In Northeastern Uganda, young men from the Karamojong are known for their propensity to fight—a deeply ingrained cultural value carried from youth into adulthood. But in Kotido, one group of men is rewriting that story through the game of soccer.
The story of Agape Football Club began in 2008 with shepherds.
The Karamojong are a pastoral people, and shepherds would regularly pass by Shalom Home—a ministry for street children founded by Mesa worker Mike Rainbow. As they moved with their herds of goats and cattle, they noticed boys inside the compound playing football. Curious, they asked if they could join.
Mike welcomed them onto the field. But it didn’t take long to see a problem—games often dissolved into fights between the shepherds and the boys from Shalom. It was seen as normal, expected even. But it wasn’t acceptable for Mike, a native Ugandan himself, who longed to show these young men a different way—the way of Jesus.
So he set new rules: each team would be a mix of shepherds and Shalom boys, and fighting would not be tolerated. What began as a simple solution became something far greater.
Agape Football Club was born.
What started as a game grew into a ministry of peace in a region long marked by conflict between subtribes. The team began traveling across Uganda, playing matches that carried a deeper purpose. Before and after games, they share the gospel. On the field, they model unity, sportsmanship, and agape—God’s love—quietly dismantling long-held stereotypes with every pass and play.
More than fifteen years later, the impact continues. Many of the original players have moved on, but two remain—one shepherd and one boy from Shalom Home who each joined in the early days and now, in their late twenties, help carry the vision forward. The team now reaches even farther into surrounding districts and tribes, bringing with the gospel message of peace that prevails over tradition or circumstance.
In a culture marked by fighting, young men are playing for peace—rewriting their story through the transforming power of the gospel and inviting others to do the same.
Stories from the Field
