Seventh Day Baptist Missionary Society
 

Uganda - December 21-25, 2006

Purpose:

     The work in Uganda began seriously in 1993 through the work of Sheme Nkwano. However, after a short period of time he lost interest and the work was taken over by Elie Nduwayesu. He first contacted us in 1993. Elie was in Uganda from Rwanda. He came to Uganda as a refugee because he feared for his and his family’s life. When he approached the SDAs in Uganda they would not accept him as he expected them to. So, he looked into the other Sabbath keeping groups. Finding the SDBs and deciding that he agreed with the doctrine and polity he contacted the Missionary Society. We encouraged him to start a church and develop other groups around him. He worked at this until he returned to Rwanda about one and one half years later. The work then passed to Oscar A. Wakenge but he was not interested in extending the work. In 2004 Daniel Nsubuga accepted the mantle and has lead the work since. He has strong leadership under him and the churches that he has begun are strong and committed. L

Observations:

     Working with the General Secretary of the Uganda conference was a pleasure. The time spend in Uganda was busy and we traveled to a couple of other areas than Kampala. However, most of the time was spent in the Kampala area.

      Kasubi Church:

     One area that was visited was a suburb of Kampala known as Kasubi. This is a very unique church in that their program includes an outreach for the orphans through education and welfare. In their church of about 300 about one half of the congregation are children. Mostly orphans. The orphans are street people and come to the church for school and food. They offer the children one meal per day. The cost of these students is $50 per year per student. Since most of them are orphans the church picks up the cost. Also, it is this church that is among the poorer area of the city. Many of the children are exposed and have HIV/AIDS. They are cared for by the people in the church. They have plans and request support for a building in which they can hold school as well as their worship services. Presently they have a building that is covered with discarded wood and thatch. They are willing to mold the bricks if they can get support for the zinc sheets for the roof and the cement for the floor and the mortar for the bricks. It is in this structure that some of the street children sleep at night. They would also like to purchase plastic chairs for the congregation to use during worship services. This would cost between $100 and $500.

      In the school and church they practice a behavioral change program. They invite children, drug addicts, and alcoholics in to listen to their program. They then supply some food and tell them if they stay off the drugs then they can return and receive some more benefits. As long as they stay “pure” then they will continue to get food and the leaders will help them to look for employment. Many of the adults in their congregation came to them through the behavioral modification project. They bring in their friends to participate in the program. Most of the participants have some sort of job. It appeared very successful. However, they can only work with the number of people they have funds for.

      The church is lead by two women; Rose Mirembe and Scaiia Namusis Kiwanuka. They work hard for their church and, both being single, give much of their time and finances to the work there. Rose sells newspapers in a kiosk in Kampala. Scaiia lost her husband last year from aids and is infected as well. Her mission is to reach out to those with aids and help them to deal with it. She is poor and the medicine that is used for AIDS victims is expensive. The church asked me if I could raise some funds for her to purchase the needed medicine. I told them I would bring the information to the conference for anyone wanting to assist. Medicine is also needed for the children that are infected.

Maranatha Seventh Day Baptist Church:

      Another church we visited was the Maranatha SDB Church located in Mukono. This church is located a couple of hours drive from Kampala. It is constructed of brick and is loaned to them. They raise funds for support through handicrafts. In fact, they sent some samples to us through the mail. It included a floor mat for sleeping and sitting, a hand bag, and a small coin purse. Once again they have a school operating along with their church. They need funds for a building. Again, they can mold the bricks but they need the zinc sheets for the roof and the cement for the bricks and floor. They also need funds to purchase the chairs needed for the sanctuary.

      The value of education never passes the understanding of the people of the churches. They see that their future depends upon the ability of the children to be trained and taught skills needed for survival in a country that is beginning to compete in the world. They want to be able to help their children, even the orphans, to become self reliant members of their communities. That makes good citizens.

      Sabbath school is help in the rooms of a house where they are allowed to meet. They use literature from several sources. The children’s classes use Focus On The Family materials. All children get copies of the sheets they receive. The adults use a study book from another denomination. We are sending them some Helping Hands to use. 

The Conference:

       As a whole the conference is very eager to grow and develop into a very active influence in the country. This is contingent on their ability to visit new contacts, provide adequate leadership, and develop buildings that will make visitors know that they are an active part of a world-wide organization. This is why we encourage those who are lead to donate to do so liberally. We need funds to help most all of our sister conferences and churches around the world. We need to keep strongly attuned to the leading of the Holy Spirit in His encouragement toward our giving. The conference in Uganda needs several items to make their plans work. They need a vehicle to help carry the leadership to new locations for contacts. They need funds to assist them in sending their pastors to school. They need funds to build orphanages or else set up orphanage foundations similar to the one in Zambia.  They need funds to help set up HIV/AIDS clinics to assist in testing. They need funds for medicines and medical supplies for the work their churches are doing with the orphans and widows in and around their churches. In one of their churches they have two deaf and dumb orphans, one girl and one boy, for which they need funds for education. They could use funds to purchase 4 bicycles, at $100 apiece, for their pastors. They need funds to pay their teachers. The teachers are paid $50 per month.

      Presently, they have three churches and three “cells”. The three cells are held back because of the lack of a building. The building becomes an integral part of the church growth equation in Uganda. A permanent building means that they are a permanent church, not a fly by night organization out for the money. They need an office building where they can have a permanent address to turn in to the government. This is expected by the government for the purposes of registration. Again, a permanent address means a permanent organization.

Conclusions:

     After spending the few days with the leadership visiting the different churches and some of the cells we returned to the hotel where we were able to rent a meeting room in the hotel where I stayed. They voiced the apprehensions and disappointments concerning the work there. They probably did not realize that these are the same apprehensions and disappointment that I have encountered in most of the first visits to our sister conferences and churches. The lack of funds and proper education for the leadership to carry out the duties and responsibilities that are needed weighed heavily on their minds. They felt that they were failing because they could not raise the needed funds to register the conference, organize the church, and develop the churches further. These points were discussed and I believe they realize that they are doing their best with what they have in their work. I encouraged them some by explaining to them that I will be reporting to all the churches the conditions and plans that they have expressed to me.

      I have ordered Helping Hands and The Sabbath Recorder for each of the churches so that they can use Seventh Day Baptist materials. I have instructed them on the process of contacting the web page for the denomination, going to the T&CC link to obtain the Sabbath Recorder on line, tracts, as well as some other pertinent study materials.  I told them about our TIME program and the CALLED program telling them that I would send them a sample copy of each. Then if they are interested in using them we would make arrangements for them to do that. I contacted Ned Lozani and requested that he send them information concerning the Bible College that they run.

      I hope that we can raise enough funds to purchase a computer, printer, and photocopier for their use in translating, printing, and duplicating the tracts and study materials they have gotten permission to use.