Revelation and Hope for Recovery
Then young women will dance and be glad, young men and old as well. I will turn their mourning into gladness; I will give them comfort and joy instead of sorrow (Jer 31:13).
The Chaplain who has served longest at Kakumba Chapel, Rev Canon Ephraim Musiime was promoted to glory two years ago on 07th Jan 2016. Musiime broke ground for a phenomenal growth of this Chapel both physically and in ministry frontiers during a period that saw Kyambogo Institutions grow and merge in 2011 into the present University. He served as Chaplain from 1992 to 2005. He went on to serve as Diocesan Secretary and ministered even more widely, especially encouraging young ministers under training at College and in initial placements. His legacy is etched in both physical infrastructural developments he pioneered and in the hearts of many people he blessed through his intentional ministry.
At this same time, we also celebrate the life of the former Archbishop Livingstone Mpalanyi-Nkoyoyo who passed on just two days ago; he blessed the world with his unique gifts and passion for serving the Lord – a great example that we must behold and emulate. It is during such celebrations that we must remember hope, a message that comes to light in Jeremiah’s four chapters (30-33) after 29 chapters of gloomy prophetic discourse. Now we read in Chapter 31, ‘I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness’ and ‘I will turn their mourning into gladness’, plus comfort for Rachel who was weeping for her children (v.3, 13, 16). Our hope comes from God, and His promises are trustworthy and real.
I was sorely attacked by our leaders recently. I was attacked for speaking out on perils affecting my people for which God is concerned. In fact the concerned Church in her different embodiments was criticized. In difficult times people look to every possible direction for hope; in Uganda today, those who do not see the challenges and failures with our systems of governance and public administration feel the pinch through economic difficulties incarnated through high prices of goods, high cost of doing business and high cost of services that would have been otherwise provided by the government to which Ugandans and well-wishers contribute through taxes and donations.
Like the miraculous revelation that came to the wise gentile men of the East who came to worship the new born King in Judea, the Lord Almighty is in the business of revealing his salvation to unsuspecting peoples. Let us not lose hope, but hold onto the God of light and all comfort and hope – even for the betterment of our nation and the region at large. Let us incessantly call on the God of our salvation, and He will heal our wounds and heal our nation.