African Christian College has a rich history of teaching and equipping gospel preachers and ministers for over 45 years. With graduates in over a dozen different countries, we love to get reports (especially like one below!) from our alumni about the important work they are part of throughout Africa (and other continents).
We recently received an email from James Okumu, a graduate from 1990, living in Uganda. Read the letter below, followed by some of the photos James sent.
Healers and witchdoctors are still common in Africa. And, like recorded in the Bible, here’s a story of one who turned his life to follow Christ and completely destroyed the things necessary to have as a traditional healer.
Dear Brethren,
Happy New Year!
I send you greetings and well-wishes for the 2012. To us here in Budoola, we believe its brings to us new being, “New Transformation and better living for Christ”. This was the theme for us as we guarded to welcome the New Year.
At 3:39 AM, I received a text message on my cell phone which reads, “Dear Pastor James, I am heavy loaded. I want to take Jesus today. – Orwenyi”. I immediately called him talked to him and invited him to come for worship. He came to church at 8:30am. I was in the office and talked to him quite enough, he looked humble, very sorry for the life he has lived.
He confessed a lot of things and we prayed together, later he confessed before the church, we took him and one lady, called Rosemary, for baptism after church service.
After baptism, he brought us to his home and collected all the herbs, digging up all he had planted in his compound, his certificate which was given to authorise him to a traditional Healer or Doctor and we burnt them.
The entire community witnessed how Orwenyi Lawrence the Traditional Healer for over twenty years became a Christian. He and his wife Asinde Mary gathered all the herbs for burning. His wife is to be baptised on Wednesday 4/01/2012.
Orwenyi inherited this traditional healing work from his father while still young boy of 14 years. After completing 12 grade, he get fully involved in this evil spirit work and has been highly trusted and respected traditional healer in Uganda. Many of his clients were shocked. One of the traditional healers who was his best friend offered him 500,000 (five hundred thousand shillings)to buy his herbs instead of burning them. His response was “Jesus loves you too. He (Jesus) is more than money. What is bad for me is also bad for you. Take Jesus, friend”.
I gave him a Bible and now he is a very happy man and his family. His wife Mary is very happy too.
CHALLENGE: He faces a challenge of rejection by his clan members, his former traditional healers, friends and clients. But he feels nothing is going to move him from the decision he has made.
Follow the photos from being prayed for by Henry Wander, preacher Budoola Church of Christ up to him with the bible in the hand. He hopes to be a preacher.
I believe through him many will be reached. We still need your prayers that 2012 will continue to be of great harvest for the Lord.
Yours in His Service,
James & Margaret Okumu
Budoola, Uganda
