Uganda: From Terror to Truth
By Randall MurphreeNovember 25, 2002
(AgapePress) -
Idi Amin -- just the mention of his name evokes nightmares and painful flashbacks for survivors of his vicious bloodbath in the1970s. It has been 23 years since the "Butcher of Uganda" was ousted from power after his eight-year reign of terror in the small African nation. He had slaughtered between 300,000 and 500,000 of his own people.
After seizing power in a 1971 coup, Amin promptly dispatched execution squads who were ordered to kill anyone who might be a threat to his regime. News reports throughout the 1970s documented the reality of his cruel hand -- victims mutilated, tortured and dismembered.
Political upheaval along with health crises and economic woes brought the nation to its knees. In this context, the truth of the Gospel has taken root. Christian leaders in Uganda say that despite lingering problems, the country is experiencing spiritual rebirth. Pastor Robert Kayanja recently told Charisma magazine that his 10,500-seat Miracle Center Cathedral in Kampala, the capital city, is filled for four Sunday services and one on Friday night.
The mega-church has planted more than 1,000 churches across the nation. It also helps feed, clothe and minister to Kampala's 20,000 street children. Kayanja estimates that half of Uganda's four million orphans were orphaned by parents who died of AIDS.
AIDS was first diagnosed in Uganda in 1982; the next year, 83 cases were documented. In 1991, new cases peaked at 10,235, and in 2000, new cases had dropped to 2,303. Decision magazine (Billy Graham Association, 11/02) reported, "More than 45 percent of Ugandans are now evangelical Christians, and their influence has helped Uganda become the first African nation to turn the tide against AIDS."
More than 900,000 Ugandans have died of AIDS-related disease. The Uganda AIDS Commission estimates that 9.5% of adult Ugandans -- 1.9 million -- are HIV positive. In 1990, life expectancy was 48 years; by 1997 it had dropped to 38 years.
The nation is fertile ground for the seeds of the Gospel. It is impossible to precisely quantify the church growth. While the Graham article suggests nearly half of the people are born again, Kayanja says 92% claim Christianity, and he estimates that 75% are truly born again. At either extreme, it is a dramatic turnaround.
Furthermore, for various reasons, the nation's neighbors are increasingly seeking refuge in Uganda. Nearly 250,000 have come from Tanzania, Sudan, Congo and Rwanda. Missionaries in Uganda are gratified to see local churches actively reaching out to the refugees.
Ministry to AIDS Widows and OrphansThe increase of missionary work has brought increased spiritual leadership and relief aid to Uganda. The AIDS epidemic alone has inspired countless ministries. Widow's Might, headquartered in Jinja, Uganda, is one such group, founded by the late Ferne Sanford. She and her husband John had served as missionaries in several African countries before his death.
Ferne went to Uganda in 1984 as a staff missionary with Global Outreach International. AIDS had just begun to tighten its grip on the nation. As a widow herself, she had empathy for women who had lost husbands in political turmoil or to AIDS.
In 1990, still with Global Outreach, she organized The Widow's Might. Ferne Sanford succumbed to cancer in December 2000, and leadership of the ministry now rests with Monique Ladosz, a widow from Switzerland.
Esther Adicho, administrative assistant at Widow's Might, revealed in an exclusive interview that the need is much greater than the ministry can presently meet. While new cases of AIDS are decreasing, the epidemic's consequences continue.
"We plan to increase staff as the Lord leads us," said Adicho, "because the need is bigger. We're just looking to God and trusting -- because we do not have funding."
Esther, a Ugandan widow, came to the ministry in 1992. Showing guests around the ministry, she is quick to give God credit for the beautiful, peaceful home. Once located in a busy Jinja commercial area, Widow's Might looked for a new home after the offices were burglarized in 2000. They moved to their current quarters in late 2001.
"Every missionary knew this house, for this is where a missionary lived for many years," said Adicho. "This home is good for us, quiet for us when we are sharing or teaching."
Widow's Might establishes partner-friendships between widows in Africa and those in other nations. About 2,000 widows and partners share their lives through letters, prayers and encouragement. At their headquarters, the ministry offers sewing classes and self-help projects as well as Bible studies. They recruit sponsors for AIDS orphans and teach street children to make items to sell for food.
Adicho says a gift as small as $10 provides a blanket for a widow, and $50/month supports an AIDS orphan. One hundred percent of gifts channeled through Global Outreach go directly to the specified ministry; administrative and clerical costs are funded by Global headquarters.
Widow's Might is one sterling example of how the Gospel's influence is bringing hope for life and light in a land that was, not so long ago, cloaked in death in darkness.
(AgapePress) -
Idi Amin -- just the mention of his name evokes nightmares and painful flashbacks for survivors of his vicious bloodbath in the1970s. It has been 23 years since the "Butcher of Uganda" was ousted from power after his eight-year reign of terror in the small African nation. He had slaughtered between 300,000 and 500,000 of his own people.
After seizing power in a 1971 coup, Amin promptly dispatched execution squads who were ordered to kill anyone who might be a threat to his regime. News reports throughout the 1970s documented the reality of his cruel hand -- victims mutilated, tortured and dismembered.
Political upheaval along with health crises and economic woes brought the nation to its knees. In this context, the truth of the Gospel has taken root. Christian leaders in Uganda say that despite lingering problems, the country is experiencing spiritual rebirth. Pastor Robert Kayanja recently told Charisma magazine that his 10,500-seat Miracle Center Cathedral in Kampala, the capital city, is filled for four Sunday services and one on Friday night.
The mega-church has planted more than 1,000 churches across the nation. It also helps feed, clothe and minister to Kampala's 20,000 street children. Kayanja estimates that half of Uganda's four million orphans were orphaned by parents who died of AIDS.
AIDS was first diagnosed in Uganda in 1982; the next year, 83 cases were documented. In 1991, new cases peaked at 10,235, and in 2000, new cases had dropped to 2,303. Decision magazine (Billy Graham Association, 11/02) reported, "More than 45 percent of Ugandans are now evangelical Christians, and their influence has helped Uganda become the first African nation to turn the tide against AIDS."
More than 900,000 Ugandans have died of AIDS-related disease. The Uganda AIDS Commission estimates that 9.5% of adult Ugandans -- 1.9 million -- are HIV positive. In 1990, life expectancy was 48 years; by 1997 it had dropped to 38 years.
The nation is fertile ground for the seeds of the Gospel. It is impossible to precisely quantify the church growth. While the Graham article suggests nearly half of the people are born again, Kayanja says 92% claim Christianity, and he estimates that 75% are truly born again. At either extreme, it is a dramatic turnaround.
Furthermore, for various reasons, the nation's neighbors are increasingly seeking refuge in Uganda. Nearly 250,000 have come from Tanzania, Sudan, Congo and Rwanda. Missionaries in Uganda are gratified to see local churches actively reaching out to the refugees.
Ministry to AIDS Widows and OrphansThe increase of missionary work has brought increased spiritual leadership and relief aid to Uganda. The AIDS epidemic alone has inspired countless ministries. Widow's Might, headquartered in Jinja, Uganda, is one such group, founded by the late Ferne Sanford. She and her husband John had served as missionaries in several African countries before his death.
Ferne went to Uganda in 1984 as a staff missionary with Global Outreach International. AIDS had just begun to tighten its grip on the nation. As a widow herself, she had empathy for women who had lost husbands in political turmoil or to AIDS.
In 1990, still with Global Outreach, she organized The Widow's Might. Ferne Sanford succumbed to cancer in December 2000, and leadership of the ministry now rests with Monique Ladosz, a widow from Switzerland.
Esther Adicho, administrative assistant at Widow's Might, revealed in an exclusive interview that the need is much greater than the ministry can presently meet. While new cases of AIDS are decreasing, the epidemic's consequences continue.
"We plan to increase staff as the Lord leads us," said Adicho, "because the need is bigger. We're just looking to God and trusting -- because we do not have funding."
Esther, a Ugandan widow, came to the ministry in 1992. Showing guests around the ministry, she is quick to give God credit for the beautiful, peaceful home. Once located in a busy Jinja commercial area, Widow's Might looked for a new home after the offices were burglarized in 2000. They moved to their current quarters in late 2001.
"Every missionary knew this house, for this is where a missionary lived for many years," said Adicho. "This home is good for us, quiet for us when we are sharing or teaching."
Widow's Might establishes partner-friendships between widows in Africa and those in other nations. About 2,000 widows and partners share their lives through letters, prayers and encouragement. At their headquarters, the ministry offers sewing classes and self-help projects as well as Bible studies. They recruit sponsors for AIDS orphans and teach street children to make items to sell for food.
Adicho says a gift as small as $10 provides a blanket for a widow, and $50/month supports an AIDS orphan. One hundred percent of gifts channeled through Global Outreach go directly to the specified ministry; administrative and clerical costs are funded by Global headquarters.
Widow's Might is one sterling example of how the Gospel's influence is bringing hope for life and light in a land that was, not so long ago, cloaked in death in darkness.
posted by Anonymous at 3:16 AM
1 Comments:
Hi iam mary a Ugandan,I remember when I was a little child my sweet fern sanford used to visit us at home,she used to buy us brankets ,gifts,and widows including my mum shared a meal together.we miss her sooo much.she was too helpful to us.the group was named The widows might.i rent she wanted to adopt my big sister and take her to usa.we ve been searching for her till now.she used to visit us in uganda eastern uganda in a small village called buloba
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