That is one of the reasons Hayes took each of his children to Uganda after they graduated from high school. “I wanted them to see the world in a far different light than they were accustomed to here in America,” Hayes said.

When Bob Hayes goes to Uganda to share his Christian faith, he brings friends.

Each time the former pastor of Covenant Presbyterian Church heads to the African nation to plant and support churches, he takes doctors to heal the sick or builders to drill wells and fix or replace new buildings or teachers to improve schools.

“We consider ourselves a word and deed ministry,” Hayes said shortly before leaving on his 26th trip to Uganda. His ministry is modeled after the three-year public ministry of Jesus.

“Everywhere Jesus went he was healing the sick, opening the eyes of the blind and feeding the hungry,” Hayes said. “It has been said that somebody really doesn’t hear the message of the Christian gospel until they have seen it lived out in their midst.”

They also have worked with orphans, built piggeries and held free medical clinics.

Although his primary focus is spiritual work it also is important to create a lasting impact in this world, he added.

“We leave skills behind when we leave,” Hayes said.

That’s something Jay Trumbull, the owner of Culligan Water, has witnessed firsthand. Trumbull said Hayes and his teams build things but then train leaders to take over and keep building after the missionaries leave.

“Bob’s main mission is to train leaders and to carry the gospel. I’ve seen the fruit of that where he has made an impact on a lot of men and women who have carried on what he started,” Trumbull said. “He’s very selfless.”

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