Our Story
Akote Edeke Ministries was founded in 2015, when the Lord brought a few believers together from across the ocean. Founders Daniel Okwara and Jeremy and Mandi Johnson had served together on short-term mission trips over a 2 year period. God then called them to continue the work He had started in the remote village of Angoltok. “During a vision trip in 2015, we left the village people with no promises. We didn’t want false hope placed in the things of this world (programs, aid, unsustainable support) and instead vowed to return with the word of God, love and relationship.” After completing a Nehemiah bible study on “the rebuilding of the walls”, they knew they must continue to serve the Lord side by side in Uganda. “Our only desire was to follow God’s will, “Akote Edeke” in whatever direction He wanted to take us.”
In the early days of AEM our volunteer team in Uganda did what they could for famine relief, emergency care for widows and prison ministry as our American founders did what they could to send support. It would be 2 years in the making, before we would begin our first initiative of child sponsorship. Daniel strongly believed that the greatest hope for seeing a community changed by the Gospel would begin with the next generation. We began with our first 9 students in 2018 and God has blessed the work of the ministry over these past 7 years. Once In-Country Director Daniel Okwara committed to serve with AEM full time a few years later, he led our team in hosting Discovery Bible Study (DBS) meetings in remote villages all throughout the week. Real life change occurred as people read God’s word for themselves and gained understanding beyond oral tradition teaching. From the beginning Mercy Ministry (often life saving help) has been an important expression of Christ’s love to the most vulnerable in the communities we serve. God has continued to open doors and new opportunities for relationship building that points people to Christ.
