Meet Lauren From Umoya Ministries!
Today at Little Sparrow Loved, I would like to introduce you to Lauren and her amazing work as not only a missionary but the founder of Umoya Ministries, a small non-profit making a huge impact in Uganda. Here's some of her story of how she came to walk the path God has set out before her.
It’s so great to have you here! Tell us a bit about yourself.
Well, as mentioned above, my name is Lauren, and I reside in Gippsland, Victoria. I wear multiple hats - I’m the founder of Umoya Ministries, a missionary, henna artist, and I work as a Disability Support Worker during the week. On top of all that, I'm a proud mother of two boys.
When did you feel called to embark on this journey as a missionary and founder of a not-for-profit?
Upon coming to Christianity, I experienced a profound dream. I found myself flying over the ocean, landing on African soil. Witnessing a child with a protruding belly, I felt a deep calling to serve the children of Africa. Uncertain of what this calling entailed, I spent years in prayer, seeking clarity from God.
Through a decade of volunteering with African Action and sponsoring a remarkable woman from Africa, I gradually understood my purpose. The dire situation of street children in Uganda became unmistakably clear, leading me to establish my own ministry. It was then that I fully embraced my calling to rescue these vulnerable children, knowing it was God's plan for me.
When did you first come to know God and how did it transform your life?
I grew up in the Catholic church as a child but didn’t come to know Jesus until later in life. I did my own research at home and gave my life to Jesus, in my own home, walking down my hallway.
Initially, I didn't anticipate this confession to have a profound impact; I saw it as a change in religion rather than a transformation of my entire life. However, the moment I surrendered to Jesus, I was filled with the Holy Spirit, unlocking countless encounters with God that altered the trajectory of my existence.
As a child, I harbored dreams of becoming a renowned artist, but today, I am utilizing the creative gifts bestowed upon me by God to fulfill His calling. The path He has laid out for me, particularly in Africa, is beyond anything I could have imagined. It's been an awe-inspiring journey.
Can you share a significant moment or experience in your faith journey that had a profound impact on your life?
It’s very hard to narrow it down to just one significant moment or experience as there have been many. I think the best experience I have had so far is watching God open the door for me to travel to Africa.
To be able to stand in a church in Kenya and share the testimony of how God called me to Africa, trusting Him for the flight money and to open the doors for me to be standing before them had a great impact on the hearers. I had never traveled outside of Australia before that.
In my mind, I was so excited to “save Africa!” but as soon as my feet hit the ground and I saw Kenya and Uganda for myself and just how big the poverty issue actually is… I realised very quickly that only God could save Africa and my job was to simply be obedient and do what God tells me to do.
How do you handle doubt or questions about your faith, and what helps you work through them?
Coming to Jesus later in life gives you the benefit of understanding what life is like with and without Jesus. I very rarely doubt my faith in Jesus because my encounters with God have been so powerful and impacting to me.
I sometimes doubt my own abilities to do what God has called me to, but I very rarely put those issues onto Jesus… I do recognize my own faults and weaknesses mostly and try to work on those as best I can. When people ask me questions about my faith, I try to answer as honestly as I can for myself and my own experience.
I try to remember when sharing Jesus that it’s not my job to save everyone, it’s just my job to share my heart in that moment and let God use it how He sees fit. Sometimes you are planting seeds, sometimes you are watering but it is God who gives the increase. When you remember this, it is much easier to be open about your faith.
What Bible verse or passage has been particularly meaningful to you, and why?
Ephesians 2:8 - For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God. I needed this verse as a new Christian as I had always believed that, being good or doing good, would get me in right standing with God.
Whenever I doubt my right standing with God I remember Ephesians 2:8 and recite it to myself. Whenever I feel like what God is doing has anything to do with me, I like to remember this verse and remember that I can do nothing apart from Him. It helps me to remember that His mercy and grace is new every morning and anything I do isn’t to earn His love but it is an outpouring of my love towards what He has already done for me.
If you could offer any advice to someone about their Christian walk or stepping out for Jesus, what would it be?
If you feel like God is asking you to do something big and you sense that there may be little support or encouragement from those around you, remember this: the call of God is enough. It is absolutely okay to step out in faith even when everyone else is advising against it.
From personal experience, I can attest that my pastor, mentors, and even close friends initially opposed what God had asked me to do in Uganda. It was a challenging period, but I chose to follow God's prompting anyway. His dream for me was so clear and compelling that I knew without a doubt it was what I was meant to do.
Over time, as I remained obedient to God's call, those who initially doubted or opposed me began to see His hand at work. They eventually became some of my greatest supporters. It wasn't easy during that time, but sometimes stepping out for Jesus requires taking a big leap of faith, even if you have to take it alone.
Remember, if God is calling you to it, He will see it through, even if others don't support you initially. Trust in His plan and His timing.
So before we sign off, give us a sum up of what Umoya Ministries mission is all about & how someone can get behind it in support.
Umoya Ministries is a Christian NGO working to rescue children from the streets of Uganda. We rescue, rehabilitate and reconcile street-connected children with their families. We have a strong belief in the right for all children to have access to an education and a safe place to call home so they grow to reach their full potential.
We work to advocate for children to be protected from all forms of abuse and exploitation. More than 15,000 children, aged between 7 and 14, live in Kampala's streets. No child should be forced to live on the street or endure abuse.
Children living on the street are subject to a lack of access to adequate nutrition, water, basic hygiene and basic services such as medical care and education. They are vunerable to violent interference by police, exploitation, and unsafe sexual practices – which can lead to sexually transmitted infections – including HIV. Children living on the streets face a negative stigma in the local community and are often involved in substance abuse which places their health and development at great risk.
But we see them. We know how much God loves them and we want to be the hands and feet that reach into the places we need to be. I would love for you to check out the website, see some of the behind the scenes, see what programs we are working on right now, and of course… reach out if you have any questions.
