TLT Testimonies from Katakwi!

By Anthony:

Soon after we moved back to Uganda, we went around with Edward, our colleague from World Renew, to my three Timothy Leadership Training groups in Amuria, Katakwi, and Kaberamaido, in order to collect testimonies about how Timothy Leadership Training has continued to impact them and their churches since the graduation back in January 2016. I am humbled and amazed at what God has done through these leaders and the changes he has brought in their lives. Please continue to pray for them, especially as they start up new TLT groups in the near future. This post includes testimonies from the Katakwi group.

Ogulu Samuel is a branch church pastor (picture below). Offerings at his church used to be about 5000 shillings (around $1), per month. But they have increased to 20,000 per month after he taught the church about giving using lessons from TLT. His marriage has also changed. Now he makes less demands on his wife. For example, he uses less water while bathing and his wife is very happy! (In Uganda it is the women who fetch water from the wells). In church, he is now closer personally to the Christians. He learned from TLT to visit people in the church regularly in order to be close to them. The church members are building him a new house because they appreciate him so much. His preaching has greatly improved, which has also made members want to give more. Sam planted fruit trees at church and then put in a nice fence around the church compound to protect them from animals. 

Ecuman Nelson is an assembly pastor overseeing several branch churches (picture below). In TLT he learned how to make a vertical sermon that directs people to Christ, rather than just telling people what to do. Now he also knows how to read and discover the meaning of a Bible text. He teaches people in his assembly how to prepare sermons using what he learned, and people have appreciated this teaching very much. Because of TLT, now the churches in his assembly are giving reports and accountability of their finances. After the congregation received financial reports, the church members realized how little the pastors were getting paid. Then people started tithing more, and the giving really increased. The pastors in the branch churches are actually getting some small support now. The pastors before would get around 3000 shillings a month (less than $1), but now are getting 10,000-15,000 a month from pastoring. (Remember that pastors are also farmers to support themselves). Nelson is now on the Katakwi coordination team I recently helped to start. He is ready to volunteer his time to start new TLT groups in Katakwi.

Ikabat John is a pastor. He had made a TLT action plan to re-roof the church because the roof had blown off. He and his congregation are still in the process of completing this plan, but they have made good progress. John started church agricultural projects as well. Also in TLT, he learned to be open and honest with his wife. Now they make plans together for their home and children, and it has really strengthened the marriage. He also learned to plant trees from TLT and planted fruit trees in his compound.

Opus Moses is a pastor (picture below). Through what he learned in TLT, he trained committee leaders, treasurers, and pastors on financial stewardship, faithfulness, and accountability. People now are giving generously to church construction because of the new trust and honesty. The record keeping is now very strict. He also taught people to plant trees. He himself planted 100 timber trees, and in the last couple months, he planted 200 more trees. His trees are not only going to benefit the environment, but they are also part of his plan for retirement. I'm very proud of his long range planning in a culture where many people only think of the needs of today without planning for the future. Moses is now on the Katakwi coordination team to volunteer his time to start new TLT groups in Katakwi.

Obwalinga Mesach is a pastor and TLT was the first training of any kind he received to help him be a pastor. He taught the whole church some of the lessons from TLT manuals. The church membership increased. He began to get visits from people in the community who are not his church members and he was able to counsel them. Back at his church, he taught people that they have resources around which they can use, and so they made their own bricks to build the church using their own strength. Through learning planning in TLT, he was able to build a three room house for his family and planted trees in his compound. He also learned to collect plastic rubbish and now the community is following his example to clean their area. Mesach is now on the Katakwi coordination team to volunteer his time to start new TLT groups in Katakwi.

Odukatum Robert is the ministry coordinator for the pastorate (picture below). Right now he is cultivating a possible opportunity to start a new TLT group in another area of Uganda. TLT has helped him to become a good teacher. Because of TLT, he has been teaching people about managing time as God’s resource and been appreciated by many people. He learned that God can use challenges for our own benefit. He learned to be a good steward of his livestock by vaccinating them and treating them. Now he has family meetings and he shares plans together with his wife. The two of them also share plans with the children. They made a family mission statement and vision statement. Robert ordered 500 teak trees he will plant also because of TLT. Robert is the team leader for the new Katakwi coordination team. He has a passion to volunteer his time to start new TLT groups in Katakwi.