In 1986, George and Judy Gomoll accepted a life-changing invitation from The Navigators to serve in Africa. Leaving behind their established careers and small-town life in Wisconsin, they moved across the globe to Kampala, Uganda, to join a pioneering missionary team.
Upon arrival, they partnered closely with Paul and Ekie Kikule, stepping into active leadership of the campus ministry at Makerere University. Their new home quickly evolved into a bustling hub of warm hospitality. They welcomed a constant stream of students and visitors—providing a secure anchorage during frequent university closures—and even opened their doors as a peaceful retreat for newlyweds.
Establishing Church Discipleship in Uganda
Five years into their campus work, the Gomolls transitioned to help initiate the foundational Church Discipleship Ministry at All Saints Cathedral in Kampala. They collaborated with local clergy and church leaders who recognized a critical gaps in establishing and following up with new converts.
The couple poured their lives into mentoring these new believers, training them systematically in how to study God’s Word, memorize Scripture, and naturally share their faith.
It was during their university tenure that George and Judy began drafting the “Growing in Discipleship” Bible study series. Throughout their season in church ministry, this material was fully refined and widely deployed, equipping everyday churchgoers to mature into spiritual leaders who could confidently disciple others.
Crossing Into Kenya: From Nairobi to Embu
Recognizing the strategic impact of their work in Kampala, Dennis Tongoi invited the Gomolls to Kenya in 1995 to help structure the Kenyan expression of the Church Discipleship Ministry. After an initial season working extensively with women in Nairobi, they relocated in 1998 to join the regional Navigators team in Embu.
The Embu work was in its infancy and required intentional structural support. George and Judy dedicated their first year strictly to relationship-building—fostering mutual care among local believers and diving deeply into corporate Scripture study.
They introduced the Growing in Discipleship series to the region as both a vehicle for personal growth and a concrete tool to raise up local laborers. During this fruitful season, they crossed paths with a young woman named Monica Njagi (now Kiamba). Monica was deeply discipled and trained under their care, eventually going on to raise an entirely new generation of spiritual laborers through her own subsequent ministry in Machakos.
An Enduring East African Legacy
Before eventually settling in Eldoret and later returning to the United States in 2001, Judy and George had spent fifteen years laying foundational blueprints for lifelong spiritual multiplication across East Africa.
Their profound cross-cultural adaptability and unconditional love left an indelible mark, leaving behind a resilient, multiplying movement of discipleship that continues to bear fruit in both Uganda and Kenya today.