Messages from Francis: Ownership for a Sustainable Kingdom Impact

Ashland Watson
4 days ago
6 min read

We're continuing our Messages from Francis series with another update from Tanzania about sustainable kingdom impact. Here's what Francis has been witnessing this past month:

I want to share what God has been doing here this past month. Every story, every visit, every conversation reminds me why we do this work alongside local churches. The Kingdom of God is advancing, and I'm honored to witness it firsthand.

Kids Day at Pastor Sam's Church

This church was overflowing with joy as the children showcased what they've been learning. The leadership team has been training with us over the last few years, and they hosted a special Kids' Sunday that was beautiful to see!

Pastor Sam shared that while Kids' Sunday has always been on their calendar, the quality has greatly improved. They now feel more equipped and confident in children's ministry. And here's what really moved me: what once was exclusive to church members is now open to the entire community. They extended an invitation to the neighborhood, and nearly 100 children attended, 70 of them are not church members!

The kids' ministry has grown significantly from just 10 children in July to 25 fully active and engaged participants. The 15 additional kids came through sports ministry and community involvement. Sports has become a powerful tool for outreach and discipleship. Many young people now spend time near the church, and even if they're not yet official members, they are being reached, loved, and discipled in creative ways.

For our team, this was huge encouragement! We're seeing the fruit of training, modeling, and walking alongside leaders. We teach, we demonstrate, we inspire, and we always remind the church that the ministry belongs to them. They can carry it forward with or without us. That is true discipleship. That is sustainability. That is ownership in action!

We Give Bread, But God Turns It to the Bread of Life

On my way to visit Pastor Alfayo, I stopped by Pastor Sam's church and was deeply moved to find the congregation in the middle of a three-day prayer and fasting gathering, seeking God with such passion day and night.

One testimony especially touched my heart: the woman we visited with our team last June, the one we blessed with a solar light and food, is now a fully committed member of the church. She has been faithfully attending and was among those fasting for three days.

Pastor Sam often reflects with amazement on how a simple act of generosity can open a heart to Jesus. We haven't visited her again since that day, yet God used that small seed of love to completely transform her life. Truly, God is amazing!

We met this woman in 2024, and here she is as a member of the congregation now.

Praise God!

Church Building in Kirungu – Pastor Alfayo

We are thrilled to announce that God has provided! A generous gift of $2,800 has been released to construct a new church building frame, and the members will complete the work themselves. This approach allows them to contribute financially and practically, fostering deeper ownership and unity. They'll even provide their own fundis (builders) for the work alongside the main contractor.

The Background

This church originally had around 50 members a few years ago. Unfortunately, the former pastor left without a transition, and more than half the members scattered. When Pastor Alfayo arrived, the existing church structure collapsed.

Two years ago, we stepped in to support them by helping with wooden pillars for a temporary building, but again, the structure fell. More people left, and the church was reduced to only five committed believers. Yet even the ones who left kept saying they would return once the church stands again.

When we shared the news that construction would begin, Pastor Alfayo could not hold back his tears of joy. He said this is proof that God truly cares and that His work will never fail. His faith has been renewed and strengthened!

We believe that as this new building goes up, many who left will come back, and even more will join. They're currently meeting in a member's home, but very soon they'll gather in a strong structure that will instill hope and be a testimony to the community. We're excited to see what God builds next!

Pastor Fabian

I met Pastor Fabian again this week, and his story touched my heart deeply.

Two years ago, we helped his family with food during a very difficult time. They were barely surviving—his wife would go to rice farms after harvest and pick fallen rice heads to get rice for their food. Today, God has lifted them to a much better place. His ministry still needs encouragement, but clear progress has been made. God is moving!

In gratitude, he brought me two chickens, saying, "You were used by God when we needed help the most." I could hardly believe it. His joy, humility, and desire to give back is a testimony of God's restoration. What a blessing to witness!

Kimochi Village

This fellowship was launched last year, and their first conference was held in August. This past weekend, we witnessed incredible growth and strong ownership. They organized their own leaders' event focused on prayer, teaching, discussion, and fellowship.

Their purpose was clear: to show us that the movement we helped start is now moving forward by their own leadership. What a powerful statement of sustainability and empowerment!

About 30 leaders attended, paying for their own food and event costs. This is the fruit of belief, encouragement, and partnership. After seeing the model in the Philippines, this reminded us again: Ownership + Sustainability = Transformation.

One leader shared that they were inspired by the Kahe fellowship, where God united diverse churches for His kingdom. Now, the same spirit of unity is igniting Kimochi. Each fellowship is unique, but the heartbeat is the same, Better Together for Jesus!

We pray that we'll continue to support, train, inspire, and walk with such fellowships for the advancement of God's kingdom across communities.

Church Opening

This past Sunday, I was honored to be invited to a church opening celebration. This building has been under construction for about 10 years, built step by step with faith and perseverance. When part of their temporary structure collapsed recently, they took a bold step and moved into the new building even though it's not yet fully finished.

They're trusting God for continued provision to complete the construction, but they're already rejoicing and worshiping inside their new home. What a testimony of patience, resilience, and God's faithfulness over the years!

Better Together

Every story from this month points to one clear and powerful truth: The Kingdom of God grows stronger when local leaders rise to take ownership.

We've seen churches stepping forward, ministries expanding, fellowships uniting, structures being rebuilt, and lives being transformed, not because we're present everywhere, but because God is empowering His people from within their own communities.

Our role continues to be training, equipping, inspiring, and cheering them on. Their role is to lead, own, and multiply what God has placed in their hands. Together, we're building a future where faith is strong, churches stand firm, and the impact continues from generation to generation.

Sustainability is happening. Ownership is rising. And the Kingdom of God is advancing, we are better together!

Weeks like this past one remind me why we do what we do. Every visit, every story, every small act of generosity, God is using it all. The fruit is real, and it's growing. We're seeing transformed lives, strengthened churches, renewed hope, and leaders rising with ownership and vision.

What a joy to partner with Jesus in building His Kingdom, one life, one community, one act of love at a time.

Stories like these are possible because of partners who believe in walking alongside local leaders. This season, through Cultivate Change, you can help plant seeds of transformation that grow into lasting impact. When you give, you're not just supporting a project, you're investing in ownership, sustainability, and Kingdom growth that continues for generations.

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