Please Meet...

...Danze.

A few month ago I introduced you to a dear friend of mine, a remarkable young woman named Fauza. You can read about Fauza in a post here.

I have another young person I'd like you to get to know - Danze (pronounced Dan-zee) Fred.

Danze

Honestly, I have met few young people like him - either in Uganda or in the U.S. - someone who is sold out to Jesus, incredibly passionate about sharing the Gospel, focused on his goals, and a very hard worker.

Danze is a relatively young Christian, yet you wouldn't know that by the great strides he has made in his faith and witness.

One of 12 children born to poor parents, Danze saw it as a "God-made" opportunity for him and his brother to be taken in by an uncle who lives on the islands. Danze was in primary (elementary) school at the time and the uncle began paying for the boys' school tuition. The opportunity later disappeared, though, as the uncle went bankrupt.

Danze's yearning for studies motivated him and impressed his teachers. When sent home for lack of money for tuition, Danze would make charcoal, having to miss two to three weeks of classes at a time. At other times the teachers took pity on him, and allowed him to stay. Because of his hard work and dedication, Danze was selected in 2011 for sponsorship by SHIM.

Though not yet a born-again believer when he enrolled in our island secondary school in 2009, Danze's thirst for the Word of God propelled him to attend anything he could to learn more, including Bible studies, Sunday and mid-week services, and prayer times. He couldn't seem to get enough of God's truth.

Yet, there was an intense battle for his soul and eternal destiny.

One evening after classes in his second year, as he returned to his small rented house in the village, Danze suffered a demonic attack. His body became paralyzed, extreme cold overtook him, and he was unable to see or speak.

"They (the demons) were claiming my life," Danze recounts. “Today we are killing you,” the spirits told him. However, another "Voice" instructed him to call on Christ. Though unable to speak, Danze cried out for Jesus in his spirit.

As he cried out for Christ, he began to recover. A bright light then appeared in the house and the Voice asked, “What do you see?” When he said he couldn't see, the Voice replied, “Open your eyes and see…You are seeing darkness, but light has come into this house.”

Danze was told to open his Bible to John 11:25 - “Jesus told her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone one who believes in me will live, even after dying.’” The same chapter tells of Lazarus’ resurrection and indeed Danze felt as if he was like Lazarus, - once dead, but raised to new life. 

That very evening, Danze trusted in Christ for salvation and and eternal life. As instructed by the Voice, he shared John 11:25 with his fellow students in a service the following evening. A short time later, Danze was among a group of local believers, including a number of students, to be baptized in Lake Victoria.

Danze, second from left, is baptized March 13, 2011. Also pictured are David, former school guard, Pastor Andy Smith, and Peter, a former elder in the local church.

Danze has been an impassioned minister ever since - faithfully sharing with his peers, the local believers and islanders, and more recently in the largest school in Jinja, on the streets there, in the hospitals, and wherever God calls him. The year after his conversion, Danze began chairing the island school's Scripture Union, a student-led mid-week service, as well as faithfully counseling and encouraging his fellow students.

Graduating at the top of his class in 2012, Danze left the island to attend junior college and continue his pursuit of medicine.

This week Danze begins his second year of junior college. While dedicating much of his time and energy to his books, Danze still puts God's work as a high priority in his life. Once the chairman of the Scripture Union for our small school, he now chairs a similar group at his current school - the largest school in the Jinja area, and is a coordinator for the same organization, overseeing 33 Jinja area schools.

It is obvious to me that God has a very special plan for Danze. He stands out from others, like Daniel did, because of his remarkable character, leadership, drive, service, and passion for Christ.

He is the only one of his immediate family to have reached this level of education, and yet he desires to in turn raise his family and others from their "miserable" burden of poverty.

Danze is striving to help his world both physically - aspiring to someday be a doctor, and spiritually - "I cannot leave the Word of God and preaching."

Would you join me in praying for this young man - that God would continue to be with Him and guide him in His ways?

Light Chasing the Darkness

A view of Katonga village on the eastern end of Lingira Island.

 Katonga village had a reputation.

The second largest of the three main villages on the island, Katonga had been known for its stronghold of alcoholism and witchcraft. If you wanted to "party" on the island, go to Katonga. One of the primary witch doctors lived there (until about four years ago when he was eaten by a crocodile).

The oppression and darkness could literally be felt as you entered the village with its random scattering of mud homes, shops and bars. Few of the village's many children attended school.

Churches had started there and later "collapsed" because of sin in the congregation, a lack of a good foundation, and other damaging factors. The remaining Christians were few and despised by their neighbors.

As a ministry of SHIM we often prayed for Katonga for God to bring light and change there.

And He is doing it.

Around two years ago, Philip, an elder in the local church, began teaching discipleship classes for the handful of Katonga believers. Faithfully, he would open his home each week for prayer and Bible study - shining the small light with which he had been entrusted.

Then over days and months other people of the village embraced salvation and those who had been backslid returned to their faith. And the small fellowship began to grow, slowly by slowly.

Members of the Katonga fellowship with other island friends. Elder Philip who started the weekly gathering is pictured fourth from the right. We said goodbye to Philip that day as he moved to the mainland to be with his family.

 Oliver, a mother of many, came to salvation after her home was burned by fire and the local Christians reached out to her as she spent most of her days under a tree with her young family.

On a recent Sunday, Andrew of Katonga stood before the church and told of being away from Christ for about eight years and having recently returned. Viewed as a "pastor" on the island, there is no doubt that his wayward ways had also caused others to stumble. And yet, the "prodigal" had come back. (I put pastor in quotes because of the many island pastors have had no formal training - some cannot read or write - and yet are put in leadership positions in the church.)

In those eight years as a prodigal, Andrew spoke of being "caned" by God as his Heavenly Father attempted to get his attention. "God has been wanting me to serve, but I have always refused," he said on that recent Sunday.

In those years, he lost several thousand dollars and suffered the death of three children, including his only son. It was at the burial of this dear and long-awaited son, that Andrew turned again to the truth of God's Word and realized how far he had fallen.

Now, Andrew says, "I have come back to serve."

He and his wife knelt before the church to be prayed for as a couple and a family. It will take some time for Andrew to recover the ground he lost and to again be fed with the "milk" of the Word, so he can someday teach and lead others, including his own family.

One of the women of Katonga being baptized in 2011. She and her husband were among the local leaders, before leaving the island later in 2011.

 It's a good thing that God is patient. With all of us.

Even as Katonga appeared to be so "dark" for so long, God's light was there. He never gave up on Katonga. By His grace and faithfulness that light has grown and is expanding.

Now Katonga is an example to the other island communities and its believers are challenging others by their growing faith and godly examples. Presently, the majority of the village's children attend school and families go to church together.

Since the Fall God has been working to restore mankind to Himself. Some areas and some people seem harder to "reach," yet God does - not - give - up. He loves His children so much that He will continue to pursue them, even the prodigal with the hardest of hearts.

I praise God for His love and faithfulness toward Katonga and its people. And I look forward to the work He will continue and accomplish there.

"And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns." - Philippians 1:6

Agony - Destiny - Triumph

 "The agony in Gethsemane is the agony of the Son of God in fulfilling His destiny as the Saviour of the world.  The veil is drawn aside to reveal all it cost Him to make it possible for us to become sons of God. 

"His agony is the basis of the simplicity of our salvation.

"The Cross of Christ is a triumph for the Son of Man.  It was not only a sign that Our Lord had triumphed, but that He had triumphed to save the human race.  

"Every human being can get through into the presence of God now because of what the Son of Man went through."

- Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest, April 5th entry