A special note: We are dedicating the 2022 programs to the memory of Neill H. Nutter, father of David Nutter; and John and Joanne Emmons, parents of Sarah Nutter. David and Sarah are long-time Empower ministers and board members. Both Neill and John died during the pandemic, and Sarah’s mother Joanne passed away recently due to an accident. Our deepest sympathies to the Nutters and their family.
Empower Uganda President Pastor Joyce Ouko, and her husband Rev. Julius Ouko, recently returned to Tororo in Northern Uganda to facilitate another New Man, New Woman, New Life seminar. The training was held Aug. 17-19 at Zion Assemblies of God. Joyce and Julius were assisted by Isaac Oketch, and our Empower Africa Director Frank Tweheyo was able to speak briefly to the group by phone.
Here is Joyce’s report:
We thank our mobilizer for this group, Pastor Solomon Nyapidi. He is the Lead Pastor of Zion Assemblies of God Church, Apokor, Tororo North. After attending a NMNW training in Malaba last month, Pastor Solomon decided this training should be offered at his church as well.
About 90 percent of the 34 who attended and successfully completed the training were pastors and their spouses. These attendees, all of whom were married, were pastors of different churches within North Tororo and Bugiri, another nearby district.
Being aware of the strong cultural pressures in Uganda, we have all reasons to thank God for EIM for empowering the church and the entire communities in Uganda.
We were delighted that about 90 percent of the attendees came with their spouses. This fits very well the message of NMNWNL. Also, as pastors, our prayer is that the attendees will share the message of Empower with their congregations. In fact, we already have several invitations to share the training with other groups in the area.
Impact stories
- Pastor Solomon Nyapidi, Zion Assemblies of God (our host), told us that he learned the true meaning of submission. He sent me a message saying that he was able to understand that submission is practiced by both the husband and wife, helping one another to get better in all aspects of life i.e. spiritually, physically, emotionally and socially. He was able to see how his culture had altered its meaning. Culture says that the husband is the only to receive submission, and that the wife only one to offer submission. In the training, he was able to learn that this may be cultural, but it is not biblical. (Submission is mutual.) Both Solomon and his wife Anna said it has been a big burden and bondage not only to them but even the church and community. Now they are setting a good example, they are already experiencing freedom and peace.
- Tonny, who served us as our driver, and is also a youth pastor at the church, attended the training. After the first session, which he attended by himself, he phoned his wife and told her to come from Kampala to join him in the training. She and their baby arrived at midnight that night. She said she never regretted making the trip.
- Anna Nyapidi testifies of getting a better understanding of who was cursed. As we teach in the seminar, God cursed the ground and the serpent, not the man or the woman. This has changed her former understanding of man was cursed, it has been bothering her a lot but after the Empower facilitator explained the Bible verses clearly, she got a very clear understanding. Because of this new information, now her heart is at peace.
- She also understood that much as man was not cursed, he/she suffers the consequences of every sin they commit, so we should not compromise with sin.
- Transparency: Anna confessed before us all in the presence of her husband Solomon how she has been struggling especially in the area of financial transparency. She told us that she operates a small clinic, and she is experiencing her deliverance. She spoke to me by phone a few days after the training and told me that step by step her struggles are disappearing.
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