JINJA, Uganda (BP)–A father’s faithfulness after his two sons were kidnapped opened the way for scores of people to come to Christ in Kitgum, Uganda.
Two sons of Simon Nono’s were among six children kidnapped when anti-government rebels invaded his village in northern Uganda. His other three children were beaten to force the family to surrender its money. The entire village was robbed, both of possessions and children.
But even after the attack, Nono remained faithful to God’s calling on his life. Following the invasion, he continued to attend classes at Uganda Baptist Seminary, requiring him to travel a full day south to Jinja for the three-week term.
“Simon showed his faith in God by coming to UBS despite the family’s losses,” said Jack Frost, an International Mission Board missionary who serves as the seminary’s principal.
Nono’s classmates were so moved by his family’s faithfulness that the students took up an offering for him. A Baptist hunger relief program also was relocated from Lira to a village near Nono’s home.
Since Nono’s village is part of a large protected camp, Kitgum district government officials came to help distribute the nine tons of food that arrived. When an evangelistic message was shared following the food distribution, 60 people prayed to receive Christ as their Lord.
“The government officials were so moved by the events they gave the new believers a school for the new fellowship to meet in,” Frost said.
Another 34 people became Christians when Ugandan Baptist pastor Jasper Dongo returned to preach for the new fellowship.
And God didn’t forget Nono’s faithfulness. His two sons eventually escaped from the rebels and were reunited with their family.
The youngest brother escaped from the rebels one day after being taken captive; his brother did not escape for another month.
Rebels have kidnapped thousands of young Acholi and Langi boys and girls during the last 15 years, Frost said. The children are kept as the soldiers’ slaves. Some children are sexually abused.
Rebels often use terror tactics to brainwash the boys to fight their own people. If the children refuse, they are maimed or killed.
“Pray for peace in northern Uganda and for this crime against humanity to be stopped,” Frost said. “Pray for the love of God to change people’s lives and to give them hope.”
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