Pastor Orikiri’s Testimony
Pastor David is leading a church in Kinyamahwa, Uganda, after turning away from a lifestyle that was far from the straight and narrow path. Previously, David had been using different kinds of drugs that negatively affected his life. David repented, received forgiveness, became a pastor, and lives a life honoring God.
He was attending school, which is a unique privilege in rural Uganda. He was was a bright young man who had a promising future. However, once he started using drugs, he was unable to focus in school and incapable of learning or complete homework. He ended his education prematurely because he was disorganized and unmotivated. Things seemed bleak until a pastor visiting David’s village began showing him how to live a life according to the principle of Scripture.
This pastor challenged David’s way of life. Repeatedly, this pastor came to David’s village, sharing the concept of forgiveness and the scriptures. When David and this pastor read John chapter 12, David felt called to leave his old lifestyle, accept sanctification from Christ and follow the Word of God. This experience was a catalyst for change in his life. David started attending church regularly despite a long walk from his village to his local church.
David met White Fields Director Onesimus, who mentored and taught David how to study the scriptures. After time studying biblical doctrine and theology, White Field’s offered David the opportunity to be the pastor of a church in Kinyamahwa.
David continues to lead the congregation and feels graciously blessed by the Lord to have this opportunity.
Recent Ministry:
We see God at work in the life of Ian. Ian, 23, is single and became a businessman after dropping out of school. He buys bananas from our community and sells them to the village markets. Several weeks ago, when he was returning from the market, the truck he was in turned over, and three of his friends died instantly. Through God’s protection, he remained alive. He is in church thanking God for shielding him. We pray that he may grow strong in faith and remain serving God.
We see God at work in Evelyne’s life during the birth of her baby. Evelyn and Martin have three children: Bless, 5; Rennah, 2; and the baby. When Evelyne was pregnant, she was anxious about needing a cesarean but had no money. She came to our church for prayers, and we prayed for her. God enabled her to have a successful delivery at home, and she gave birth to a healthy baby boy. She thanks and praises God for His peace and protection.
We met Joyce through our home visits when she was tormented by spirits and a drunkard. Joyce is a widow with two children Akampa, 15, and Anoline, 10. After the death of her husband, it was difficult to care for her children. She was an Anglican, and she visited witch doctors seeking help. When we met her at home, we shared with her the Word of God and that day, she did not drink, and she slept well. She continued to come to our church, was delivered from the spirits, and gave her life to Christ. She now helps us organize children during their Sunday school to memorize Bible verses and is part of the ushering team. We pray that God may open financial doors for her to buy enough land for cultivation and be able to continue to pay school fees for her children.
Sadam was a drunkard with a quarrelsome family life because he could not provide for his family. Sadam and Confidence have two young children. They survive by selling labor to others and depend on subsistence farming. We prayed for Sadam and encouraged him to come to the church. He came with his wife, and after the church services, he confessed and gave his life to Christ. Sadam now works to provide for his family and encourages others to do what is right.
Ivan was a thief and a drunkard; he had become notorious for stealing goats and cows and taking money from people. Ivan, 32, is now a single father with two children. We prayed for him during home visits and waited for God to act. He was touched by the Word of God and came to our church. People at first thought he was targeting them for something to steal, but he gave his life to Christ. He now serves the Lord in church and people in the community testify that his characters and behaviors have changed, and he knows the truth about Jesus Christ. We pray that he may remain committed as he is guided by the Holy Spirit.
Nicholas was a drug addict before accepting Jesus as his Savior. Nicholas, 23, is an orphan who came to know God on Center Day in July. On that day he stopped his drug use, received Jesus in his life, and is now serving God in choir.
We praise God that we, as the church, were able to collect nine hundred thousand shillings to cement our church and make the church foundation, which will protect it from falling.
Pray that God may provide ways to buy a water tank, Bibles for our church members, and more land for expansion.
We praise God for the parents who dedicated their children to the Lord in church; Luke 2:22 tells us that Jesus was brought to the temple to be presented to the Lord, and so we bring children to church to pray for and to present to the Lord. We believe God will help us expand the church and pray for space to build a structure for the children’s Sunday school.
We have seen God at work in the life of Asaph, 23 years old and single. Asaph works in Kampala, but a few months ago, he had severe demonic attacks due to demonic possession, and he could not continue his work because he had lost his senses and became like a madman, a lunatic. He left the job when he was deaf and dumb and came to his home in Kinyamahwa. His family brought him to church when we had prayer and fasting days, and we prayed with him. God was gracious to Asaph and delivered him. He is now back to his senses; he speaks and hears; God restored him. His family thanks God, who has healed their son, and praises the Lord for showing Himself. We pray that the Lord touches Asaph to accept Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior for the healing and restoration of spirit and soul, just like his body has been healed and restored.
We met Brighton, 23 and single, during our home visits and found that he used drugs like marijuana and other chemical substances that disrupt his brain and he was a drunkard and would go to bars and clubs and discos. He said that he was an Anglican and his friends were the ones who called him to use drugs and go to bars. We invited him to visit us at church, and we thank God that he attended the Sunday service and, after listening to the Word of God, gave his life to Jesus Christ. He is now a part of our church. We pray God gives him the grace to keep on keeping the faith.
Church Ministry
As God’s Embassy Kinyamahwa, we thank God that people are now more receptive to the Gospel, and we share, preach, and teach more than before. At first, they used to refuse and belittle us, but now they see the power of the gospel to transform people, including members of their families, which has changed them to be receptive to the gospel truth. We praise God for increasing our number to 58 adult members; this month, eight members have joined and now worship with us. Our church reaches the community through home fellowships, home visits, and family rotational night prayer services at the end of each month. This month’s end-of-month rotational night prayer service was held in the home of Zainab Naturinda; 90 came to attend, and one person gave his life to Christ. This month, we visited 56 homes and shared the Word of God with 87 males and 124 females. We visit all irrespective of whether they are our members or not yet. We are grateful to the Lord for giving us the grace to reach out to His people. He has used us to reach this month, so may His name be praised.
We have leadership foundation classes every Sunday morning that we encourage people to attend. In these classes, we train people to learn about leadership, reading the Bible, and preaching. Those who learn can lead home fellowships and church service programs and share the Word in fellowships, Sunday school, and Friday evening prayer meetings. We have an intersession group of adults and church deacons that come every Saturday to intercede for the church. Our church worship team meets every Tuesday and Saturday for practice, learning new songs, and preparing for Sunday services. The children’s choir and the Young Ambassadors are part of Sunday school. We have five home fellowships around Kinyamahwa, running from Monday to Thursday respectively. They have an average membership of over 16 people who meet weekly to share the Word of God and encourage each other in the Lord.
The adults formed a self-help association to solicit money from members to help one member at a time meet the basic needs at home, like buying utensils for the family to improve their living standards.
We praise God that we have been able to paint our church structure; we are finishing the inside. We believe God will help us be able to do guttering and rain harvesting because rainwater is constantly damaging our church building walls since they are made from mud and sticks. Also, the community will be blessed with water since now, everyone must fetch water from a river far away. We praise and thank the Lord; we managed to raise the money to buy seven bags of cement; very soon, we shall start cementing our church structure floor.
We have seen God delivering Tukamushaba Sharon, age 43, from the grips of the enemy. Sharon is a widow with three children, ages 6- 12. They are residents of Kinyamahwa, live in a temporary house, earn a living by selling labor, and grow their food on their piece of land. She became desperate due to the death of her husband and due to the consequences of the rituals of the dead they performed on her at the burial of her husband. She gave herself to alcohol and men for consolation. It was a rough life; the rituals of the dead also open one’s spirit to the world of the dead, and it is torture. When we visited her and shared the Gospel, she accepted Christ Jesus in her life; we encouraged her to come to church and learn the Word of God that sets free and free indeed. The more she heard the Word of God and prayed in the Word, the more she got delivered. All the evil spirits that had possessed her left, and she is now free. We give God the glory for His delivering power.
We have also seen God work in the life of Akankunda Oziliah, age 24, who is married to Ahumuza Dellick, age 27. They are residents of Kibungo cell in Rwerere. God had shown His Hand of protection upon these two when a vehicle they were traveling to their relative’s wedding overturned several times and got damaged, but they came out of it safe and sound. This, to Oziliah, she says, is proof enough for her to know that God loves her, and from that, she too decided to love Him by accepting Christ, whom He sent to redeem us. We give God the glory for saving His people- Oziliah.
The family of Niwahereza Betty, age 44, married to Akankwasa Emanuel, age 47, are members of our church. They have three children who are already out of home to higher learning institutions. They reside in Rwerere-Kiguha village. She faithfully and committedly serves on the church intercession team, and when her children are at home during the holidays, they serve in the church youth department. These days, she has not been well; her stomach sometimes hurts so badly. We have advised her to seek medical care. We pray that the Lord will give her a quick recovery. We also pray that God will touch her husband to get saved.
Another family in the fellowship is the family of Naturinda Zainab, age 39, who is a widow and a resident of Kinyamahwa. She has two children: Akampurira Saluwah, age 21, and Naturinda Faith, age 16. They live in a three-room house with an iron tin roof and depend on subsistence farming. They grow food for the family and sell some to earn an income. When we visited this family, we found that Zainabu and the family were originally Islamic. Still, when she lost her husband, she changed to Anglican. Her father-in-law took away all the property the husband had left to her and the children because changing religion from Islamic to any other is an issue unacceptable in that family. She then resorted to drinking alcohol and sleeping with other men to get money to look after the children. We shared the Word of God with her and invited her to visit us at church on Sunday. When she came and heard the Gospel, she believed and accepted Christ as her Lord and personal Savior. This did not go well between her, the father-in-law, and the entire family, but she kept standing with her in prayer. Now, she has her land back without comprising her stand on the truth of the Gospel. The time came after intensified prayers; the father-in-law’s heart was softened, and he returned her property. From that property, she has worked and saved, built a house they are living in now, and in which she hosts one of our home fellowships and grows enough food for children and sells some for money to educate her children. We pray she keeps faith because her life is now a vessel helping many hear the Gospel. As a church, we also bless the Lord for her and give God the glory.
Ahumuza Suzan, age 22, is single and living in Kinyamahwa. She was a drunkard and slept around with men after being drunk. When we met and tried talking to her about Christ, she abused us verbally, but we visited her even after that. Later, she decided to visit us too at church one Sunday, and she attended church service. After service, she asked to be led to the Lord and accepted Christ. We thank God for drawing to Himself and saving her.
Ahimbisibwe Danson, age 27, gave his life to Christ. Danson came to church and asked us to lead him to confessing Christ. He said that it was what he promised God when he was jailed over someone’s money that he had failed to pay back due to spending all he had on alcohol and gambling. That told he told God that if he got out of jail alive, he would give his life to Him. When he finished his prison time and was released, he went straight to church before going home. We had visited him before while doing home visits and shared the Gospel with him, but he paid no attention to it, so we were surprised when he came. We led him as requested, and he accepted Jesus into his life. We pray that he keeps in faith and goes on in this journey he has begun in the Lord.