There was a movie many years ago about brave soldiers who flew in to rescue hostages from Entebbe Airport in Uganda. They came in under the radar screen and left before anyone knew what had happened. It was called, ‘Raid on Entebbe.’
It felt something like that to me going in and out of Entebbe within three days! By the grace of God I was able to arrange a conference for more than a hundred pastors and their congregations within three days with people I have never met before! I must have come in under the devil’s radar screen and accomplished the mission before the enemy knew what happened! The pastor’s hearts turned towards me as a sent one. After many hours of discussion and fellowship they were convinced that I had a timely word for the nation:
”Your message is what Uganda needs right now. There is no one preaching what you are preaching. The people, and especially the pastors, need to hear what you are saying. They are all just building their own kingdoms and there is no one to father us,” said pastor John Boaz.
Our Contact in Uganda
Richard Ssendi visited our church a few years ago when I was not there.
“The people at Harvester received me so well, they treated me so well, your son took me for lunch and prophesied that his dad would one day come to Uganda. People asked me what I needed and someone gave me a lift back to the place I was staying. The worship and the preaching was something quite different of what I have ever seen before. The children dancing and worshipping spoke to me. What impressed me was that you were not even there. You must have taught the people well. I decided then to relate to Harvester Reformational Church,” Richard explained.
He wants to start the first satellite bible school for Miracle Bible College.
According to my source there are about 30 million people in Uganda and 60% are young people! The rest died in all the wars and fighting that plagued that country for so long under the cruel dictatorship of Idi Amin as well as during the Rwanda genocide between the Tutsis and Hutus. Idi Amin’s reign of terror destroyed the nation’s confidence in any form of leadership promising change.
The Need in Uganda
There is a great need for Christian Schools and Bible Colleges in Uganda to lay a Christian foundation in the lives of the new generation. Most pastors have to run schools for extra income because of the poverty of the church members that cannot contribute to his needs.
“Olyotja” is hello how are you and “Debulunge” is I am fine. “ Mokama Yebazibwe” is praise the Lord.
The aids epidemic and tribal wars have left millions of orphans. As a result of the wars the present adults have no education. Most of them had to hide for years in the forests to escape death. They had to fetch water every day to survive. Because they are uneducated they cannot find any employment.
That explains why the majority of Ugandans are extremely poor.
The African culture of polygamy is still evident in the church. Adultery is a reall problem and broken marriages abound. It is not a good witness to the unsaved. Then there is the new challenge of homosexual pastors who are being sponsored in American dollars to plant churches that allow homosexuality in the church. They are successful because of the financial support.
The devastation of war
During the wars and genocide many women have been raped by soldiers and militants and many were killed. The atrocities in Rwanda left a permanent scar on the nation. The main area of war was Nakasene.
President Museveni successfully overthrew the government of president Obote on 25th January 1986.
In 2003 the Tutsi’s endeavoured to eradicate the Hutu’s. The tribal hatred is still prevalent today.
Summary of Richard’s Ministry
Pastor Richard Ssendi. He as appointed pastor in Nakaseke in the Redeemed Church but in 2002 he moved to Kabowa to preach the Gospel of reconciliation in Christ the Lord Church. In 2007 he left the church because the pastor allowed adultery.
In 2007 he started Faith Christian Church resorting under the born Again Christian Churches. The Government of Uganda forced all the independent church to form one umbrella denomination to give them a voice in the country. At the present moment there are about 70 adults and 350 children in the church.
Richard is actually an apostle. But they have no accurate knowledge concerning apostolic ministry, so everyone still goes by the function of pastor. He took a loan from the bank to buy land and build a school. He is paying it off at the moment, bit by bit. The church is in Wobulenz about 30 Km from Kampala where I met him. He also started a church in Rwanda and appointed a pastor to oversee the work. Richard lives in his own rented house with his wife Christina and 8 children. Christina was one of those who had to grow up in forests without any education.
Conference in Uganda
There is a pastor’s fellowship in Wobulenz with 36 churches. They meet together and pray and also act as a disciplinary board for pastors who step out of line. They want me to come and hold a conference in September to teach them on apostolic reformation and principles for prophecy.
They expect about 160 pastors to attend at the conference during the day time seminars and several hundred people meeting at night. We will have to raise funds to pay for the conference, the rent of the hall, the food for the participants as well their accommodation. They will pay for their own transport.
”Your message is what Uganda needs right now. There is no one preaching what you are preaching. The people, and especially the pastors, need to hear what you are saying. They are all just building their own kingdoms and there is no one to father us.”
There’s the challenge lying before us. Who will go with me? Who will stand with me? Who will say, like Isaiah, ‘Here I am Lord, send me!’
I would like a team with me to Zimbabwe 6-9 August 2010 and to Uganda in September 2010 (dates are still to be set). If you feel a drawing in your heart and you are willing to pay the price to go, you can contact our office at office [at] harvesterchurch.org.za or email me pelser [at] harvesterchurch.org.za or write to P O Box 276, Milnerton 7435, South Africa.
You could also have a share in the apostolic mission by sponsoring the event partially or contributing to the costs. We also need all the prayer cover we can get to accomplish this great task for the Lord.
Andre Pelser
March 2010