Sarah Miles
Sarah Miles serves in Jinja, Uganda, where she leads her own ministry, Ubuntu International—a trauma-informed, multi-tier organization dedicated to bringing healing, restoration, and sustainability to those impacted by trauma and anti-human trafficking. Ubuntu International provides trauma-informed counseling and care as its first tier, offering safe, compassionate support for individuals experiencing personal or secondary trauma. Its second tier, Ubuntu Market, empowers communities through business development by purchasing products from ministries and local artisans, creating Ubuntu-branded goods in partnership with local craftsmen, and supporting small-business startups through beekeeping initiatives and the Give-a-Goat program. The third tier of the ministry is a respite home, a peaceful place designed for missionaries, volunteers, and frontline workers to rest and refill their cup so they can continue their kingdom work with renewed strength. The last tier is Ubuntu Agroculture, sustainability through goats and bees. Offering a hand up to those who need economic support through goats, with income-generating help: after a goat gives birth, the family is able to keep the baby, and the producing goats are then offered to the next family in need. The bees are in the first stage of making their home in the hives on our property. As the project grows and generates income, others will be empowered to become beekeepers.
How it All Started
From childhood, Sarah felt a deep connection to Africa, long before she understood how it would align with God’s calling on her life. A native of Colorado, she is a mother and grandmother who invested many years in ministry in Fort Collins. She served three years with Nine70, the young adults ministry, as missions director, co-leading trips to Haiti, Beach Reach in South Padre, and various local outreaches at Timberline Church. She also served on the church’s missions board and volunteered with U COUNT, an anti–human trafficking ministry.
Sarah’s passion for missions began during her first trip to Rwanda in 2008—a life-changing experience that confirmed she would one day return to Africa. In 2011, she followed that call back to Uganda, where the vision for her future ministry began to take shape. After clearly sensing God’s direction in 2013, she resigned from her job to pursue full-time ministry. During that season of transition, a close friend was trafficked, bringing the issue painfully close to home and deepening her conviction to serve exploited girls.
A six-month stay in Uganda later that year proved to be a pivotal time of listening and seeking God’s direction. A missed bus led to a divine appointment with someone connected to Rahab Uganda, and from her first volunteer experience, Sarah knew she had found the right place to serve. Her own life experiences, including seasons of hardship, allowed her to connect deeply with the girls Rahab served—something she now sees as part of God’s preparation.
For twelve years, Sarah faithfully served at Rahab Uganda, working in the drop-in center to welcome and process girls entering the program while also supporting initiatives to strengthen the ministry’s long-term sustainability. During the past five years, she was also a full-time student, earning her BA in Religion with a cognate in Counseling and a minor in Psychology. Her heart for the mission field—and her firsthand experience witnessing staff and volunteers struggle with trauma and compound secondary trauma—led her to pursue deeper training so she could better care for those who care for others.
Sarah has continued to advance her expertise in trauma-informed care, earning Certifications I and II from the Allender Center at The Seattle School of Theology & Psychology in narrative trauma story work, as well as a certification from the Trauma Healing Institute.
This new season brought Sarah into partnership with His Heart For Africa as she launched Ubuntu International, expanding her ministry and deepening her impact. Through this partnership, she continues serving in Uganda as a trauma-informed trainer and counselor for missionaries, expatriates, and organizations fighting human trafficking. This transition also allows Sarah to broaden her reach beyond Uganda—offering trauma training, counseling, and small-group facilitation to global partners, equipping their staff with compassionate, trauma-informed practices that strengthen both their well-being and their kingdom work.