As the Year 2024 begins, Arua is in our minds and plans. To reach out with the Gospel, not only to see converts, but rather see disciples of Jesus Christ born in that part of the Country. Samuel Alioni and Abraham Oluka are the ones spear heading this assignment. And comes the Day 3rd of January 2024.

I would like to thank the Lord Jesus Christ for the grace he has given us as we went with the trainings this time round. It was such an experience of sorts.

We got to learn a few things and encounter the reality of ground as concerns evangelism and discipleship. When the retired Bsp. LUKE Orombi said the people of Westnile like the Church but not the head of the Church, we saw it live replaying back. The spirit of religion is well and alive in Arua especially and Westnile as a whole.
How people are afraid of their religious leaders more than God is unbelievable. And how people would rather listen to men than God is unbelievable

Day one we were in Arua South and we got 26 people, Arua North 49, Set apart 95 and Zombo 25, we did run the training and Houses of Peace/ Home Bible Study centers 8 in Arua South, 7 in Arua North, 10 in Set apart and 6 in Zombo and went out for evangelism in Arua South with 8 salvation and 6 in Arua South. We were not able to go out for evangelism in Set apart (Arua City PEFA Church) and Zombo due to time constraints and i realized they need more abiding in the vine and Fellowship to reach out better to their peers.

But out there, the biggest challenge we got is the fact that most people are afraid to seen talking to them, why? Because they are afraid if their religious leaders see them, they are likely to be punished by doing penitentia at their church because they have accepted to listen to false teachers.

An example of the kind of bondage that religion has subjected them to is the fact that these people are made to believe that salvation is all about being married through a wedding, once someone is wedded they are made to believe that they are actually saved and whatever you try to tell them is a total waste of time.
And those who have not yet done the wedding or have not even paid dowry are told God can never accept them until they fulfill their cultural obligation of paying dowry. Catholics and Anglicans alike.
This brought to remembrance what the former Bishop of the Anglican Church who hails from West Nile region once said in a YouTube interview. “The People of West Nile love the church but do not love the head of the Church” this actually played right before my very eyes this week we were in Arua. Actually, in all the 4 locations we went to, the problem is the same.

What is the Solution to this challenge?

I therefore realised the best way of reaching these people is by letting them engage with the Bible on personal basis, they need to find out the truth for themselves and not being told by someone else of what the Bible actually says. And I think the best way of achieving this is by using Daily Transformation tools and in particular focusing of the Fellowship section of the 4 Habits and starting Home Bible Study Fellowships. That way, the people get to learn the word of God by themselves in their own homes and don’t have to worry about being excommunicated by their religious leaders from their synagogues and groups. And also engaging with the Word helps them realize their lostdness and I think what Paul writes to the Romans in Rom 12:1-2. And that has been the primary message I have been propagating all along.

In Westnile, the Churches are just so many and scattered everywhere for example in Zombo, some people were coming from deep inside DR Congo and we had to give them a few Swahilli Journals. Some couldn’t come because they had to come to Arua which is like 50 to 60 km and then take 92Km stretch to Zombo. So I said the ones we have trained should go and also train the others which is our model of 2 Timothy 2:2. I know training is something that gets better as you practice the habits and as you continue training others.

When we went out for door-to-door evangelism using the 3 Circle method with the Romans

“The People of West Nile love the church but do not love the head of the Church”

In Arua South, we had very interesting moments, among the attendees is a lady who actually carried me on her back when I was young and as such, she is a mother to me. She welcomed the training to her Church which is over 100 Miles from where we were. She told us for them they only preach according to the message they got during salvation. No one wants to go to their part of the country since its very remote and very uncomfortable, the road are terrible, the weather is very extremely hot and dry with lots of mosquitoes etc. But she implored me to consider to create time and go there and do the work of Ministry. And I committed to doing so and I am planning to go there may be May this Year. Keep us in your prayers as we reach out to the Lost in this hurting World with the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ and also make them Disciples of Jesus Christ.