Update on Missionary Associate Jed Homan

“There is no way to even start to understand life here without being here. Living here, seeing how the mission operates—it’s been enjoyable and eye-opening,” says Jed Homan, Missionary Associate at the OP Uganda Mission. Jed is beginning his third month of work in Nakaale, Karamoja, Uganda and reports that it has been satisfying to be able to make progress on the various maintenance projects he’s been working on and knowing that what he’s doing is serving the mission.

Jed will be on the field for a total of six months, giving him a substantial amount of time to serve and work closely with other missionaries at the Uganda Mission. Generally, missionary associate positions range from three months to two years on the field of an OPC foreign mission, some serving in pastoral or ministerial capacities, while others, like Jed, serve in the area of facility maintenance and project management. According to Jed, this opportunity has afforded him an experiential look at foreign missions, saying, “Being here is the difference between a theoretical idea of missions and a practical understanding of missions. There is so much to be done and much to be learned.” Missionary associate positions provide perfect opportunities to become more familiar with OPC foreign missions and serve in a longer-term role than other short-term missions allow.

Despite the challenges of work, various responsibilities, and remote living in Uganda, Jed doesn’t regret his decision to come. “Although things are simpler here in some ways, there are a lot of different moving parts here at the mission which can make work and life more complicated—complicated, but more interesting,” he says.

If you are interested in serving in a longer-term capacity at one of our foreign missions, take a look at our OPC Short-Term Missions opportunities page to see if there is a position that may be right for you.