Not an Option
When Alex prays for a Bible worker for Kakukuuru, God’s answer surprises him!
It started when an Adventist nurse found Didas Kacokoli’s young family living in a leaky, grass-roofed hovel in the remote village of Kakukuuru. The church built his family a house with a metal roof, and their kindness won Didas’s heart and changed his life. This former alcoholic soon committed his life to Christ in baptism, along with five other people from his village!
Alex Tumusiime, a member of the church who had helped Didas’s family, delighted to see the gospel fire igniting in Kakukuuru. We need to establish a church there, he thought. It would be too far for the new believers to walk to the closest church every week, and besides, who could tell how many more from their village might soon be won to Christ? Alex had a commercial building in the area, which he decided to offer as a place of worship until land could be purchased to construct a church building. To everyone’s joy, 30 people gathered each week for worship services and Bible studies in Alex’s facility. Didas had been a good missionary!
Now a new burden pressed upon Alex’s heart. Jesus had given a commission to His disciples, “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you.” Matthew 28:19, 20. This was a command—not an option! Alex began to feel that offering a place of worship for the little church was not enough. The new converts needed someone to lead them in worship. They needed someone who could offer Bible studies to the visitors who came every Sabbath! In short, they needed a Bible worker.
The district pastor asked the conference to send someone to help with the church plant, but to no avail. “We have no budget to support another Bible worker,” the conference officials said. This saddened Alex, but he took it as a call to pray, knowing God has endless supplies. God’s arm could not be shortened or limited by any circumstance. So Alex and his family prayed, asking for God’s help and for His will to be made clear.
Three weeks later, after much prayer, Alex felt convicted that God was calling him to offer himself as a volunteer Bible worker to nurture the church in Kakukuuru. Twice a week, he laid aside his business and went to the village to visit in people’s homes, establishing those new to the faith in the Three Angels’ Messages. He also led out in the Sabbath worship services.
God rewarded Alex’s self-sacrificing service. Within a few months, half of the non-baptized church attendees had decided to be baptized. Alex’s heart thrilled to see so many people giving their hearts to Christ. The number of weekly attendees has also grown to 57—too many for the building they meet in. Didas has done his best to rig up an extension of the building with tarps, but it is clear that the congregation needs a permanent church building. They trust God to provide in due time!
Inadequate space is no deterrent for evangelism in Kakukuuru. Under Alex’s leadership, the church members are preparing for a large evangelistic series in the summer of 2023. Please keep this new church in your prayers! Pray especially for Alex and for Didas and his family, who carry the burden of nurturing the church. Pray for their passion for mission and unrelenting service to be richly repaid in souls saved in the Kingdom!
Location
Uganda
Author
John Kaganzi is a district pastor in the Ruhandagazi District in Uganda and the manager of Messenger Radio in Mbarara.
How You Can Help
Pray for Alex & Didas as they lead the church and the evangelistic efforts in Kakukuuru.
Pray for God to provide land and a church building for the congregation in Kakukuuru.
Give to the work in Uganda. Needs include church buildings, Bible worker training and support for church planters. Send your gifts marked “Uganda Evangelism” or “Uganda Churches” to:
Mission Projects International
PO Box 151
Inchelium, WA 99138
To give securely online, visit:
www.missionspro.org/donate
Thank you. Your gifts sustain seven full-time Bible workers and one full-time evangelist who are bringing God’s last warning to southern Uganda.