I served as Secretary with the Christian Union Fellowship at the school, I came to learn of Global Link Afrika as many staff came to talk to students who later gave in to serve as missionaries in hard-to-reach areas for one year. The testimonies the students came back with did not only sound too exciting to listen to but also compelled me to be telling the story someday.
He is currently going to to serve in Kenya for a year. This will be his third year in missions and he hopes to serves more than this.
ACOMO ALICE
My name is ACOMO ALICE aged 24 years, a first born to a mother of five children. I grew up with my grandparents whom I knew for my parents until I was 5 years of age. My grandfather was a Church teacher who loved and served God. I unfortunately lost him to the political insurgency in the Northern part of Uganda in 2014.
My grandfather’s commitment in the service of God gave me a strong foundation to know Jesus Christ. In October 2001 during a convention which took place in my village Palabek Kal, Lamwo district, I gave my life to Jesus Christ and I have never remained the same.
By God’s help, I hold a Bachelor Degree in Quantitative economics which I completed from Gulu University in May 2015 and graduated in 2016.
I came to know about Global Link Afrika through the Living word conference in January 2014. The conference gave me a deeper knowledge and understanding of God’s word and how to handle it. And because of the impact of the conference, I became very interested in Missions and served as a Missions coordinator in the university. Later, I participated in GLA’S Global issues program (GIP) run every year. At the end of the program, I was consumed by the passion for Mission. I had learned that mission is not only evangelism but also a social responsibility and community transforming task. Interesting! This gave me the zeal to share the love of God with anyone around me and serve their physical needs where possible.
When the opportunity to serve as a missionary with Global Link Afrika for a year came, I simply committed to the cause. I have now been placed at Global Link Afrika offices in Ntinda and I know the one who has called me is faithful and will use my profession and lifestyle for His glory.
TINZE ROSE
I am Tinze Rose from Arua district in West Nile and I am 27 years old. My family is a closed nuclear family of 13 members, my father and mother inclusive and I am the last born of my 10 siblings. My journey to salvation has been worth regretting, but I have no regrets at all .
After my primary in 2004, I joined Lake View Luzira for my O’ and A’ level from 2005-2010.
When I joined Kyambogo University for my degree in Counselling and Guidance in 2011, I encountered a fellow student who preached to me about the Love of God and there I gave my life to Jesus Christ as my personal Lord and Saviour. I carried on with journey of growth which has been so disastrous! Breaking the news to my staunch Catholic family was the saddest thing that they had ever heard from me for my life. They could not believe what I told them, that I had gotten save? Impossible! Their choice to abandon me, persecute me and later throwing me away from the family has done a lot in my growth.
After my graduation in January this year, I went home and the family couldn’t receive me as their daughter if I still mentioned anything to do with being saved. The trauma I went through nearly had me think twice about the choice I made to give my life to Christ. But I still remained unshaken. So I decided to leave home but I had no idea of where I was headed for, all I knew was that I was in the safe hands of the Lord.
I had to let my pastor know about my leaving so I went to his house and all he gave me was the idea to come and serve with Global Link Afrika as a missionary . And this is how I got to know about Global Link Afrika and now I am sold out to serving God through this umbrella. My heart leaped with joy because the feeling of serving the Lord had for long been beckoning in my heart. I went for it and here I am. This is my opportunity to serve him in a needy community and I will go and serve Him.
I have now been posted to Yivu Abia Health Center III in Maracha district. And I believe the Lord will use me to transform this community using my counselling and Guidance skills with the aim of reconciling all to God through Christ.
The opportunity that I have got to serve the Lord is a tremendous one and I want to use it as He, God leads me through. So anyone reading this write up, I ask you to stand with me because we need each other to bring the light of the Lord in the world.