One of the great privileges of our work is the opportunity to journey personally with emerging leaders whom God is raising up in difficult places. Thow Both Garang is one of those leaders.
This year, Thow asked me (Jack) to formally mentor him—a relationship that has grown into a meaningful space of prayer, reflection, and strategic discernment. Over the course of the year, we’ve spent time talking through the power of prayer, the work of pouring into people, the importance of vision casting, and the value of long-term planning. We’ve also workshopped real challenges Thow faces on the ground, thinking carefully about problem-solving and next steps in complex and often fragile contexts. This kind of relational mentoring sits at the heart of how we serve leaders through Mesa Global.
Thow is a refugee pastor and missionary trainer serving in Kakuma Refugee Camp in northern Kenya. His ministry reflects the kind of locally rooted, multiplying leadership that Regional Training Hubs are designed to strengthen. Alongside his pastoral responsibilities, Thow continued his theological studies this year at Kenya Baptist Theological College, taking courses in biblical interpretation, preaching, church history, and the Old Testament. Even while carrying significant ministry demands, he remains deeply committed to ongoing formation. His wife also began ministry equipping at a nearby college this year.
Thow’s impact continues to widen. His training project in Kenya equipped more than 120 students in foundational ministry skills like learning how to read and interpret Scripture, serve faithfully in the local church, and share the gospel with clarity and confidence. These simple, transferable tools equip believers to serve immediately in their own communities.
Despite ongoing conflict, Thow also traveled into Sudan this year to preach, teach, and evangelize. The journey was dangerous and demanding, yet God protected him and blessed the work. Even amid war and instability, God continues to draw people to Himself.
God now seems to be leading Thow toward a new season of ministry in South Sudan, particularly among his own tribe, the Nuer people. Through his travels, he has established a growing network of disciples and is currently investing in 27 men and women through intentional training and mentoring. He has also secured land near Juba, the capital city, with the hope of establishing a stable base for training and ministry that will serve leaders for years to come. He encourages each of them to develop their own vision for discipleship and gospel witness within their localities and tribes. His greatest concern is not recognition or scale, but that these leaders grow in confidence in the Lord, boldness in their faith, and joy that overflows into courageous obedience. Thow longs to see his disciples crossing borders and confronting tribalism to share the good news of Jesus.
Jack and Thow in 2024 at the KBTC
As part of this next season, I am in the process of connecting Thow with international ministries already working in South Sudan, seeking to strengthen collaboration and expand the reach of gospel work already underway. This kind of synergy—where trusted leaders and ministries work together rather than in isolation—is exactly what Regional Training Hubs are designed to catalyze.
Our role is to continue walking with Thow: encouraging him, helping him think strategically, connecting him to wider networks, and strengthening the work God is already doing through his faithful obedience. Leaders like Thow remind us that the church grows most faithfully when local leaders are equipped, supported, and surrounded by meaningful partnerships.
Please keep Thow and his family and ministry in your prayers. If you would like to give towards his ministry, we recommend that you give to our account with Mesa Global and let Jack know that you’d like some or all of your gift to go towards Thow.