80% of Uganda is engaged in agriculture. The healthy economy of the 1960s was crippled in 1972 by the expulsion of the Asian business community, and then virtually destroyed by tyranny and wars. It has steadily improved since 1992. Under previous government regimes there were restrictions on persecuted Christians, but there is now freedom of religion.
In 1918, as a group of AIM missionaries made their way to Congo from Kenya, they were held up in Uganda waiting for one of their members to recover from severe sickness. Whilst there the Church Mission Society (CMS) asked them to help feed those facing starvation during a famine that year as CMS had a shortage of personnel. Following this, the group was then asked to stay and help reach out to the people west of the Nile, where CMS were yet to share the love of Jesus.
So, AIM settled in Arua and baptised the first 26 new believers. Although the church in that area got off to a slow start, 40 years later, thousands had been baptised, hundreds of churches were in existence, and Ugandan Christians were being ordained as pastors in the West Nile area.
Now, in the 21st century, a 2002 census showed that approximately 80% of the country’s population said they were Christian. As a result, the work of AIM is directed towards encouraging believers to live their whole lives in a biblical way. We work together to share the love of God with those we come across and look to engage the unreached within Uganda, in neighbouring countries and throughout the world. Those who come to work with AIM in Uganda do so alongside Ugandans in many different situations, from youth work to hospital work, schools, hospitals, orphanages, businesses and farms.
An Ik legend tells how God created the herder, letting cattle down from heaven by a rope and giving the cattle, together with spears, to one group of people. To the other group (the Ik) he gave only the digging stick with the order never to kill. They are very proud of their culture but what does daily life look like for them?
Although there have been four churches planted in the Timu Forest, Uganda, there are few true believers. Many gospel sharing missions into the Ik territory have occurred, but hardly any discipleship has been implemented to develop new converts into mature believers.
When Christoph and Heidi Rauch, first gave their lives to the Lord, they felt stirrings toward global mission. Yet it was only after decades of quiet, internal preparation that they finally boarded a plane for Africa.
Beads are often worn in Uganda, as in many other African countries. Why not download these instructions to try making some beads out of paper?
A prayer cube can be a fun way to help you when you pray. Roll the cube and use whatever it lands on to help you pray to God.
The Ik people call their language Icetod, which means ‘Ik-speech’ or ‘Ik-talk’. It is noted to be a “severely endangered” language. Why not have a go at saying a few words yourself?
