JFM
Sixteen years had passed since I last saw Kamya Martin. We were schoolmates back in 2008, and I vividly remember him as the quiet but hardworking boy, while I was known as the stubborn one, always getting into mischief. Life had taken us in different directions, and I hadn’t thought of him much until the day we met again in Bakijulululula village.
I had come to the village on one of our regular outreach missions with JesusFedMe (JFM), as our ministry is dedicated to delivering food, sharing the gospel, and praying with people. As we pulled into the village, I noticed a man in a coffee field. There was something familiar about him, but it wasn’t until I drew closer that I realized—this was Martin, my old schoolmate.
He looked up from his work, wiping sweat from his brow. His hands were stained with the rich red soil of the harvest. His face lit up in surprise when he recognized me.
“Is it you?” he asked, breaking into a smile.
I laughed. “It’s been a long time, Martin!”
We caught up on lost time. Martin was now married to a lovely wife and had two beautiful children. Life had not been kind to him, and the coffee business was not thriving. Yet, as we talked, I couldn’t help but sense something deeper that went beyond the external blessings. We shared school memories, and Martin laughed as he recalled me being the stubborn boy in class, always finding ways to have lessons. But then, with a smile, he added, “You’ve changed. There’s a peace in you now.”
I smiled back, realizing it was the perfect moment to share why. I told him how my life had changed after encountering Jesus Christ. I had found purpose in the gospel and was now working with JFM to bring that same message of hope and salvation to others.
Martin listened intently, his expression serious. As I shared the gospel, explaining how Christ offers a new life to all who believe in Him, Martin didn’t hesitate. He didn’t give it a second thought—he was ready to commit his life to Jesus. Martin bowed his head in the coffee field, and we prayed together. It was the beginning of a new chapter in his life.
Afterward, JFM blessed him with food for his family as a gesture of love and support, but that day’s true blessing was the gospel, which had taken root in his heart. As we parted ways, Martin smiled and said, “I used to know you as the stubborn boy, but now, you’re a carrier of the gospel. God works wonders.”
We left Bakijulululula village that day with joy in our hearts, knowing that Martin and his family had not only received physical nourishment but had also accepted the eternal gift of salvation.
And I couldn’t help but think how amazing it was that God had brought us back together after all these years, not just to reconnect as old friends but to witness the life-changing power of the gospel in each other’s lives.
Shaking hands with Martin
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