I was not an educated woman and a Muhima by origin. The life of my children was in a mess and as you know, many women cannot stand the life of being widows with no means of earning a living so some decide to go out there to do labor for wages. I was not the kind of woman who was ready to hustle, I was a coward and scared of making any decision. But a thought came to my mind that I should cultivate the land so that my children do not starve to death. However, I was lucky because my brother Katana was there for me in all ways. He would give my children scholastic materials and it was all by the grace of God since I did not have the courage to beg for help from people. I did not know the value of education because I used to give people my testimony telling them how I was able to manage life without attaining formal education. So, I decided to grow some crops so that my children would never lack food. I remember one time one of my children was asked for 500/= at school so that he could be given a report card but I could not raise it.
As I was in a state of confusion, one man came from digging a friend’s well for water, He found me busy explaining to my child that the father of all fathers was going to provide the 500/=. It is so hurting when a child asks you for something and you are unable to provide it. I was sure that God was going to provide. The child asked whether he could go meet the so-called father of all fathers to give him the money and I told him not to worry. I kept myself busy with other things and after sometime, the child came back and asked whether the father of all fathers had brought the money. That guy who had come from digging a well asked my son Kijungu about school and Kijungu told him that he had been asked for 500/= so that he could be given a report card but I had failed to give him the money. He went on to tell the man that even the father of all fathers who was coming to bring the money was nowhere to be seen. The man got out a handkerchief in which he had kept some money. Christ sent him to me so that he could relieve me of the child who was on my neck for money. As the man was counting the money to give me, my child asked whether he was the father of all fathers we had been waiting for and I said yes. Therefore, I am so grateful to Christ because He was there for me in every situation.
Many of these incidents tend to bring tears in my eyes. Then one of my brothers also used to pay fees for my other child and unfortunately, he was injured in a shooting. He could no longer pay fees for my child so the school suggested that I collect firewood and fill their truck and that way my son didn’t have to pay fees. I did that for my son, the 2nd born. Because there was no money for fees It was my brother who used to pay for his fees but unfortunately, he was injured in a shooting while working at a petrol station in Mengo. I did not know what to do for my son. so the school suggested that they send a lorry which I should fill with firewood in exchange for my son’s free education. However, the sub-county had offered to pay half of his fees since he performed best in the P.7 final exams. The sub-county used to do that for the less privileged but I never bothered to go there to follow up on it yet other parents did. People thought that the reason I did not bother was because I had relatives who were working in Kampala who used to provide fees money for my children. Actually, I never went to the sub-county for help but those who knew my situation, went there and asked on my behalf. Christ did a miracle for me and the sub-county was able to send half of my son’s school fees.
His father died when the boy had joined form 3. He had only studied for 2 terms in Secondary when my brother was injured in a shooting. I went to Mushunguzi who had married one of my paternal cousins. I asked him to help me pay the other half of my son’s fees as I went to take care of my brother who had been injured and I promised to pay him back when I returned. He paid the other half but when I returned and gave him back the money, together with his wife, they said I should keep it and use it to pay fees for the other children and promised to continue paying fees for that one until he completed Senior 4. I was so grateful. My son was among the best performers in the S.4 final exams and I was so grateful to Mushunguzi. May the Lord bless him. I prayed to God to bless him and his wife abundantly because they did a very good job for my son. After my son had completed S.4, they asked me whether I had any plans for my son to continue with his studies. I told them that I had no plans at all and I was grateful to them for paying his fees up to S.4 because I wouldn’t have managed. I did not mind him stopping at that level and branching off to do other things.
They had no choice but to raise more money for him to continue with his studies until he completed but whenever there was an opportunity for a bursary, we would go for it. He used to perform well. Christ enabled him to perform well because he had a passion for studies. Muchunguzi continued paying for his school fees until he came out as one of the best performers in the entire country. I continued paying fees for the young ones. I won’t lie to you that I did any hard jobs like making bricks or collecting firewood for the school in order to raise their fees, but it was all by the grace of the Almighty God who saw me struggling with life. The storms were so heavy for me but the God of heaven and earth overpowered all of them and my children completed their studies. My children are among those that are regarded as learned and it is all because of the Almighty God who is greater than them all. It was not by my might, but by the might of God who is greater than them all.
Many people always thanked me for building a home and educating my children and I always told them that it was all thanks to God the Almighty. I could never take the credit for that because I was helpless. I am therefore very thankful to the Almighty God. Praise be to God. It was a heavy storm for me as well but Christ saw it from afar so that I could testify about it. Imagine I used to chew tobacco, fight people, be violent, I was very bad hearted and ready to die. I was everything bad. The Lord had a plan for me to be in Kampala though I had so much fear thinking that I was going to die soon. I used to cry endlessly because I did not know where to leave my children. I got sexually involved with some man and I went ahead to get a family planning injection yet I had promised never to infect any other person with AIDS, a disease that had killed my husband. A time came and I got a family planning injection because if you do not repent of a sin, you once committed, you are bound to commit it again before you know it. My husband died in 1996 and I wasted my life away the years after by chewing tobacco and also engaging in witchcraft.
After my husband’s death, a relative of mine advised me to go to a witch doctor alleging that my husband had been bewitched to death and I was next. I had been given 3000= as money for condolence which I had tied in a piece of cloth. I used 1000/= to buy superdeep for mixing a drink for my children, then took another 1000/= to the witchdoctor who made me lose hope and I came back crying. But I am thankful to God who keeps us hopeful. I did not doubt what he had died of but because she advised me and she was much older than I was. Sin will never feel pity whether you have money or not and I fell victim. The devil doesn’t care whether you have little money or none at all because really my children did not even have tea to drink. I ended up buying one small sachet of superdeep and mixed that for them to drink but made sure I spared some money to take to the witch. On top of all those problems, the devil did not spare me because when I went to the witchdoctor, he told me that if I did not have money to give him, I was going to die that very day. I went and bid farewell to my mother-in-law and told her that the witchdoctor had said I was going to die.
But I am thankful to the Lord who never proclaimed death upon me and loved me endlessly, all for nothing. I remember telling my brother that when I died, he shouldn’t bother coming for my night vigil but instead should go and make sure to put two bundles of wrapped tobacco in my grave as directed by the witchdoctor so that I would always feel good when down there. If you listen to the devil he can really finish you and if it was not for the grace I would be dead by now. Imagine I was to be buried with tobacco. When it came to morning, I realized that the Lord had kept me alive like all other people and that is how the word father for all came into my mind. I was surprised to see that it was 6:00am and I was still alive. How could I wake up in the morning and still be alive like all other people who were busy going about their daily routines of milking cows, taking care of their homes and families? But because of Him, the father of all, I was able to wake up the following morning at 6:00am like all the rest.
Like America which has a different time zone from Uganda, I thought the morning in my house would come at around 1:00pm but surprisingly it happened at 6:00am like for other Ugandans. I was so grateful to Christ. I later heard Christ’s voice tell me that He will only take over my life if I let go fighting my own battles. There is a scripture in John 1:33 which says that “I myself did not know Him” Truthfully speaking I did not know Him. I wondered how He was going to take over my life when I was going to die of AIDS! I also wondered how He planned to handle the issue of my children starving to death if I did not hustle! I surely did not know Him. He said it for the third time that He will only takeover if I stop fighting my battles personally. Indeed I did not know Him. While in my sleep, a hymn 161 came to my mind and I used to be good at singing. I woke up from sleep and I felt like I was drowning in water because it felt really cold and the house had no door.
My character then was of a coward but I was never swept away by the storms because Christ had mercy on me. He overpowered all my battles. I started to sing the hymn 161. Remember that song appeared to me in my sleep. It felt like I was in a church choir singing. That song made a big change in me then. It was September 1999, that was a long time ago. Indeed. I saw light appear to me like it was already morning. I had only one cow left which had not yet given birth, so we could not milk it. I did not even have school fees for the children but the Christ I had seen in my sleep was going to take care of it. He healed me, fought all my battles and that brought joy in my life. My children were no longer regarded as orphans they were like other children who had fathers. Thanks be to God. I am so grateful to Him because He healed me and brought a smile on my face. He opened up to me and my life was lit up again. I got joy in my life once again and there was a new chapter of life in our home.
My children were still very young but I had so much joy in me. He is the Almighty Indeed. He relieved me of all the battles I used to fight within me. He never lied to me. When He asked me to let Him handle my battles, indeed He did bring a new chapter of life in our home. At first I felt like being swallowed by the earth or going somewhere far away but all that did not happen. I stayed in my home where my husband had died. I was lucky not to be caught in any bad act by my children. All they saw was me standing strong. Praise be to God. Imagine with all the fear I had in me, when some man gave me a cow, I loved it so much and I knew that it was going to solve the school fees problems for my children. That man confessed how he was so much in love with me and I told him that good enough we were sleeping together. I asked about how we could be sleeping together in the presence of my child and he said that I should let the child go stay somewhere else. I wondered why he wanted my child to leave and I told him that what if I did not want to sleep with him anymore, he said then I would have to give up the cow.
I felt so relieved, decided to get my child and we went back home without taking the cow. He later on sent me my belongings. Thanks be to God. Life was not easy at all because I did not have any money nor a single cow for 3 years that was a real storm. Terrible storm. But Christ overcame them all. Neighbors could no longer laugh at us because Christ provided us with everything in the home and we were no longer miserable. Many women were worried that I would steal their men but Christ overcame all the bad spirits and I never did that. I never took any man’s money hindering them from taking care of their families. Christ took care of all that. 3 full years with no single cow! God is great indeed. The storm was too heavy for us but Christ overcame it. The storm was over to the point that you tested HIV negative! Amidst all the stress and misery, I regained my happiness from the Almighty God who fought all my battles. For as long as you feel inside you that you are sick, your skin will start looking pale and trust me as long as you are unwell, even your own cow will tell. Even when you go to sleep angry and bitter, it will be evident the following day.
So every time I felt weak, I would actually fall sick. My heart would keep reminding me that my husband died of AIDS but I was lucky because I was finally born again and I had seen Christ do wonders in my life. My brother took me to a clinic and they secretly took a blood sample from me to carry out an HIV test. Those days, results never used to come out immediately. We went back the following day and when the doctor gave me the paper with my results, my brother grabbed it from me. He was called Katana George and may his soul rest in eternal peace. May the almighty God look after his home and children because he played a big role in my life during that trying time? I knew George so well. He took the papers to every hospital simply to confirm my HIV results which were negative. He screamed with joy that I was HIV negative and I couldn’t believe that he had gone ahead to have an HIV test done on me without my knowledge. But thanks be to God, I was found HIV negative. Praise be to God. I am so grateful to God once again. He overcame that storm as well. He overcame the AIDS disease as well. I urge all of you to follow Christ because you could be denying yourselves a breakthrough or a miracle yet He is the solution to all your problems.
Many young people are scared of having children for fear of the responsibilities that comes with it. The Christ who enabled me raise and take care of my children, will do the same for you. You come across a woman who tells you that her husband said they shouldn’t have children as yet and you wonder. Christ who saw me raise my children will do the same for them only if they trust in Him. If you don’t trust in Him, you will die miserable. Stop fighting storms because there is an almighty God who can overcome them. Do not worry about the responsibilities that come with raising children and leave it to God. My children were able to study like other children. They also contribute to the building of churches and schools. There is a Lord that overcomes all storms. The Lord overcame all of them indeed. He helped me overcome the storm for 3 years. He comforted me, got me out of the deepest end because he wanted me to shine. Like a star. Here I am shinning like a star. I am so grateful to Him for the wonders He did in my life. He built me a home and took good care of it.
When people came for my husband’s burial, they left their cars, motorbikes and bicycles at places where there were good roads because our area was all bushy but by His grace, we now have good roads in our area. He overcame all that as well. Many people might not understand what I am talking about but if you score the right goal with Christ, you will know that He is Almighty. Imagine He saved me from catching the deadly AIDS disease, may His name be glorified. If you trust in Him, you can never die of any disease. I cried out to Him in every sense of it and He came to my rescue. Some people never believed when I told them that Christ had saved me from catching AIDS. They have no idea where Christ got me from. I doubt whether that kind of poverty still exists. Because people seem to be living a good life despite the nature of their jobs. You find a housemaid with very beautiful hairstyles, wearing expensive jewelry and using sophisticated body oils. One recently asked us to buy her a rare kind of body oil which I had never heard of before.
But there is one who is greater than all of them. Imagine me who had nothing at all. From the village and I now in a gallery shop in Nakasero! Thanks be to God. My entire family as well as my in laws all know where I am now. I have not been a shame to them. And I still look young and energetic. I have never called and cried to them for anything all thanks be to God. I have not disappointed them in any way. The Lord overcame all that. I have not been a shame to them. I am thankful to the Almighty God for seeing me through the hard time. I let go of everything else and decided to preach about Christ and that is the reason why I am here today. My body is a bit weak with a number of aliments but if it had not been for trusting in the Lord, I would be admitted in a hospital right now. I did everything really fast so that I could be here today. I did not know about this place and I pray to the Almighty God to fight all your battles. The Lord did that already. I want to tell you once again that I was never a shame to my people. I put everything else aside and decided that Christ who saw me overcome then, will always enable me overcome. I am so grateful to the heavenly father.
I no longer wear makeup like I used to in the past I trust my appearance with the Lord and I decided to serve Him. Many people are not happy with my current appearance, they say I used to look better in the past. They should know that there is a God who is greater than all that. You sometimes find women much older than me busy dying their hair. I would like to thank the Almighty God who made me overcome all that. I am so sorry if I have offended anyone. But, there is one who is greater than everything. Let me read you this scripture, Proverbs 16:31; “Gray hair is a crown of splendor, it is attained in the way of righteousness.” Hallelujah, praise be to God. It is not only women who dye their hair, men do so as well. It reads that; “Gray hair is a crown of splendor.” Christ relieved me of the storm of dying my hair as well. I do not care how people see me; Christ overcame all that. Dying my hair was another storm that Christ overcame. Praise God. There is a scripture in Job 8:5 which reads that; “But if you will seek God earnestly and plead with the Almighty, if you are pure and upright, even now he will rouse himself on your behalf and restore your prosperous state.”
When I sought Him, He rose Himself on my behalf. Christ was able to handle all my shortfalls and challenges. Read the next verse. Chapter 7 reads; “Even if your beginning was humble, however in the coming days, you will prosper.” Chapter 21 reads; “He will yet fill your mouth with laughter and your lips with shouts of joy.” Initially I never knew the goodness of God but when I did, I glorify His name He has done wonders for me. Hebrews 13:13 reads; “Let us, then, go to him outside the camp, bearing the disgrace he bore.” I am simply a servant of God. We thank the Lord for using you to spread His word. I am humbled to be invited here to serve the one who created me. There is someone out there who was about to give up because of the storm that has hit them, They shouldn’t give up at all because the Almighty God is the solution to everything. I am not complaining at all because the mighty God overcame all my storms. Imagine someone who studied up to the level of P.2 to preach the gospel to university students at UCU! Imagine me preaching to soon to be graduates! He overcame every storm indeed. Indeed, He overcame all my burdens and my heart towards life changed. And with that, I give thanks to the Lord. Thank you so much for hosting me.
