Kajokeji Flagship Church Update (2024)

July 15th, 2024 by empower one

Introduction

The Flagship Church Project is aimed at constructing sizeable physical buildings for mother churches in strategic locations, while at the same time equipping the leadership of the various church departments and developing their ability and capability in offering leadership and governance of churches in the regions. The flagship church would be responsible for molding and guiding the rest of the churches in a particular region. It would ensure that the Leadership, Youth Ministry, Women Ministry, Men Ministry, Children Ministry and the Missions Department in the region is growing and developing at the desired rate.

The vision of the Flagship Church was rebirthed in mid-2021. Eight locations were agreed on for the first phase. These include; Nimule, Yei, Juba, Yambio, Malakal and Kajo-Keji in South Sudan, and Nyala and Ad-Damazin in Sudan. The project officially kicked-off at the beginning of 2022.

Kajokeji Site and Church

Kajokeji was blessed to be the fifth location of the Flagship Church Construction Project, after Nimule, Nyala, Ad-damazin, and Yei, as the Project officially kicked off at the Compound of First Baptist Church Kajokeji. First Baptist Church Kajokeji is led by Pr. David Daniel Kaya, who works hand in hand with the Baptist Pastoral Team within the Kajokeji Region of the Baptist Convention. From mid-2022, several preliminary meetings were held with the Baptist Church Leadership of Kajokeji and Empower One Leadership in preparation to the Construction. Towards the end of 2022, Members from the different Church locations began mobilizing for construction materials like stones, sand, and firewood among others. On 7th July, 2023 to the beginning of August 2023, the local churches of Kajokeji came together and mobilized 96 trips of hardcore, as their contribution for the construction of the flagship church. On 10th February, 2024, the Project kicked off.

Construction Site after Foundation Setting

Challenges

The major challenges included:

Highly volatile Exchange rate; the skyrocketing fluctuations of the local currencies resulted to highly unstable exchange rates, increasing financial risks.
Huge differences in the estimated and actual prices; actual material and equipment prices including local labor wages on ground were higher, because of the price fluctuations.

Conclusions

Arriving to the milestone we have been able to, has been an effort of all. We therefore commend the Project Leadership and Team in different capacities for their direct and indirect contribution. Together, we were able to maneuver through the challenges and limitations to reach this level. We mostly thank the Almighty God for his wisdom, protection, provision and strength, as we commit the remaining process into his care.