Dear Friends and ministry partners,
Today, 9th October of this year, we are celebrating our 46th independence day. Remember I am talking from the view point of a child born in the 1970s but I think I am justified to talk about this because I am still here to celebrate this day! Aha, aha!
Anyways, I love history… His-story( God’s story), I am very proud to be Ugandan! Though Uganda is a country which ranks the highest in corruption class, is number one in population growth rate, is highest in HIV/AIDS situation. It has gone through over 30 years of wars. Local masses are impoverished, it’s highly indebted to rich colonial economies, most of it’s political leaderships care only for their little pot bellies, and it has growing numbers of economic refugees. So many of it’s displaced persons are still not settled. Cults and occult movements have killed thousands of people( like Kony). Our roads are pot-holed. Many of people live in slums which flood! and political parties rule people with fear and ignorance!
With all this that I have mentioned about my country, you would ask how in the world I could in my christened heart get to be proud of a country like that! I bet you think I have no choice over this. I am telling you, I have a choice and I am proud to be Ugandan!
Why? Because there is also much good happening here that also defines us! We are so defined only by the bad stuff, but there is lots of good about us apart from good weather, wild life game, very social people and fruits! We are now an increasingly growing Gospel cultured people. The Anglican community here separated itself from Countebery’s congregation because of Homosexually issues! At least that’s good! Moral authority excised!
To me the theme of this independence day is being proud to be Ugandan!
One former president called Amin, said Ugandees instead of saying Ugandan! So, I am proud to be Ugandan! Not Ugandees! Aha, aha!
I have little story to mark this day that I want to share with you all. I hope you will be blessed! The title is called AT LEAST! For we have something to make us proud to be Ugandan! See for yourselves what that is!
In a certain village there was a man who happened to be sorcerer, a thief, unschooled, rapist, dirty, unchurched with a Christian name, a successful farmer, a people hater, poor, murderer and childless with no wife! He terrorized the whole village and he was most wanted dead by all locals including Christians that lived there!
Police put a big reward on his head! His own blood mother wanted him gone for ever! And because he knew this about himself, he lived in a very isolated home built far away from people! No one dared to visit him! He was the baddest of all bad people out there! No one could see anything good in him! And that was it!
But one of his sisters who had gotten saved was the only one who dared visit him! And doing so, she got raped by him! Beaten by him and threatened with death if she ever came back to see him again! No one approved of her going through all this with him and her continued concern and commitment to him! People thought she was bewitched by him! But she was very serious with her salvation and so Godly.
This earned her a big respected position in her local church! Her pastor counseled about her brother but she did not yield! She loved her brother and there was at least something she saw about him that nobody else saw! She used to take him food prepared on big days like Christmas up to his home! Wow! What a daring sister!
And so, one fine day every one around started to notice that he was missing! There no more hurting stories about him happening! Every one approved of possible death, just in case! But his sister searched and searched for him for days! She wanted to see him and help him! So she dared to go to his isolated home! A very bad smell greeted her from very far! And when she approached his place, she found out he was dead!
She cried and cried! Locals came thinking that she was in trouble but she was just grieving over his death! She quickly thought of a decent burial service for her late brother, so she went to her church to secure that but her church members and elders refused! Each one quoted scriptures to back their stand! But her pastor felt as a pastor he owed her a favor for he was the one who gave this guy the Christian name he had! And so the pastor ordered for the choir and a few other friends to the burial service
But as you might know people here in Uganda get to say or look for something good to say about dead people on their funerals! So they wondered what good thing they would say about this guy whom everybody hated for all that he was!! And so as the time came to make a speech, people looked about themselves to see who had anything to say! It was a long period of silence before his sister rose up and said loudly that!” AT LEAST! AT LEAST!!
People wondered what at least or at least what!! They asked! But the guy’s sister went on to name all the bad things her late brother did and how she did not approve of his conduct! She did tell in great detail all he did to her (all the rape incidences) and people were all in tears! And they thought she would say, death he deserved! But she said out loud, “At least my brother had some good about him!! Yes he did!!
People started murmuring words! What good did that curse of a son have! What good? Tell us what good he had, they demanded! And she knowing that everyone was alert to hear her, she said ”Of all what my brother had that was all bad, at least he had very white and healthy teeth!! Yes, very white and healthy teeth!!” And every one noticed that and they said, “thats true about him. We all admired his white and healthy teeth!! He never paid dental bills!! Yes! At least!! At least!!”
At least something good about that bad guy was seen and praised! Because of his sister who stood out of the crowd to see that hidden good about her brother! Yes it did cost her a lot, but she finally had proof for his worth! Thanks for that eye that sees beyond!
Hey, I know that you will relate very well to this story in many ways. Even President Bush needs that eye! You need it! I need it. India needs it. Uganda needs it! Your economic leaders need it too!
Yes I am proud to be Ugandan!! I have religious freedom at this time to preach the Gospel to High school students, slums communities, by ways and high ways!! At least I have religious freedom!! Thats what I have!! I am loving it!! I am using it passionately while it lasts!!
DEAR FRIENDS INDEPENDENCE MEANS SEEING BEYOND WHAT OTHERS ARE SEEING! OTHERS SEE DEFEAT! YOU SEE VICTORIES! OTHERS SEE PROBLEMS IN YOUR ECONOMIES YOU SEE OPPORTUNITIES AND HOPE!! THAT WHICH YOU BEYOND OTHERS, WILL SOON BE SEEN BY THEM WHEN TIME COMES!!
HAPPY 46TH Birthday Uganda!!
GOD BLESS YOU ALL!!
Douglas Aliro
{ 1 comment… read it below or add one }
Douglas, Your pride in your country is amazing and I know God is using you to reach the hurting people of Uganda who need to hear the Name of Jesus. It is my privilege to partner with you in prayer for your nation and hopefully come and visit again and join you to reach your nation for Christ!