One of the disciple after receiving a bible
Discipleship Training @Empowering People We Serve
One of the disciple after receiving a bible
Pr.Ivan Ssewankambo in one of the Discipleship Training in Budaka
In a Seven days amazing, wonderful and inspirational discipleship meetings held at Nandere village church in Budaka district, Pastor Ivan Ssewankambo focused on training not only the community pastors but also different ministers mostly in Budaka Eastern Uganda Region. Through this training, Pastor Ivan gave out 12 bibles to those that attended and completed the training.
As we all know that its all Christians’ responsibility to go and share the gospel and teach others to observe what Christ has commanded us to do. Matthew 4:9 ‘And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men’ , So through these training ministers are equipped ,empowered to becoming fishers of men and continue serving the Lord as well as the communities they live in as Christ commanded us to do.
Some of the Disciples after Receiving their Bibles.
One of member that has been attending these Discipleship trainings said ‘Discipleship trainings have been a life-giving moment and thank God for Pastor Ivan Ssewankambo who the spirit of the Lord has revealed a lot of things that he has thought us. Ironic how even in full time ministry, one can lose focus on Jesus. Discipleship training has been a place where I have been shown the love of the gospel and the truth of the gospel. Each time I’ve been pointed back to my Savior and His strength has been shown to give me the endurance to keep seeking Him and loving others, despite any difficulty. The view of myself is always reshifted back to the Father as I allow the word to pierce the dark, sad and lonely places of my heart. What a beautiful gift that we do not run this race alone. I am so grateful that Jesus has placed Pr.Ivan Ssewankambo in my life to steer me back towards Him.”
The Refugees Relief Program.
Having lived in a refugee camp in Nakivale north-eastern Uganda since he was 27 years old, Pierre, now 40, has struggled with his identity for most of his life. Pierre, a community member of God’s Village, said this, and based on true story of his life, to illustrate the challenges of growing up as a refugee and His life at God’s Village:
"I am embarrassed when I'm forced to introduce myself as 'a Congolese refugee living in Uganda'. I am no longer in DRC Congo and yet I am not a Ugandan citizen; so where do I belong? Am I going to be a refugee forever? I feel I am lost in between. But I believe in who I am.
"I was only 27 years old when I first arrived in Nakivale from Congo in late 1996. My family did not flee when the war erupted in 2003. We didn't leave until our father died. The beautiful coastal town of Boma in which I was born turned into a battlefield. And there was no option but to escape. My siblings and I were separated from our mother in our struggle to escape the heartbreaking genocide.
"The journey was full of horror, exacerbated by ugly images that we came across, like families who were killed and others were left along the road because they were too exhausted to go on. I still have bad memories about it.
"Our much anticipated destination was Nakivale, a refugee camp in western Uganda. Unfortunately, after travelling the whole way with, my siblings, my mother and I were not reunited. It is one of my worst moments in my life. I cannot tell whether they are still alive or no.
“I registered with the Ministry of Internal Affairs and they gave me an attestation card when I finally arrived - a milestone for all refugees because the attestation card it provided entitled us to food, shelter, water and healthcare.
“I truly honor the support they offered to all the refugees, specifically the Congolese community, which makes up the second largest refugee population in Uganda. There is nothing I can compare to Uganda's generosity for hosting us for more than two decades.
‘’Due to a large number of refugees in the camp, there was also a massive spread of diseases like STDs and almost 50% of the refugees were affected with HIV/AIDS, unemployment, and discrimination was also there since the camp was full of different races.
‘This forced me as a young man to leave the camp and look for some other place to live in though it was not allowed to live the camp without the permission of the Uganda Refuge Agency. A place where I will be comfortable, where I will not be forced to do hard tasks and in the end am not paid.
‘’When it came to those that were not educated, it was worse. Because even those who were educated were paid very poor wages regardless of their qualifications or work experience.
Community Outreach Mission's Program (Refuge Meetings at God's Village)
‘From there I shifted to Bunjjako Island where I meet a family of God’s Village under Vangrace Compassion Ministries. I introduced myself to them and they welcomed me with a big hug and smile. I was given a portion of land in which I live in up to today. So I from their my life was settled and thanks to Vangrace Compassion Ministries that today I have a family of 4 children whom now I consider as my only family members.’
As Vangrace Compassion Ministries, we take the burden of drawing closer these people regardless of their race, nationality and back ground and we try our best to make them part of God’s Village Family. As our mission states that ‘’ Transforming Lives of Orphans, Vulnerable Children (OVCs), Vulnerable Groups and impact Communities Through VCM initiatives, churches and Missions programs to equipping them with full potential for Productivity and ministering to the Uganda Africa”.
We usually hold meetings with these refugees and mostly we discuss problems that they face, the way forward and how they can get helped. Most of them are being affected with HIV/AIDS and they find problems in accessing medication since they live on the shore, others are illiterate so they cannot get good jobs apart from fishing and others are elderly people who are totally vulnerable hence cannot help themselves.
Through the research that we have made in our community outreach program of Vangrace Compassion Ministries, there is a need for adult education and this will help those that are illiterate most especially the school dropouts and the adults who are illiterate.
There is also a need for establishing a nearby community clinic so that these people can easily get access to the medication that they need mostly those that are affected with HIV/AIDS.
‘There are lots of people who still need help, especially those in the refugee camps. I always tell people it is not over yet. The fact some of us were fortunate to come here is not the end; it is only the beginning. If some of the refugees in the camps were to tell their stories to you, you'd say, "You know, Pierre's story is nothing. There are worse hardships."
Pierre Next to Pr. Ivan Ssewankambo.
Pierre says 'When I open my book of life and I look through it, I see all kinds of experiences. Good has come from all parts, even the unlucky ones. Everything in my life has turned out for the better through Vangrace Compassion Ministries-God’s Village; that's how I see it. Had all those things not happened in my life, I would not be where I am today. If I had not lived through the war in Congo, I would not have come to Uganda. If my mom had not left me, I would not have ended up here in Uganda. Everything that happened has turned out to be fortunate for me.
My dad taught me; difficult times don't last forever. He said never worry about tomorrow; tomorrow will take care of itself. There is always a better day.
As we bring you close to the people that we serve with a deep point of view;
Today we bring you the family of Ms Oppolot who lives just a few meters from God’s Village a Vangrace Compassion Ministries’ Orphanage in Bunjjako Island, Mpigi district Uganda.
This poor woman and her family came to Uganda as refugees from Democratic Republic of Congo in Central Sub-Saharan Africa after rebels massacred many people including all her relatives. For her she fled with her children and sought refuge in Nakivale Refugee camp in Insingiro district - western Uganda. Due to famine, poor condition, and hardships she faced as a woman, she shifted with her children to Bunjjako Island in Mpigi district Central Uganda.
Here she started struggling to earn a living with her 6 children. This woman suffered a lot of hardship in feeding her children, clothing, educating and medicating them.
But thanks to Vangrace Compassion Ministries which came out to support this woman and her children. The children have been able to get access to medication, and education. For the woman, she has been able to access counselling and guidance, she also attends refugee meeting h
Owning our story can be hard but not nearly as difficult as spending our lives running from it. Embracing our vulnerabilities is risky but not nearly as dangerous as giving up on love and belonging and joy—the experiences that make us the most vulnerable. Only when we are brave enough to explore the darkness will we discover the infinite power of our light.
Brené Brown.
Solitary Paralyzed Old Man Just Few Steps Away From God's Village
Kasisi who came to Uganda years back as a Rwandan refugee living just few steps away from God’s village , an old man of 90 years totally vulnerable that he cannot do his own house work /dig his food. He is in a very bad condition since he is paralyzed, old, sick, and poor and he lives alone in a grass thatched house surrounded by trees, plants and grave yard where all his relatives and wife were buried.
‘'I have no nearby relative since they all died of diseases like Aids and others drowned in the nearby Lake Victoria.’ ‘‘Said Kasisi.’’ “All my daughters, sons and grandchildren died and my wife too, I remained alone in the world. I find a lot of challenges since I ought to do a numbers of tasks so as to support my well being like; I cook for myself which is a terrible experience on my side since am sick and old.’ ‘’Said Kasisi.’’ He can’t do the digging, and washing on his own.
Because of his good behaviors towards the neighbours of God’s village community, Kasisi is being helped by children sent by their parents to help him in sweeping, peeling food and then he does the rest.
He lacks the common necessities of life like food of which he can’t even dig and he waits daily for mercies from the neighbouring people of which people to live in a poor /desolated communities which can’t provide to him things like clothes, sugar, salt, mosquito net, mattress among others but above all due to his illness he lacks medication. We believe that if he at least gets these necessities of life, his standard of living can be improved as it is the aim of Vangrace Compassion Outreach Programs. We call upon any one who can be of help to him in any way to cause a difference in his life. TAKE ACTION
As we continue to carry out the outreach program need assessment as well as support when funds available, it has been discovered that there are many elderly people just a few steps away from God’s village in the same state and they really need to be helped.
A passionate interest in what you do is the secret of enjoying life...whether it is helping old people or children.
