Bringing hope in Uganda

10 months after Bwambale and his friends met with Becky & Tim Burr in Uganda, we hear from Bwambale about the work he and his friends are doing.

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After my friend Nzefanus studied Village Journey with me, he went back to set up a Life Group in the village of Bukangara. By the time I went to visit, this had become twelve Life Groups. The people I spoke with thanked the Dignity team for reaching them.

They said that the distance between them and the nearest church was too great, especially for the elderly and the disabled, but told me that through being able to join Life Groups that were more local they were given the opportunity to hear about Jesus.

They explained that they went through the Village Journey course with three people – Nzefanus, Abraham and Ezekiel – which resulted in nine others, including Annette, Betty, and Pelucy, joining them to form a small team to lead twelve Life Groups in Nyakiyumbu sub-county. A couple of the groups have decided to formally link with the established churches in further away places. They are keen to have enough teaching materials in their own language. I assured them that we are at work on translating these resources.

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My friend Roset in Munkunyu sub-county, in the mountains, heard about Village Journey through me, and after going through the course, she took the message to her village. As people have realised that Jesus gave everything for them, they have been coming to faith in him. They have come to understand that Jesus died for them, and as a result have found new life in him.

Roset, Kabugho, Jockob, Zephaniah, Johnson, Basima, Yokoniya and Boniface have studied Village Journey, and as a result have started their own Life Groups, which they have given biblical names so that people know and remember they are standing on the Bible.

Today, although the situation is very positive, the challenge facing the group is that men are not attending. It’s only the women who come in any number.

Most of the men Roset and her friends have been working with had substance abuse problems, but they have changed since receiving Jesus Christ. The women have started teaching others about the Lord.

The Life Groups have set up a savings and credit co-operative for their members, and vegetable gardens to help them become self-sufficient. Now, those who had not been attending church services have begun to join these Life Groups. Roset’s prayer is that they will continue to receive encouragement.