In the "Pearl of Africa": February 2009

Meet Joseph Epedu. He is the 46 year old pastor of a small village church in Nakatunya, Soroti, Uganda. I sat down with him and listened as he shared his story- one perhaps quite unlike many Western pastors.

He grew up in Amuria District, near Soroti. His mother, one of many wives of her husband had the full responsibility of providing for her children’s needs. This was much to bear so young Joseph helped her out by working in neighbor’s gardens, gleaning what was left from the harvest, saving some for their own sustenance but also selling some at the market.

During his years in school, he continued to help out and provide by gardening, cooking, construction, shepherding, and also selling cattle. It was a very difficult balance of providing for family and earning an education. Often the education suffered, especially in his grade 10 year where he had no time to study for exams because he was busy tending to his uncle’s cattle; he would have to travel distances of up to 90 kilometers to treat the cows. Soon, Karamajong warrior and raiders stole the 150 animals that belonged to this Ateso man.

Later in his high school, he found out that he had tuberculosis; this really weighed heavy on him and he quit going to school, not seeing the point because he was going to die soon. He began taking injections which helped but hope was still dismal. Then one night he had a dream.

When he was in the Church of Uganda, they had taught him a vow and this vow came to mind in his dream. It said something to the effect: “You said that you would never part from the Lord, but now, if you die, as you are sick, what answer will you give the Lord?”

Conviction gripped his soul. Next the voice asked, “Why aren’t you going to church?” It had been one year. He determined that he had to find a way to get back to church. The next day he found his dusty Bible and started on his way towards St. Peter’s Church of Uganda. On his way, a believer came and caught him. He took him by the hand and offered to walk together, for he was also on his way to prayers. As they travelled the way, the brother took Joseph on another route which led into a Pentecostal/Baptist church.

The man who was leading the service was a man that Joseph had harassed at a road block, while he was a security guard in Nakatunya. He and some other guards had demanded money and supplies off him. At this time in his life, he was a drunkard and an absent husband and provider.

Immediately, Joseph was convicted and a bit scared, seeing the man at the front whom he has harassed; Joseph tried to find a seat where he wouldn’t be seen.

The man who had brought Joseph in, left and headed towards the front of the church, where he began to lead worship. Soon in the service, an American missionary began to preach. Conviction filled Joseph’s heart, as the preacher began to weep. In his heart he learned that that the reason the missionary was crying was because of him… “It’s only you that he is crying for. These other people are saved, it’s only you.” He became very broken. He humbled himself, and listened to the voice that told him to tell the preacher that he had accepted Christ.

Then the alter call came. He didn’t waste any time, he was up at the front. Kneeling in tears. The man he had harassed laid his hands on him and prayed for him…

After that, he came out and asked his friend what he should do now, that he was saved. This friend became a great mentor and friend. They would walk together and talk about Scripture and how it applied to their lives. A nephew also helped greatly in his discipleship; he was Joseph’s best teacher, instructing him about many topics and even leading him in experiences of miracles taking place while they were praying.

They continued to work together preaching and evangelizing in the surrounding areas. On one occasion, they attended the service of a nearby Baptist church. The church was a mess, 3 languages were spoken. The pastor who had to borrow a bike also had to travel 15 kilometers to church. When he arrived he was asked to greet the church. Before he sat, they asked for his help with interpretation. At the end of the service, he was asked, “Can you help us? Can you lead this church?”

They knew his testimony and they trusted him. So in 1995, two years after becoming a Christian, Joseph took on the role of pastoring. His training was not in a Western seminary or even a Bible College. This man with the equivalent of a grade 10 education began pasturing. His teacher was life experience which taught him that resiliency, courage, hard work, and intensity can get you very far. Also, the time under his nephew and the evangelistic work they did together prepared him for the task. It sounds liked Christ is still calling ‘fisherman’ and ‘tradesmen’ to become leaders in his church, much like the disciples he called.

I asked him about his experience as a pastor- what it is like to lead the Lord’s flock in his church. Here are some of the questions and answers that followed.

What does your average week look like? It is mostly spent looking for ways to provide for my family. I am not a full-time pastor. I have a family of 9 children, 3 of which are orphans which I have adopted. I would not be a good example if I did not take care of my family.

What are the greatest joys facing you as a pastor: For me the most interesting part is fulfilling the goals that God has shown me; especially when I do something that bears fruit in glory to God- to push on with God’s work. I have visions that keep on coming; they come related to God’s work, and they give me a burden to see that they are accomplished. Building the church was such a service. To complete that, was something that others never thought possible.

What are the greatest challenges facing you as a pastor: Many! 1. Lack of training. Most pastors in Uganda and Teso(75%) aren’t trained. Churches survive with pastors who are not trained but have the zeal to lead. 2. Pastors who have no support from their church or outside the church. Support is not there. You have to fight for your family and how you may sustain it. 3. Literacy. Most pastors can access only vernacular Bibles, few pastors have study Bibles, with more information. 4. Transport. When you become a pastor, travelling is a problem, no bicycle. And if God has given you a burden to visit many churches, to deliver a teaching or encouragement, but you can’t get there is is very frustrating.

Who Jesus Christ is to you in one word: Savior

The Word of God: Food (for the spirit)

Suggestion for pastor trainers: Subjects? 1. Pastor’s character- the pastor’s way of life when he is in church, how he presents himself. For he presents God, when he preaches. So that when he stands, he stands as an ambassador of God. 2. The way of writing sermons, to be trained in how to write it, how to bring it, how to be clear; it must go the people the way God wants it. 3. To see that you sustain yourself as a pastor. If you cannot take care of your family, why should God give you a flock to take care of? Often a pastor may go forget his family and claim that he is going to work for God, but when he comes home he is not in a good mood with his family. Then you aren’t ready to help your family’s need.

What are the greatest spiritual strongholds in Soroti: 1. Drunkenness. It makes people really idle, after work they want to drink and do not look out for their families, but only spend money on booze. It develops other problems such as fornication. They end up wasting all resources., and the family suffers. 2. Idleness. Those who don’t drink are also affected by idleness, even pastors. It is the course of poverty, of weakness in the church. 3. Dependency. When missionaries came to Africa, they developed leaders who were dependent on them. Soon, the Africans looked to missionaries to give money, medicine, and any kind of need. To get rid of that is to get people to work for their need, so that they can help themselves and the need around them. 4. Culture. It forbids people to listen to Christ. It overlooks the Bible. As Christians we forbid drinking, but the culture in Teso says that it is ok. Booze is put on a babies tongue at a very young age. Cultural beliefs, such as the demonic are the challenge. Poverty comes from all these things, drinking, idleness…

Advice to pastors to be: 1. Wait for God. If it is God’s calling, one should test if God is calling to be a Pastor or a minister. Often people come to try to work as pastor when they are really a minister. If I am an evangelist and want to become a pastor, and open a church, that it bad. One must test himself, to see if God has really called you. 2. Should be a man who is passionate- completely passionate. For there will come many challenges, many from within the church. He will be blamed, accused, but if you don’t have the courage or standing firm, you will respond badly. 3. Begin with you family, listen to your family. 4. Marriage is a good thing for a pastor, for it is a danger to pastor girls and fall into sin.

While waiting in Kumi (nearby town) for a police report for the car that Bill and his friends totalled, we stole off down the road to check out a recent heritage site: Nyero Painted Rocks. Apparently they are thousands of years old, but no one is quite sure. We had a local take us through the 3 different sites. It's too bad that these sites are not being preserved as well as they could be, as one site was semi destroyed when the LRA camped out in this area and another one is being slowly washed away by the rain. The locales here continue to celebrate their heritage and took great pride in telling us the varied meanings of each painting.

Painting #1

Inside the cave where painting #1 is... this is where LRA rebels would come to camp when they were in the area.

Tim and Jo with our tour guide... a 70 year old Ugandan who was featured in the book "The Eye of the Storm", if anyone has heard of it...

Painting #2: a high stone wall

These are the paintings that are being slowly washed away by rain

No need for dryers here in this warm climate

The boulders are the mountains here

Painting #3: Inside a cave

View from inside the cave

What happens when you breed a cactus with a tree?

Overall, a good visit.

While waiting in Kumi (nearby town) for a police report for the car that Bill and his friends totalled, we stole off down the road to check out a recent heritage site: Nyero Painted Rocks. Apparently they are thousands of years old, but no one is quite sure. We had a local take us through the 3 different sites. It's too bad that these sites are not being preserved as well as they could be, as one site was semi destroyed when the LRA camped out in this area and another one is being slowly washed away by the rain. The locales here continue to celebrate their heritage and took great pride in telling us the varied meanings of each painting...