I grew up in a home where my father was an Anglican by religion. We were twelve in our family both my parents calimd to be Christian by religion and so we grew up believing that we are saved and baptized. i was the youngest in the family; my father was a Judge (grade III). In the 70’s, many things happened in the country. Many people where killed, tortured and disappearing for ever.
My dad refused o work for the government of Idi Amin because of what was happening. Army men came to our ome every time threatening him. This was in 1977, May of that year the day I cannot forget 22nd of June his friend came and broke the news to my Mum that he has been taken and we have traced for him but all in vain. My mother broke down in tears and we all started crying. Since that time, things changed in our home, we were separated and my brother had already joined rebel activities in order to fight Amin. We had no peace in our home which forced me to leave home to go in town and find work.
I started playing boxing were I met other boys and we started drinking alcohol due to group influence. I became a real drunkard, rebel and bad behaving. This worsened when they removed my passport from me when I was going to turn a pro-boxer. Time came when I was controlled by alcohol. In the 80’s, I found myself looking for my mother in the village where she had gone after the death of our father. I found my mother and we stayed together but still with those bad behaviors. I was not controlled and very disobedient.
For God loved the world that is why he gave his begotten child. God brougt me in the village to know him and a friend of mine my fellow drunkard preached the gospel to me. In 1987, I accepted Jesus as my Savior and in that same year, when I was 3 months old, I was chosen by my fellow believers to lead them as their pastor. I loved the Lord and served Him. Many churches were opened, many souls were saved. I was already married in 1984 and by 1991, I had three children. Pastoring in Uganda is voluntary work and now I did not have support for my family. As an experienced man on the lake, I decided to get a job to help the government stop smuggling goods and other things from Uganda to Kenya. Before I got this job, I had a dream three times in one week but the same dream. I dreamt when I had built a concrete building and this buildng was surrounded by people and I was not allowed to say anything. When I woke up, I thought I was dreaming of a grave and I I thought I was going to die but how because I was not sick, so kept quiet but I was even weak in my prayers.
On Dec 9th, 1991, I was with other four men, a crew of five people. We went on a survey tour on the Lake Victoria to the Islands bordering Uganda and Kenya to find a place were we were going to station. A former pastor now thinking of money instead of serving God and longer talking of the Word. On the 11th of Dec., when we were in the middle of the lake when we saw a boat a coming towards us but we did not know that these were thieves expecting to steal what we had but when they came near, they realized that we had an army men in uniform in or boat and by suprise, they started shooting at us. Within a few my few companions were killed and during this time I said Lord in your hands I part my life, please help me, I have realized my sin. All of a sudden, thieves shouted and said these men are going to kill us and tehy took off living me with dead bodies which I took to the nearest police post and I was not helped but I realized all the case was put against me.
All these days I was in the police cell for eight days and by then I had started preaching the Word of God to my fellow prisoners. On Dec 19th I was taken to court and imprisoned on remand for one and half years as they continue searching for more evidence agaisnt me that i killed my fellow crews. But every after fourteen days I had to report to court. Many prisoners were released and God was always very near me, within three days in prison I was chosen as a leader of my fellow prisoners a post which was always given to those who had stayed long on remand. On my 26th day on remand, when I was coming from chapel, I went to the dormitory where I was living, I slept on my mat, prisons had bad treatment and we were not even having blankets. God knows how He can keep prisoners. Now a word came to meand I said Lord, I have finished the work you sent me to do open the doors of the prison and let me out. I was astonished where this word came from; I looked around as if some different person had spoken it. I prayed and kept quiet. Many things happened in prison. Prisoners were released, the sick healed, I saw God’s hand.
On the 27th day, following the day I had to report to court, for the second time. At night I had a dream when the prison walls were falling on me and I shouted saying, “Lord I’m dying out of air” I woke up very much frightened and the following day when I was going to court,three of our prisoners had a dream that I was released and they came in the morning saying farewell but I told them of my dream and promised I was going back for I’m their for one and half years. That day when I reached court, I was released.
Since that time I shall never stop serving my Lord, whatever situation I might be in, I shall serve the Lord for I was disobedient and the Lord brought me back in the field to serve him. This experience has helped me to open new Churches and I hope God willingly, I shall continue serving Him.
May God Bless You!
Pastor Timothy
to me.
This is my Joy... 