The U.S. Buyamba Story Part 2

Part Two: Growth in Texas and New York

 When Bethuel Dongo flew to Texas from Uganda on his first visit to the U.S. in 1998 he called Brother Jerry Lehmann who was now home from his missionary stay in Uganda and living back in New York. Dongo fearlessly hopped on a train alone in Houston and made his way halfway across the country, to Kingston, New York to see him. Jerry introduced him to his Pastor at that time, Rev. G. Modele Clarke, and his wife Evelyn, who pastored New Progressive Baptist Church. The hub of church friends and co-laborers in Christ that Dongo met there, soon extended out to other pastors in that area of New York who wholeheartedly opened their doors to Pastor Dongo, their new friend from Africa. That meeting led Rev. Modele to visit Kampala, Uganda for a couple of months in December

of 1998. Modele shared, “The focus of that first team visit was ‘soul winning’ and I spent much time traveling to teach pastors how to evangelize.” Modele also noted, “There was also a little school off the church property that had a few kids with a chalkboard that Pastor Dongo was involved with, which seemed to be gathering more kids in the area.”

The following year, Rev. Modele sent two other members from his church, the Rev. Paul Worthington, and Sister Jamila Reid. A year later, one of Modele's friends, the Rev. Jesse Bottoms, pastor of Beulah Baptist Church, Poughkeepsie, NY, sent two volunteers to assist in the construction of the church on Gaba Road which would be called Kabalagala Pentecostal Church (KPC). It was clear, God’s vision for the children of Uganda was spreading to churches in New York.

Thanks Dongo - The first sponsored child is now managing the 58 acre farm and leading worship classes for God Cares Students.

One of the new American friends, Kelly Clarke, gave Brother Jerry the first check to sponsor Dongo’s oldest son, Thanks Dongo. This was the first sponsored child and the first U.S. sponsor. Buyamba (which means “help”) was born. The original Buyamba organization birthed several initiatives that included books and clothing shipments, pupil sponsorships and fundraising campaigns for the school/housing complex. The new Buyamba Board of Directors in New York filed incorporation documents in 2002. The

While all this was happening in New York, God was also working in Houston to create a hub of helpers who would also grow to be a mighty force. This effort was led by Robert and Nicole Cockburn who first met Pastor Dongo in late 2002 at a gathering held to introduce Bethuel, who now had a larger group of children back in Uganda under his care. God had already prepared this couple’s hearts for Robert had just come from a church-planting trip in Kenya in which a pilot orphanage was starting to incorporate children living in a city

dump into a home setting. As Robert shared the Lord with barely clothed children rummaging for food, he committed to the Lord that he would help any way the Lord willed. Six weeks later, Robert and Nicole found themselves at this gathering listening to Bethuel talk about his vision to empower the orphaned through education and discipleship.

They hosted Bethuel at their home that night, and by the next morning, the Cockburns had heard clearly from the Lord that Pastor Bethuel was a man after His heart and could be trusted. After a unanimous family vote, the Cockburn’s decided to empty their ministry account balance to buy the property for the first school/orphanage.

Over the next many years, Robert and Nicole traveled to Uganda three to four times annually, preaching and overseeing the construction of God Cares Nursery & Primary School. They continually shared the vision with their sphere of influence, bringing numerous pastors, school teachers and other interested people to Uganda, including a longtime friend of Robert’s, Bill Shepherd, who gave approximately half the needed funds to build the school in memory of his wife, Sue Shepherd.

Continue to Part 3