Relief from a Heavy Burden
The witch doctor’s gods took his wife as a slave. Is there freedom for Esperance?
Esperance was born in 1945 to atheist parents. When she turned 20, they gave her away in marriage to an African traditional religionist. The rituals of traditional witchcraft not only scared her, but also bound her with a heavy burden!
Her husband Yoeli was a witch doctor. Seekers of healing crowded the home, soliciting blessings and relief from curses. They brought plenteous offerings, so the family lacked nothing in material goods. But they also brought extra work for Esperance.
Yoeli’s gods were believed to eat a daily meal of goat’s meat and millet dough. As the wife, Esperance must not only care for her family, but also prepare the gods’ meal. The procedure was long and hectic: grinding the millet powder, cooking the goats’ meat, preparing the millet dough and feeding both the gods and the worshippers who swarmed the house daily. She had to feed the gods and worshippers even when she was pregnant or had just given birth. Whenever she delegated the duties to her maids, her husband claimed that the gods rejected the meal, and he would beat her and the children.
In these miserable conditions Esperance bore all five of her children. In her heart she didn’t want to serve the gods, but as a wife, she was culturally obliged to do so.
Twelve years ago, Esperance’s son John relocated from his home village to the city of Mbarara in search of a job. Here he became one of the first listeners of Messenger FM, a mission-based broadcasting project of the Seventh-day Adventist church in Uganda.
Just last year, John’s father passed away, putting a halt to the witch services—and putting his lonely mother, now devoid of income, at risk of starving. John decided to bring his elderly mother home, where his wife would be able to look after her.
Well cared for and free at last from grinding millet, Esperance began listening to Messenger FM radio. She enjoyed the soothing music and educational programs, but above all, she looked forward to the daily radio Bible studies. As she listened to the hope-filled sermons, she learned about a God in Heaven who is merciful. Every time she listened, she experienced a rest in her soul that she never had with her witch doctor husband and his cruel gods. The more she experienced God’s peace, the more she wanted it!
Eager to know more, she invited Mr. Abraham Turyatunga, the Bible instructor for Messenger FM radio, to visit with her. She had many questions about the God in Heaven. She wanted to know what He was like. She didn’t want to know the cruel, vindictive gods that her husband had worshipped.
Abraham visited Esperance twice a week, and in due course, the Word of God put her mind at rest. Her understanding of God’s saving grace deepened, and Jesus became a source of hope and peace. Her desire for God increased more and more until eventually she was baptized in God’s remnant church. At last, she had freedom from her heavy burden!
Messenger FM is constantly winning souls in Mbarara and the surrounding areas. At Esperance’s baptism, for example, 14 other people were baptized who had also responded to the radio messages. Plans are underway to move the radio transmitter from the city to a more elevated place to expand the radio coverage so that the Three Angels’ Messages can reach more people. Pray for God to provide the resources needed for this task!
Location
Uganda
Author
Abraham Turyatunga, an MPI-supported Bible worker for Messenger FM Radio in Mbarara, Uganda.
How You Can Help
Pray for Esperance as she learns more about our great God and Savior in Heaven!
Pray for Abraham as he visits the people who request information from the radio.
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 237
Kirksville, MO 63501
To give securely online, visit:
www.missionspro.org/donate
Thank you. Your gifts sustain seven Bible workers and one evangelist who are bringing God’s last warning to Uganda. Thank you so much for your support!