OUR STORY
Our Founders
The Catinellas are passionate about reaching out to young people and developing leaders. After graudating Bible school, they served three years on staff at a thriving church in Michigan. Arriving in South Africa in 2004, they taught AIDS & abstinence education and other life skills to high school youth. Moving to Uganda in 2007, they pioneered a similar youth program, reaching 10,000 students in local high schools. Then in 2011, in the heart of the capital city Kampala, the Catinellas pioneered a campus ministry, targeting the nation's influencers: university students. Through their experiences of preaching, teaching, training, and worship leading, they have cultivated a gift for sharing the gospel and developing leaders around the world. Matt & Angela live in Kampala, Uganda with their two daughters, Alexis & Moriah.
Our Team
At Living Water, our dynamic staff team is wholeheartedly dedicated to bringing our vision and mission to life! We're on a thrilling journey to make a profound and lasting impact on young people, empowering them to grow into the next generation of leaders.
Our History
Since 2004, Living Water Ministry has grown to be more than an AIDS and abstinence education program. It has evolved to support the lives of Africa’s youth, providing ongoing fellowship and mentorship.
2004: South Africa
Answering the call of God to go into full-time missions, in February 2004 the Catinellas journeyed across the Atlantic ocean to start a new life and ministry in South Africa. For three years, they served alongside an existing ministry, pioneering a school outreach ministry and young adult discipleship and leadership program. It was during this tenure that the Catinellas wrote a couple life skills curriculum, which have greatly aided them in youth ministry.
2007: Uganda
The Lord impressed upon the Catinellas’ hearts to move to Uganda after a short-term mission trip. Riding boda bodas (motorcycle), taking bucket baths, washing clothes by hand and going days without power was the new norm for their life in Uganda. With the guidance of a senior missionary (and long time family friend), the Catinellas charted a path of strengthening local churches by ministering on Sundays and teaching discipleship classes during the week. They graduated many congregants and saw the churches grow spiritually.
2008: School Outreach & leadership academy
Passionate about reaching and raising up youth, the Catinellas began the Leadership Academy. This program aims at developing young adult leaders to disciple youth in high schools. Upon completing the training, the leader then gets assigned to a school where they teach the life skill curriculum written by the Catinellas.
2009: Village Project
One of the Leadership Academy graduates felt God was calling him to go back to his home village to teach the life skills curriculum in the local high school and to start a primary school. Living Water linked arms with this former student and we’ve been supporting this project through relationship, resources and financial partnership.
2011: University fellowship
The Lord impressed upon our hearts to develop a ministry targeting the nations’s influencers – university students. At “Frayo,” we cross denominational borders so that students from all campuses will feel welcome. Young people can expect a genuine worship experience, receive solid biblical and leadership teaching and make new friends who share their Christian values.
2016 Second University Fellowship
In 2016, we launched our second fellowship. This fellowship was strategically launched near three major universities. This unique location connects with an international community of students from South Sudan, Kenya, Congo, Burundi, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Eritrea, and other countries.
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2017: youth camps
Every fall, the university students look forward to a time of learning, growing, connecting and seeking God. We also engage them in fun games and activities and making new friends. These camps produce amazing testimonies of young people recommitting their life to Christ, discovering their life purpose and hearing God’s voice.
2018: Land purchase
For ten years, it was in the Catinellas’ heart to purchase land where they will build a youth center. In May 2018, God answered this prayer and Living Water purchased five acres of land in a developing community.
2022 Lead Conference
In 2022, we proudly introduced the Lead Conference, a vibrant extension of our mentorship program for alumni. This exciting one-day event unites past participants from 18 years of impactful ministry in Uganda, creating a dynamic space for leadership training and inspiration. Attendees engage with one another, share their journeys, and gain valuable insights to fuel their diverse endeavors.
2023 Third University Fellowship Launched
In 2023, we launched our third fellowship. This fellowship is strategically positioned near Uganda's largest and most prestigious university, creating an incredible opportunity for inspiration and growth. Surrounded by dormitories, it stands as a beacon of potential and possibility for reaching the next generation of leaders.
2024 First International University Fellowship Launched
In the heart of Mombasa, Kenya, we are breaking new ground with this fellowship—the first of its kind in a predominantly Muslim region. Our pioneering efforts aim to cultivate a thriving ministry for university students, providing a unique opportunity to share the message of hope and faith in a diverse context.
2025 Second International University Fellowship Launched
In the neighboring country of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, we have launched a fellowship in the city of Goma. This initiative is being led by a Congolese individual who previously attended and volunteered with the Frayo Fellowship in Uganda during his university years. This region of Congo is undergoing reconstruction following a period of instability.