Our Story
We’re Russ & Rhonda Rhoden. We both grew up in the small town of Prineville, in Central Oregon, doing all the small town things, right or wrong! But here we are after 39 years of marriage, with three beautiful daughters and six amazing grandchildren.
Crook County Courthouse, Prineville, Oregon
Founders/Directors
Both of us had our first encounter with God in our late teens and early twenties. However, we let the business of life get in the way of what God wanted for our lives. Thankfully our God is a patient God, and we eventually started attending church, helping with the children and other areas of ministry. We both served about sixteen years in Sunday School and other youth activities.
Russ & Rhonda Rhoden
China Missions
In 2003 our youngest daughter and Russ joined a short-term mission team to China. This trip sparked a passion for missions inside of Russ, who pursued his pastors license and became the missions pastor at our church. We discipled many young adults, sending them as missionaries to six continents. Five more missions to China happened during that time, with Rhonda and our middle daughter joining us for the Journey.
Central America
The Lord brought the opportunity for Russ to lead several teams into Costa Rica, Nicaragua, and Panama. When Rhonda joined in, these trips solidified our desire to see poor and desperate people around the world come to know Jesus. Everywhere we traveled we found an orphanage and an open opportunity to share the Love of Jesus with the children and staff. Bringing a glimmer of hope to families in slum areas was an amazing experience.
Moving to Africa
In 2013, an opportunity arose for Russ to visit Northern Uganda, in East Africa. The villagers’ passion for Jesus, their struggles & victories, the orphans & widows–it all grabbed his heart. In 2019 we packed our lives into six suitcases and moved full-time to Uganda to become the in-country directors of this ministry. We served there for two years and it was an experience of a lifetime, but we knew we were not finished in Uganda.
Hong Kong, China
We’re On a Journey
We have a passion for building the church in places it doesn’t currently exist. This is both in constructing physical buildings and meeting the spiritual needs of the people. Throughout our time in ministry & missions, God has called to serve those who are beyond the margins, that have little access to resources. Those are the elderly, vulnerable, disabled and those struggling with diseases such as the mysterious disease known as Nodding Syndrome.
We truly feel like we are on a Journey–with Jesus and with those who will join us. As ordinary people with an extraordinary God, we desire to serve in Uganda and deeply desire to also serve here in our local community and rural areas. We do not know every single step, so I guess that is why it is called a Journey!
As we walk into what God has called us to, would you join us on this Journey? As you pray, encourage, give, and visit, we’ll be your hands and feet on the red, clay soil of Northern Uganda.
