JFM's Hardest Outreach Yet When We Stumbled Into a Muslim Village

At JesusFedMe , we have experienced many successful food deliveries across Uganda, visiting vulnerable families, sharing the love of Jesus Christ, and praying with those who welcome us into their homes. Every outreach comes with its own lessons, but sometimes God allows us to enter places where the work is more difficult than we expected. On this particular day, we found ourselves in a Muslim village, where reaching people with food was possible in some homes, but sharing our faith and documenting our work proved much more challenging than we had anticipated.

We arrived with the same heart we carry into every community to help people in need, share the Gospel, and demonstrate the love of Jesus through practical kindness. However, this time, many households did not welcome us. Some people were unwilling to engage with us, while others accepted our food but did not permit us to take photographs. For a ministry that often documents its field activities to share stories with supporters, this was an unexpected challenge. We had to navigate an unfamiliar situation while respecting the wishes of the people whose homes we had come to serve.

The most difficult moment came when we met a Muslim man with a large beard. As we approached, the conversation turned to our purpose for being there and our desire to take photographs. He looked at us and asked a question that immediately changed the mood of our outreach: “Are you preaching, or are you photographing? Choose one thing.” His words caught us off guard. Before we could fully process the question, he continued, asking how many photographs Jesus had taken while preaching, and why we wanted to take pictures in his home. He made it clear that if we wanted to leave the food, we could do so, but we were not to take photographs there.

His words were difficult to hear, and honestly, they quenched my enthusiasm in that moment. We had come hoping to serve, share the Gospel, and tell the stories of people we encountered, yet we were being challenged about the way we carried out our mission. For a moment, the experience felt frustrating. Nevertheless, we had to remember that the people we visit have their own beliefs, boundaries, and expectations. Our responsibility is to serve with humility and respect, even when a door closes or someone questions our intentions.

We responded by telling the man that Jesus loved him and that Jesus called people to repent and give their lives to Him. Then we walked away, respecting his decision. Many of the other homes we approached had a similar attitude, and we realized that this would not be an ordinary outreach. It was a reminder that sharing the Gospel does not always lead to a welcoming response. Sometimes, people will listen; sometimes, they will disagree; and sometimes, they will ask us to leave. We must be prepared to respond with patience rather than anger, remembering that our calling is to share the message of Christ in love.

Despite the difficulties, we thank God that we were still able to make successful food deliveries to some families. The day was not what we had planned, and we did not get the photographs we had hoped for, but our mission was never supposed to be about pictures alone. Photographs can help us tell stories and show supporters what their contributions make possible, but they are not more important than the dignity, privacy, and wishes of the people we serve. This experience challenged us to reflect on how we approach communities, how we explain our intentions, and how we can share the work of JFM responsibly without making anyone feel uncomfortable.

As we look back, we give God the glory for carrying us through one of our hardest outreach experiences. We learned that ministry requires more than preparation and good intentions; it requires patience, wisdom, humility, and respect for people whose beliefs differ from ours.

We will continue feeding vulnerable families, praying with those who welcome us, and sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ with gentleness and love. We pray that God will open doors, soften hearts, and teach us to serve every community wisely. Not every door will open, not every person will agree with us, and not every outreach will go as planned—but we will continue to trust Jesus and serve people with love. All glory belongs to Jesus.