Fields of Service—Our People, Their Gifts: God’s servants cultivate a rich ministry harvest from Manitoba’s rolling plains to Saskatchewan’s vast horizons and Nunavut’s northern reaches. “Fields of Service” celebrates the diverse spiritual gifts flourishing across the Manitoba-Saskatchewan Conference. Twice a month, we spotlight the extraordinary stories of ordinary people who’ve answered God’s call—dedicated teachers shaping young minds, compassionate care home workers nurturing our elderly, and passionate pastors growing our faith communities. These authentic narratives reveal how the Lord transforms willing hearts into powerful instruments of service, following our proven agricultural approach: preparing hearts through community service, planting seeds of friendship, nurturing through Bible studies, rejoicing in evangelistic harvest, and multiplying gifts for mission.
Join us in celebrating these stories of transformation and service.
In the lush highlands of Kisoro, Uganda, where 287,179 people live in year-round temperatures of 13°C to 24°C, a medical professional served Indigenous communities.
Unknown to him, God was preparing his unique combination of gifts for an extraordinary calling: Iqaluit, Nunavut—a remote Canadian Arctic capital of 7,740 people where winter temperatures plunge below -40 °C and darkness stretches for months. This is Pastor David Bakunzi’s story of divine positioning: where spiritual gifts align perfectly with divine calling.
“I often walked kilometres to school, sometimes on an empty stomach, but always with a full heart,” David recalls his childhood among Kisoro’s four ethnic groups—Bafumbira, Bakiga, Banyarwanda, and Batwa. As a pastor’s kid, he witnessed how spiritual gifts could transform communities. His early years revealed a unique combination of gifts: teaching, exhortation (encouragement), and service—gifts that would later prove crucial in his Canadian Arctic ministry.
Dr. David served Uganda’s marginalized communities, particularly the Batwa people, for over a decade. His gift of mercy manifested in medical service, while his teaching gift enabled effective health education. “Working in remote Indigenous communities, I learned to connect with people, listen deeply, and act decisively,” he shares. Unknown to him, the Holy Spirit developed these gifts for a greater purpose.
Please watch the PBS NewsHour documentary below, which features the work of Dr. David.
The turning point came in 2021, during the pandemic’s aftermath. While David and his wife prayed for missionary opportunities, the Manitoba-Saskatchewan Conference, in partnership with ADRA Canada, had conducted a community assessment in Nunavut, revealing pressing health disparities. This alignment wasn’t a coincidence—it was the Holy Spirit’s sovereign timing, matching David’s spiritual gifts with Nunavut’s needs.
In 2024, as if directly answering both David’s prayers and Nunavut’s needs, the Conference and its partners raised over $100,000 to support ministry in Nunavut.
Dr. David, with his young family of six, was called as a full-time missionary.* His vision embodies our conference’s mission and Nunavut’s deeply held societal values: “I envision a church that is not just a building, but a faith community that meets real needs, empowering families, and bringing hope to the marginalized.” This vision perfectly aligns with Nunavut’s core values on Inuuqatigiitsiarniq (respecting others and caring for people) and Piliriqatigiinniq (working together for a common cause).
*NOTE: Pastor David is the first International Service Employee (ISE) sent by the General Conference of the Seventh-day Adventist Church to serve as a missionary in The Manitoba-Saskatchewan Conference.
Through his spiritual gifts and medical background, Pastor David demonstrates these values:
- His gift of mercy embodies Inuuqatigiitsiarniq as he respects and cares for community members
- His gift of service reflects Piliriqatigiinniq as he collaborates with local leaders for community wellness
- His teaching gift honours both values by sharing knowledge in culturally respectful ways
- His administrative abilities help facilitate efforts that bring people together for the common good.
This cultural alignment isn’t coincidental—it’s part of the Conference’s carefully crafted 10-Year Framework for Developing Inclusive Faith Communities in Nunavut. Pastor David’s ministry represents the framework’s early stages, focusing on community immersion and needs assessment while respecting Inuit traditions and values.
In Iqaluit, where severe housing shortages and associated societal issues create daily challenges, Pastor David’s combination of gifts creates unique ministry opportunities. “It is only through the grace of Jesus that the work of restoration—physical, mental, and spiritual—can be accomplished,” he shares, demonstrating how spiritual gifts work harmoniously for God’s mission.
When I first arrived in Iqaluit,” Pastor David notes, “many members had grown distant from church, not out of rebellion, but due to hurt and disconnection.” Through the Spirit-led use of his gifts, he’s seeing transformation. On one recent Sabbath, a long-absent member returned, saying simply, “I feel like I’m being seen again.”
Drawing strength from Joshua 1:9, Pastor David continues pioneering in one of North America’s most challenging mission fields. His journey from the populous hills of Kisoro, Uganda, to the remote Canadian Arctic communities of Nunavut demonstrates a profound truth: God doesn’t just call—He prepares, positions, and equips for specific purposes.
“Whether in the Arctic North or your local neighbourhood,” Pastor David concludes, “God calls and equips each of us with unique gifts to be His hands and feet. Let’s continue to inspire one another to serve with compassion, disciple with love, and uplift with hope.”
By Pastor Charles Ed II Aguilar
