Leland and Gina Sawyer met at Abilene Christian University and graduated in 2004. Shortly after college, we got engaged and were married in January 2005. We worked in youth ministry, both in Colorado and Texas, for 11 years, and our ministry has always been focused on relationships. We have a passion for serving others, and we have also made short term mission trips and service projects a key part of our ministry and personal life. In October 2012, God blessed us with a sweet and sassy little girl, Adalyn. She has grown into a beautiful young women who serves alongside us. As a family, we want to bring glory to God in whatever we do and have fun while doing it. 

OUR JOURNEY TO MISSIONS
Starting in 2010, we began asking ourselves a very challenging and uncomfortable question: “Is God calling us to serve Him on a foreign mission field?” For a few years we found reasons to put off this question, but time and time again, we felt this question resurface. Through conversations with friends, mentors, ministers, elders and missionaries, as well as through trips, experiences and relationships over those several years, we continued to feel this nudge.

We decided that the next step for our family was to go in the mission field. A survey trip to visit the team we had been communicating with in Mbale, Uganda confirmed our direction and answered many of our questions. We joined the team in January 2016. Over the last several years, team has transitioned and roles have changed, but our work in Uganda continues to involve discipling and equipping men and women, both church leaders and pastors, to be more like Jesus and LIVE out their faith in their communities, as well as disciple others to also be more like Jesus in how they live. We work with the relational model of Jesus with His disciples and the call He gave all of us in Matthew 28:19-20. Our stewarding church while on the mission field is Western Hills Church of Christ in Temple, Texas. We are so blessed to partner with so many people and other churches who have the desire to do God’s work throughout the world. If you are interested in partnering with us in the work God is doing here in Uganda, please visit Ways to Partner.

“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” – Matthew 28:19-20