Would you walk more than 20 kilometres one way to attend church? A 75-year-old man did just that when the very first Easter Sunday service was held in Nakwanya, in northern Uganda. He joined 2,500 worshipers from all around this once-forgotten village, many bearing bundles of sticks on their heads as their offering.
The church building was not yet ready — especially for a crowd of this size — but the congregation gathered in a cathedral made of trees and sky. As the choir sang and Pastor Alfred prepared to start the service, a woman came up to the front, laid her baby in the pastor’s arms and said, “This baby will never know a time here in Nakwanya when Jesus is not Lord of this community.” The congregation erupted in cheers that set a joyful tone for the remainder of the service.
The joy really broke out at the end when, instead of an altar call that could very well have caused a stampede, Pastor Alfred asked all those who wished to invite Christ into their life to raise their hand. Hands shot up all through the crowd as Pastor Alfred delivered a general salvation prayer.
More blessings were still to come, as a food distribution followed the service. All the children left with full stomachs, dressed in the new clothes they had received the night before.
This Easter saw a community restored to new life. With the completion of the church/clinic/school complex, dubbed The City of Hope, the children of Nakwanya can grow up secure in Christ’s love, healthy and well educated.
Thank you for your part in making this miracle happen!
