Lois Nangudi

Lois grew up in a village in Uganda, crowded into one room with her parents and five brothers and sisters. When she became a Compassion-sponsored child at age 8, she didn't even own a pair of shoes. Soon she was using her gifts of music and leadership to inspire and encourage everyone around her.

After graduating from Compassion's sponsorship program, Lois emerged as a natural servant leader through the Leadership Development Program. She graduated from Uganda Christian University with a degree in mass communication and worked with her church mission group to reach out to 25 Ugandan districts. She has seen thousands come to the Lord and helped disciple many new believers.

Now Lois is working toward a Master of Arts in spiritual formation and discipleship at Moody Bible Institute. She plans to return to Uganda to organize discipleship seminars and set up a Bible school. And she wants to write praise and worship songs about her life experiences.

"Hope is the greatest reason for moving on," she says. "Compassion has given my family and community hope. It's a ray of light that my family followed and now they are in the fullness of it. My family now believes that God can make something out of nothing."