Moses Lukwago, GNU Volunteer, Tells His Story

Mar 1, 2016 1803

Moses Lukwago and his wife Esther

Greetings! I am Moses Adder Lukwago and I come from Uganda in East Africa. I am married and my wife and I have been blessed with four boys.

I came to know about GNU through brother David Kayumba, who set me on a new course. I had been experiencing a spiritual identity crisis. I was a religious person, trying to follow all the rules, but knowing little about the true gospel of Jesus Christ. Then, through the preaching of the Gospel, I found joy and freedom in Christ. The Gospel released me from the yoke of religion as I discovered the true purpose and meaning of the Cross. I am not a theologian like David; in fact, I saw myself as less than the fishermen Jesus had invited to be his disciples.

My long-time friend David was not content just to share the Gospel with me. The Gospel asks for a response.

“Moses, create a choir!” What a clever way to approach me! I love singing and I have been directing choirs for the better part of my life. When I was at university with David, I directed the university chorale. Was it a case of “Here I am, Lord, send me”? Oh, I had to laugh, because David and Eliezer had got me! Eli had even talked to me on the phone in Belgium about a choir, and so things started to happen fast.

David was coming to Uganda, with huge boxes of books translated into our local languages: Luganda for Uganda, Kinyarwada for Rwanda, Swahili for Congolese refugees, Kenyans and Tanzanians who live in Uganda. That was how my home became a volunteer warehouse for GNU. I thank you GNU for having chosen my home to be a store for this wonderful book, Jesus Only, a book that has proved to have the key to unlock the spiritual chains of so many people.

Now, I am proud to be a volunteer for GNU. I can talk with confidence about the gospel; I can explain in simple terms about righteousness as a free gift of God through Jesus Christ’s death for us on the Cross, and that we can have salvation instantly by truly accepting Jesus as our only righteousness. I explain how Jesus on the Cross had sin on him, but not in him, whereas we who accept him will have no sin on us even though it remains in us for now. We may not be able to change our sinful natures, but we are still counted righteous through the sacrifice of Christ on the Cross. This is the point at which the Gospel parts ways with much of religion. I love referring to Chapters 6 and 21 of Jesus Only, which explain this so clearly.

In the course of my induction into GNU, David and I visited the remote places of western Uganda to spread the Gospel by preaching, teaching and handing out our book Jesus Only. We also received a donation of Rwandese Bibles from GNU, and we gave them to the rebel soldiers of M23. I wish you could have seen their faces!

I was so excited to be involved with the choir for ten days far away from my home, in a crusade alongside GNU partners African Evangelistic Enterprises. And every day, no matter where I am, I find people with whom I can share the Gospel, using extracts from Jesus Only.

Recently, GNU offered me the opportunity to be part of the youth conference run in partnership with Spring of Hope in Jinja Kangulumila Nazigo trading centre. Spring of Hope is run by Teresha, who is English, and her husband Israel, who is Ugandan. Rebecca Gonzalez and Amy Adcock from GNU in Australia graced this function and Rebecca was the main guest preacher.

My role was to provide all the support I could to the ladies and to Bonifresh. I interpreted the preaching, drove them to their appointments, advised them on the local culture and customs, ran errands, and was always there when they needed me.

Rebecca was the sole preacher at this conference. She presented the gospel simply, with many stories and parables from Jesus’ teaching. I remember, she told the story of the bleeding woman who touched the garment of Christ and was healed. This was a very meaningful story for the audience, many of whom were traumatised from problems in their lives. Rebecca deserves great commendation for her relevant and beautiful messages.

Rebecca and Amy also made many home visits to the families with children afflicted with severe neural malfunctions, who receive free medication and physiotherapy at the Spring of Hope clinic. The families with handicapped children are devastated financially, but even worse is the social isolation they suffer. Their culture believes that a handicapped child is a manifestation of a serious curse on the family, and they are traumatised as a result. So the message of the Gospel is as important as the medical support for them.

The young ladies also had opportunity to practise their midwifery training. They were booked into various maternity clinics and the Kangulumila hospital. They had a very busy schedule, which they stuck to even when they were unwell. I was always on hand to drive them to their appointments and interpret for them when they were examining the mothers.

Now that they have returned to Australia, I am back to my volunteer work with GNU. I visit individuals, share the Gospel with them, and give them our book Jesus Only. I am also working with the choir, preparing music for more Gospel meetings and campaigns. And I am looking forward to other assignments with GNU.

God be with you all.

Moses Lukwago