April Uganda Prayer
Dear Friends,
The face of Uganda is changing in the name of social economic transformation and having "smart" cities. There is a Trade order and a National Housing and Planning order that were passed. Everything built temporarily or not according to plan or without support from a qualified engineer is being demolished. Those people who are selling their goods outside designated areas have been cleared out. Everyone wanting to sell needs to sell inside a market, where they have to rent a stall and pay taxes on their sales. This isn't just in the city, but all the way out to the villages, where people set up stalls by the side of the road to sell the extra vegetables from their gardens to help feed their families. The people are crying out "How are we going to last in the villages? We don't have finances to build up to the expectations that they have placed on us". It appears they are trying to destroy the villages, the livelihood, and the culture of the people.
If this wasn't bad enough, the military has started bulldozing churches as well. Whole communities are in mourning, as they watch the church they lovingly built with mud walls and iron sheets on the roof that are being demolished. The government has determined they aren't built to permanent standards, and is methodically taking them down. Several of our churches fall in to this category, and they need your prayers.
Uganda is a nation that is 62 years out of British rule, They are being forced to comply with 1st world standards. Crime has skyrocketed, because people are struggling to feed their families and pay for their children's school fees. Lord, have mercy on your people!
Part 2 of this story will come tomorrow. In the meantime, we pray and trust the Lord.
Patty
Part 2
Dear Friends,
It has just been mandated by the Ugandan government that ALL PASTORS MUST HAVE THEOLOGY DEGREES in order to preach or they will be arrested and jailed.
In a note from Osborn: The issue about a theological degree is a disaster, since thousands of Pastors and church leaders never went that route. It has always been about a call and serving people. Much prayers for God's intervention are needed. The church is under siege.
We have many pastors this will affect at GSM. My heart is heavy for all of them, but I especially am thinking of Pastor Geoffrey. Pastor Geoffrey's church is right on the main road to Rushere - it would be hard to miss. The people there love the Lord. The church is made of mud, with metal sheets for the roof - just like the church I saw being bulldozed because of the new law I shared about yesterday. It isn't considered a permanent structure. Pastor Geoffrey is a former Muslim, who converted to Christianity and became a pastor, under the care of Pastor Stephen. His congregation didn't have a Bible among them, and he told us probably none of them could read it if they did. Last year, one of our team members brought him an audio Bible. Certainly he doesn't have a theology degree.
Pastor Geoffrey and his church isn't the only one in danger. Pastor Stephen and his church in Rushere is too, and many others. I can't imagine the heartache of the Pastor's and their congregations as these new laws are being enforced.
Another law, a newly passed Sharia courts bill, sparks urgent religious freedom concerns. Under the system, if a Muslim files a family, custody or inheritance dispute in a Qadhis court, any Christian or other non-Muslim party to that case would lose the right to seek resolution in Uganda's civil court system. Appeals to Uganda’s High Court would be limited to panels composed of a Muslim judge and four Muslim scholars, with no further recourse available.
ADF International pointed out that the bill raises concerns about religious conversion. Sharia law does not recognize conversion from Islam, and under the proposed courts, Muslim individuals seeking to convert to Christianity or other religions would likely be prevented from doing so.
This is a new, dark day in Uganda, but many other African countries have faced this type of persecution for many years. . Only the Lord can intervene.
Join us in deep prayer and intercession. Pastors not being allowed to preach; churches being torn down; people not allowed to sell their wares unless they pay. In the midst of this destruction people's lives and efforts, dreams, culture and faith are all being challenged. The ability to survive is even questionable.
All we can do is pray. Oh Lord, have mercy!
Patty
