Fire, Freedom and Multiplication

Just as we began worship in the tiny one-room church in a swampy slum along Lake Victoria, a billowing fire burst out in the shrine (witch doctor hut) across the muddy road.

John translates as Mark teaches

The ladies and children singing with us shrieked and ran out to see what was happening. Nearly as soon as it started, the fire burned itself out as men tossed sand and water upon it.

Then it was back to worship as the mothers nursed and many children ran around naked from the waist  down.  Just another day in Uganda!

The ladies, gathered by John Mugowa, a young man we have discipled for 10 years, enthusiastically received Mark’s message of freedom and identity in Jesus. As professing believers, they claimed their acceptance, security and significance in Jesus. Margaret offered up a heartfelt prayer for the ladies, their families and the community.

Then it was off to celebrate John’s birthday in a nearby classy restaurant which nonetheless seemed light years away from where we just worshiped.

John is a great encouragement and blessing from the Lord to us as he continues to use his gifts to bear fruit for the Kingdom. He used his scholarship from The Rock Outreach to gain a degree from Uganda Christian University and now runs his own IT services business. The majority of his ministry to the single mothers and children is self-funded.

John himself was an orphan after his father, a witch doctor, died when he was a young boy. His story is told in a Rock documentary which may be viewed at www.rockoutreach.org/p/firm-place-video.html.