The Kiyingis: In pursuit of a high call

I met Pastor Martin and his darling wife Dr. Esther in Yei, South Sudan in July 2005. We shared a common vision for the peoples of Sudan and soon began to work like a team, going to the few secondary schools around then to start Scripture Union fellowships and follow-up the converts. Here’s their amazing story.

Martin
I believed in September 1999 through the ministry of Br Zach Fomum in Uganda as they were carrying out evangelism in our area. From there, I was discipled and made rapid spiritual progress. I was made the Pastor of the local church in that area in Seeta, Mukono, Uganda. I was pastoring the church while teaching in a nearby school since I am a teacher by profession. As I served God faithfully, He blessed me with a wonderful girl to marry as a wife. We were married in May 2003 and sent off as missionaries to Sudan.

My first remembrance of Bro Zach was when I met him in a meeting in Kampala, Uganda. He thundered, “Christianity is not for Jokers!!” It left a deep impact in my life and I decided to be serious with God. I surrendered my all to Jesus Christ there and then. When Bro Zach later had a burden to send missionaries to the Sudan, I was compelled to pray about it. I felt led to go and was thus sent as a missionary to Sudan.

Esther
I believed in May 1987 through the influence of my parents who were saved. I always had a desire to be a disciple and not just a convert. I was seriously looking for someone spiritually higher, who could be my mentor. At this period I attended a conference in Kampala where Bro Zach Fomum was the speaker. There and then, I knew I could follow such a man as a leader.

So, I joined his ministry in Uganda and the journey of my life took a different turn. I never wanted to be a missionary but as Bro Zach shared his burden for Sudan, I was led to pray about it. And as I prayed, God’s call to go as a missionary came to me. “…the harvest is plentiful but the laborers are few.”

So we became missionaries to Sudan under Christian Missionary Fellowship International which was started by the late Prof Zach Fomum in Cameroon and were sent off from the church in Kampala in 2003 by Bro Zach; a month after our wedding. Part of our honeymoon was spent on the mission field in Sudan!

We entered Sudan from Arua in Northern Uganda and started our ministry in September by renting a place in Yei Town. We went door-to-door, evangelizing and bringing the converts to our home. We had a big verandah which we were using for our meetings. The response was encouraging as many came to Jesus. We knew the harvest here was in deed very ripe.

But we soon faced challenges of making the converts to abide and abound in the church. The government directed us to get land from the community which was granted in 2004. By that time, God had blessed us with our first daughter Joy who was born in Arua Hospital. We acquired land in Mahad which is around 2 miles from the town center along Juba Road. 

There, we built our house which we also used as the church until the members out-grew the space and we erected a structure outside for meetings. Those were days of blessing as many people believed through our personal evangelism. There were also a lot of challenges in health and basic services like water and food; since South Sudan was just coming out of war. We knew we had to do something.

Today, by the grace of God our church has grown to 700 members. We are building disciples who will take on leadership roles and planting churches. We have been carrying out evangelism in schools around and God has blessed us with a strong youth group from the students who believed and are faithful in the church.

One of our disciples planted a church in Unity State. He was a student who returned home after his studies. The church is in Pariang, Unity State and has around 150 members.

We have a preschool and primary school up to elementary four. There are now 7 classes and it is helping meet the huge education needs in the community. Some of the classes are still in the church building as we raise funds to start building a school.

Recently God enabled us to start a clinic with the aim of reaching out to the community through health services which is still a major challenge in Sudan. Esther, being a Medical Doctor, works in the clinic treating those with various illnesses and praying for them too. We are still lacking many things like diagnostic equipment, staff and medicines. But we have started as a mustard seed, trusting the Lord to bless our efforts and cause this to grow.

Martin and Esther Kiyingi are blessed with two lovely children. Joy is 6years old and in P.2 at their mission school. John was born in 2007 but died thereafter. Zach is 2years old. They live in Yei, South Sudan and testify to the saving power of God as they’ve seen many come to the Lord Jesus through their ministry.

 

Are you a medical professional or a school teacher with a Kingdom dream that’s God-sized and seeking a credible ministry in South Sudan to partner with? I recommend these brethren. Their fruits speak for them.

Author: Uche Izuora

I'm inspired by God’s passion for His name in every generation, which provokes global worship through Jesus Christ. Becoming an emotionally healthy and transformative disciple, I aim to mobilize the Church to engage in cross-cultural missions and raise other like-minded disciples who discover themselves in Christ and seek to present and represent Him as Savior and Lord among the nations northward of Uganda. View all posts by Uche Izuora