We left Equatorial College at about 5:30 and hurried off to Katanga to be part of a house church meeting. Traffic wasn’t too bad in Kampala, especially for a Friday afternoon. We arrived in Katanga just past 6:00pm. The house church was not to hard to find. The singing and clapping and could be heard for quite some distance.
Katanga is one of slums in Kampala. It lies in a valley between two hills, stays wet and is home to great number of people. From the road, all you can see as you look down on Katanga is a sea of rusty tin roofs. One road leads down a very steep hill into the midst of this slum. Disease and spiritual darkness abounds. In 2006 Manna ministered in this area and a strong house church was started, but faded when a Sunday celebration service was started just down the road. The celebration services have proved to be a failure. Everywhere one has been started, the house churches have died and attendance at the celebration service has struggled. So what was meant to stabilize the work, worked against the work. Live and learn!
In January 09, Manna returned to Katanga and two house churches have been started. There were 36 adults gathered at this one house church and too many children to count. Back home in the US this would have been a church service of over 70 people – by the way we count attendance.
I shared Matthew 9:35-38 with them. The people were very engaged in the study of scriptures and said they would go out to share the gospel with others in Katanga. I pray they follow through. There is great need and opportunity here. All the adults said they were born again. It was a great day.
There was a very special blessing the Lord had for me in Katanga. Douglas pointed out one of the worshippers and told me that she had been a Manna recipient in 2006. Her name is Annet. When she entered the Manna program she was very sick and spiritually lost. Three years later, she is working and helping to lead the worship in this house church. She received more than food from Manna. She received the Gospel of Jesus Christ and new life from the Lord. She has not received food for over two and one-half years, but she still rejoices in her faith in Jesus Christ.
These are neglected people who have so much potential. This is why IMFC exists.
