Brian and Jill Kanyike
Brian was raised and educated in Kampala, Uganda. He is the eldest of seven children and was raised in a Catholic family. He experienced many things in his life, most of which were not so good. He found himself working hard at various businesses without any success or happiness and struggling with alcohol abuse. Finally, all his business attempts collapsed. The “friends” had left when the money left. His parents were not happy with him and it was at this point in his life that he felt he could go no lower. He did not know where else to turn but to God. He went to the nearest church and asked to be prayed for. He knew then that it was Christ alone who could help him, turn his life around and bring him up out of his despair. He did not have a permanent church that he attended but went whenever he could. One day a friend from his youth who had also become born again invited him to Calvary Chapel Kampala. He listened to how the pastors taught God’s Word verse by verse.
His life was changed from the inside out. He began to volunteer at the church and soon was hired on staff as the facilities manager, overseeing the logistics for the church. Around this same time the church began a Bible College. He enrolled and graduated with a degree in Theology and a passion to teach God’s Word. The pastor of Calvary Chapel Kampala offered him the Lunch Hour Bible study to teach. Looking at his like now he can say with Paul, “Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say rejoice.”
The Lord has given him more then he could have dreamt and happiness he could never have achieved working for the sole purpose of getting wealthy. He is now married to Jill. They met while serving at Calvary Chapel Kampala. She is an American who has lived in Uganda for seven years. She had worked in the north with Sudanese refugees before coming to Kamapala to become the Women’s Ministry director.
Today they are both serving at Calvary Chapel Kampala and teaching God’s Word. They are seeking what the Lord would have them to do in the future as both of their hearts yearn to see those without much opportunity in life able to receive teaching also. As they have this desire, their eyes and prayers are turning North to the areas of Uganda effected so severely by the long LRA war and burdened on top of that with witchcraft and traditional practices. Brian and Jill have no absolute future plan except to teach God’s Word wherever they may be that others may receive the love, forgiveness and happiness found only in Jesus.