Meet Vincent Wilobo, Manager of Abaana's Hope Farm

The world tells us we need to focus on checking off certain boxes to live a fulfilling life. We need the best education, the best job, and a good spouse. We're told we just need to be a "good person." But all those things are nothing without Jesus.

“I think I’m a testament to that,” said Abaana’s Hope farm manager, Vincent Wilobo. “But, God’s got me, and He’s been faithful leading me, teaching me, and humbling me to His truth. I’m grateful.”

Vincent, 35, is the oldest of six siblings, and was the first in his family to accept Christ as his savior and give his life to Him. Born into a Catholic family in Gulu, Uganda, Vincent was raised in the Catholic tradition, thinking he just needed to be a good person and he would be able to go to Heaven.

“Everything I knew about Catholics was just, ‘be a good boy, be a good person, and do good,’” he said. “That’s how I grew up feeling I’m a good boy. I don’t do drugs. I don’t sleep with women. I don’t smoke. I don’t drink, and I thought I should be good enough.”

Vincent lived like this for some time, and the Lord began working in his life. He stopped attending Catholic church and eventually had the opportunity to meet one of the first missionaries who traveled to Uganda to break ground for Abaana’s Hope in 2012. This missionary, Darrell Hobbs, invited Vincent and one of his friends to church at Abaana’s Hope out in the bush beyond the town of Gulu. This area was once rebel grounds during the 20-year war led by Joseph Kony and his army, the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA). By 2006, Kony and the LRA had left Uganda moving to neighboring countries.

Vincent and his friend decided to visit the church at Abaana’s Hope, which was surrounded by trees and forest. The Lord began to slowly reveal His word to Vincent, who at the time was still focused on being good enough. He stayed at Abaana’s Hope for a while helping work the land and clear out the bushes in the area.

Later in 2013, he decided to go to university. While attending a three-year agriculture undergraduate course, Christians would come door to door sharing the gospel. Vincent remembers being resistant and asking them difficult questions he knew they probably wouldn’t have an answer for so they would leave. Nevertheless, they invited him to church, and one of Vincent’s friends, who was a born-again believer, told him, “The Lord has got you.”

After finishing his undergraduate at Busitema University – Arapai campus in 2015, Vincent got a call from a friend at Abaana’s Hope who offered him a position to return to Abaana’s Hope as a security officer. Vincent happily accepted the job. He continued living life focused on being good but was also being exposed to the Gospel of Jesus at church on Sunday.

“I remember my turning point was a series of the book of Galatians. Chapter 3 is what got me, talking about faith not works that saves, and I thought, ‘God you got me. That is me.’” Vincent said. “So, that convicted my heart. I didn’t know what was going to come of it, but the Lord got me, and He humbled me. I’m grateful for that day. That’s how I became born again.”

Vincent’s desire to learn more grew. He understood that he is not worthy, but God has given him grace. He said choosing Jesus is the best decision you can make in life.

“When I look back at that Vincent over there from many years back, that’s a very stupid Vincent. I call him that because he was lost in sin and thought he was good enough. Now, I’m grateful that God has shown me His grace and has chosen me to serve Him, to live for Him, and to preach His gospel,” he said.

About a year later, the Abaana’s Hope farm was looking for a new manager. The manager at the time found out that Vincent had the needed qualifications since he earned an agriculture certificate from university. He was offered the job, and after praying about it, he felt like the Lord was leading him to this position. In June 2017, he accepted the job and has been the farm manager since then. Vincent works with a team of about 35 men and women, and he manages the grist mill, apiary, piggery, crops and livestock including goats and bulls. The crops that are grown on the farm help to feed over 140 employees and 370 Living Stones Christian School students. He’s responsible for planning what should be grown in each season, making sure the animals maintain their health, and making sure every task is completed.

“The team that I have, I praise the Lord for them. They are good listeners. They’re hard-working people. There’s a saying, ‘no man is an island,’ so I love their company,” he said.

Vincent believes that everything they do on the farm is secondary. Learning more about God’s Word and building a relationship with Jesus is first and foremost. He loves having the opportunity to grow with the farm employees as they meet for Bible study every week. Vincent described seeing what God has done at Abaana's Hope since it was established as "mind blowing."

“As we do the farming out here at Abaana’s Hope, on the farmland we still find some bullets and some bones. This was a serious ground for (Kony’s rebels) and life was hard at that time. It was a miserable time of life for many people,” he said.

Vincent was born a few years after Joseph Kony’s war began in 1986. He lived in Gulu, which put some distance between him and the rebel activity, but he was still affected by the war in many ways. Some of his relatives were abducted or killed. He remembers many people slept in the bush to hide from the rebels, who would come at night to steal boys from their families to be soldiers. Vincent has heard stories from those who were taken as children to be rebels for almost half of their life. While it is always a sad story, Vincent said he also hears about the hope that God has given them through the gospel message and see many choose to be born again accepting new life in Jesus.

“The ministry came here and started this restoration program for the people, providing livelihoods and above all else, the people get to hear the gospel,” Vincent said. “Peace is not just absence of bullets flying around here. This is the love of Jesus. Jesus supplies lasting peace that surpasses all kinds of peace.”

Abaana’s Hope welcomes everyone to come and hear the good news of the gospel. God is using the ministries there to transform lives and encourage believers and nonbelievers.

“I’ve seen people’s lives changed. People who’ve been living a rebellious kind of life, like I was, to the Lord and shaking our fists to God, saying, ‘No, not your way, my way.’ Then seeing them humbled by the word and coming to Christ, that’s amazing!” Vincent said.

Shortly after Vincent became the farm manager, he talked to Allen Corbin, a former FCM missionary, and shared his passion to join the Pastor Training Center to learn more about the Bible and how to teach it. Allen encouraged him to register and gave him his blessing. Vincent was enrolled in the first cohort of the PTC program. He completed the three-year course and was in the first graduating class in 2022. He’s now an elder at Living Stones Community Church where he occasionally preaches on Sunday.  

“The PTC is another amazing thing the Lord has done. Getting to train pastors and church leaders to equip them with the gospel and equip pastors with how to handle God’s word, that has been one of the biggest things that God has done through Abaana’s Hope,” he said.

Vincent was chosen as one of the students to return to teach and guide students in the next PTC cohort, which consists of aspiring pastors from Uganda, South Sudan, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.  

Vincent met his wife, Christine Ajok, back when he was working on the security team. Christine is a Christ follower and was working on the farm at the time. When Vincent finally had the opportunity, he told Christine he would love to get to know her more, and possibly get married in the future, if it was the Lord’s will. After two weeks of thinking about it, she said yes to his proposal. As the couple was getting to know one another, Christine had an opportunity to attend a technical school to earn a certificate in garment cutting and design.

“She came and told me about the opportunity that she had got, and I said, ‘This is a God-given opportunity. Take that. You can go to school, and I’ll be here waiting for you,’” he said.

Vincent waited for Christine to complete her three-year course, and after she returned with her certificate, they got married in 2019. They’ve been blessed with two daughters. Deyo Chriscent is three years old and attends Living Stones Christian School at Abaana's Hope, and Yomcwiny Lois is ten months old.