Texans on Mission: Christmas looks different in Uganda

Mission trips often reveal contrasts—differences between things at home and those far away. Mikey Osborne and his family saw Christmas differently on a recent trip to Uganda.

“It was pretty humbling to see kids get excited over things I wouldn’t normally even buy,” Osborne said. “It’s an awakening to see a different perspective on gifts. It’s easy to think you’re going to Africa to fix things, but I feel like Africa was kind of fixing me.”

Osborne coordinates Texans on Mission’s discipleship and outreach efforts, which include writing materials for evangelism and personal Christian growth.

Some of those materials are used regularly in Uganda as part of Texans on Mission’s Water Impact ministry, but Osborne never had been there, and more materials were needed.

“Groups meet every week, and they’re using some older material that I think could be a little more strategic,” Osborne said. “Their teachers are brilliant and handle the materials well, but we need to put better materials in their hands.”

In Uganda, Texans on Mission works through its ministry partner, Texans and Ugandans on Mission, which has a number of employees focused on drilling water wells and strengthening communities. During Osborne’s trip, the ministry held a Christmas party for those employees and their families.

Mitch Chapman, director of Texans on Mission Water Impact, said he has been amazed at the quality of work and commitment to Christ exhibited by the workers.

“I had not, however, had the chance to interact much with their families,” he said. “The Christmas party gave us a chance to honor these workers before their families and to bless them in a way beyond their normal compensation.”

Simple requests for needs, not wants

The party lasted all day, with food being served throughout and gifts being given at the end of the day, Osborne said.

Angie Osborne said being part of the Christmas party was “one of the greatest blessings” of the trip.

“Seeing the requests some of these children had for Christmas—for needs rather than things for fun—was so touching, and it was amazing to see the joy they had when they received them.”

Mikey Osborne said the children “had been asked in advance what they would like for Christmas, but the most humbling thing was that multiple kids had asked for a goat or a pair of goats for their family.”

He found that strange until he learned a goat “actually gives the family another area for commerce. … Some of the kids specifically asked for a goat in hopes it would help them raise money to further their education.”

The Uganda ministry, supported by Texans on Mission, came through for the children, providing vouchers for the purchase of a number of goats.

The children also received other gifts.

“We gave out bicycles to almost every kid,” Osborne said. “The kids were overwhelmed.”

One of the fathers said his child “was so excited that he literally slept with their new bike, holding their new bike all night,” Osborne said. “And the bikes weren’t even new. They were used. Some of them were in good shape, but not great shape.”

The ministry also provided mattresses to families.

“I don’t remember how many mattresses we gave away, probably 35 to 40,” he said. “And the mattresses excited the kids because they didn’t have mattresses.”

Osborne contrasted this with his own Christmas shopping plans this year.

“I’m trying to figure out how to buy my son a new baseball bat, and he’s already got one, while the kids in Uganda want a mattress,” he said.

Access to clean water

Besides the Christmas gifts, Texans on Mission Water Impact is providing more substantial gifts for families—water wells, sanitation classes, micro-financing and, most importantly, spiritual nourishment.

“When we’re talking about Texans on Mission water ministry, we’re talking about total impact in a community,” Osborne said. “It’s everything from sanitation all the way to discipleship.

“You have to have water to survive, and these people haven’t had a good source of water at all.”

Angie Osborne noted the “most impactful part of the trip” for her came “when they took us to one village where a new well had just been installed.”

Leaders took the Osbornes to “the little creek” where the people had been getting their water before drilling of their new community well.

“It is a moment I will always remember and an image that will always stick in my mind,” Angie Osborne said.

“It was heart wrenching to think that people would walk over a mile to get water from this nasty source where animals also drink and do other things. It was then I realized how powerful and life-changing” Texans on Mission’s work is in Uganda.

“One well alone is providing clean water to over 400 people,” she said, adding Texans on Mission “put in over 60 wells this past year.”

“That is a huge impact, and thousands of people are being reached” because the Ugandan team does more than provide clean water, she noted.

Spreading the gopsel

“We witnessed the gospel being introduced at each well site to all these people who are flocking there for clean water,” she said. “A Bible study is led each morning while the well is being drilled for the local community, and then local people continue the Bible study weekly.

“Hundreds of people are now attending regular Bible study and have come to know Christ through the installation of these wells.”

The Texans on Mission-supported ministry does more than drill wells. Mikey Osborne said the work “goes well beyond giving people clean water, because not only are we giving people water, we’re teaching them sanitation.

“Not only are we teaching them sanitation, we’re teaching them how to save money,” he continued. “Not only are we teaching them how to save, we’re teaching them how to care for one another. Not only are we teaching them how to care for one another, we’re sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ, the living water, and teaching them how to raise up disciples in their own community among their own people.”

The recent trip will help Texans on Mission know how to produce more evangelism and discipleship resources. And Osborne was impressed with the ability of ministry leaders in Uganda. He talked about one leader, Moses.

“I got to see a guy named Moses, who, by the way, one of the best speakers I’ve seen,” he said. “He was unbelievably engaging. He spoke in the local language. The Spirit of God was on that man in such a way. He spoke with authority but also in an engaging manner. It was humbling to watch.

“Moses gave you the sense that he has been given the great responsibility of sharing the greatest gift in the world, and he was full of joy in getting to hand it out for you.”

The entire experience deeply moved the Osbornes.

“To say we were overwhelmed is an understatement,” Angie Osborne said. “We went to help change Uganda, but Uganda changed me.

“It is hard to wrap my mind around the fact that in 2024 people are still living in those conditions. It was eye-opening to see that there are thousands of people who live out in the middle of nowhere in little huts with no water, electricity, plumbing or any conveniences we have.

“We got to see the work that Texans on Mission is doing and were blown away.”