Wherever the pain is, that’s where Jesus goes
You might know Watoto through the smiling faces of the Children’s Choir. But what you might not know is that beyond the Choir, Watoto Church is living out a greater mission by rescuing abandoned babies, supporting vulnerable mothers and bringing the hope of Jesus into Africa’s most broken communities. They are not afraid to step into places where people are hurting.
For many of us this, is a confronting idea. But what if the places we avoid are the very places God is calling us to go?
That conviction has shaped Watoto Church in Kampala, Uganda for decades. Watoto Church leader Pastor Julius Rwotlonyo shared a philosophy that has shaped the ministry’s response to poverty, conflict and loss in their country.
“We aim at the pain and wherever the pain is, that’s where the love of Jesus brings the greatest healing,” Julius said.
A Church That Runs Towards Brokenness
For Watoto Church, that philosophy is not just a slogan. It has become a way of life. Today, the church reaches more than 35,000 people across 18 locations in Uganda and South Sudan. Alongside its growing congregations, the ministry continues to care for vulnerable children, families and communities. Just last year, Watoto rescued 90 abandoned babies and continues to support around 1,200 vulnerable mothers, impacting thousands of children.
The needs are significant. Julius explained that the country still has close to two million orphans, but instead of seeing it as a challenge, Watoto Church sees it as a place where God can move powerfully. “We are a very young nation and some of the big needs of the country affect our children,” Julius shared. “It’s an honour to see God reach the youth.”
Watoto’s ministry has expanded into neighbouring South Sudan, a nation scarred by decades of conflict, poverty and instability. “God spoke to us as a church in 2011 to go and plant a church and be a part of the healing of South Sudan,” Julius shared. When many saw brokenness, Watoto saw an opportunity for the Gospel.
How Watoto Church Is Raising Leaders Through Compassion
One of the most inspiring aspects of Watoto’s ministry is that their vision isn’t just about meeting the needs of people, but growing and discipling them into their God-given potential.
“That’s what we do. We raise leaders,” Julius said. “We don’t just rescue and reach out to the broken, we reach out with a vision that they will be leaders that will rebuild community and rebuild our continent again.” For Watoto Church, discipleship doesn’t end with rescue. Their goal is to see people restored, equipped and released into God’s purposes.
Maybe you don’t live in Uganda. But all of us still have a mission to “go out and make disciples” (Matthew 28:19). This might look like starting a Bible study with that friend or inviting your coworker to church. God gives us so many opportunities to bring the Gospel into our everyday lives, we just have to be willing to get uncomfortable.
The Challenge for Australian Christians
While the challenges facing Uganda and South Sudan may seem far removed from life in Australia, there is an important lesson for Western churches. Julius acknowledges that Australia has social systems and government support that many African communities do not. Yet he also points out that pain comes in many forms.
“It’s not just physical,” Julius explained. “There are relational issues, people struggling with their faith, and even real poverty that exists.”
Some Western churches have become inward-focused, concentrating primarily on what happens inside their own walls. “I feel that’s a missed opportunity where the church could have real impact,” he shared.
Pain may look different in Australia, but it still exists. It can be found in lonely neighbours, struggling families, young people searching for purpose, and people wrestling with questions of faith.
The question is whether we are willing to see it.
Following Jesus Towards the Pain
Throughout the Gospels, Jesus consistently moved towards people who were hurting. He touched lepers, welcomed outcasts, comforted the grieving and restored the broken.
Watoto Church’s philosophy echoes that same pattern.
They don’t have some secret master plan to heal the world. Rather, they are simply being obedient to the call of God, choosing to bring Christ directly into difficult situations.
For Australian Christians, that may be the greatest lesson of all. The Church was never called to stay comfortable. It was called to carry the love of Jesus into places where hope feels absent.
As Julius reminds us, healing often begins where pain is greatest. Perhaps the question for each of us is simple: where is the pain God is asking us to notice today?
Article supplied with thanks to Vision – a non-profit, follower-funded Christian media ministry taking God’s Word to every corner of Australia and beyond through broadcast, online and print media.
Feature image: Canva
