Behind Closed Doors: WHO IS GOD’S WIFE?

AS young as I was in the late 1980s I had already sensed that there was a problem in God’s kingdom. We had been indoctrinated in Sunday Schools to believe the fact that Jesus was the son of God and Mary the mother of Jesus. But when one Sunday I asked my Sunday school teacher whether Mary was the wife of God, she almost slammed the door into my face. She was so furious that I regretted why I had asked such an obvious question. I was also reprimanded by my grand mom who was by then my guardian never to keep asking such stupid questions on Sunday.

As years went by, I discovered that Mary’s real husband was named Joseph. And that this Joseph wasn’t the real father of Jesus Christ, perhaps Jesus was a step son of Joseph. So Mary had two husbands. I thought. Or she somehow somewhere committed adultery with another husband and got a child out of wedlock. “When did Mary give birth to Jesus?” I asked one of my friends, a son of a Chaplain.

“I really do not know,” the Chaplain’s son replied, “But what I know is that she got pregnant before her wedding.”

“Joseph might have been a very enduring man,” I said, “How could he accept to wed another man’s woman who was even carrying his baby?”

“But she conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit”, exclaimed the Chaplain’s son.

“Even if you were the one dating Mary,” I replied looking straight in his eyes, “Would you have believed such a naked lie that your girlfriend had conceived of the Holy Spirit?”

“An Angel of God told Joseph perhaps in a dream that the young woman he was dating was pregnant of the Saviour of the world,” answered the Chaplain’s son and immediately changed the topic.

Later in life when I heard that some staunch Moslems had risen up in arms to sabotage the influence of the mushrooming Born-again culture that was eating up Uganda’s villages and cities like bushfire, I looked through their cause. They were claiming that Born-again Christians had made Jesus their God because they insist that he is the son of God. So the Islamic faithful stressed that it was too blasphemous for one to think that God can have an intercourse with a human being to produce a Son. They therefore swore by their sword to put an end to this act of infidels.

 Underground campaigns were already underway and sooner than later Islamic crusades took over in retaliation to the already booming Born-again influence in the media and Ugandan culture. This was a real spirited war which saw many Hajjis and Sheiks defect the Islamic faith to join the Pentecostals, and a number of Born-again Pastor’s children joining the enemy’s camp.

It also became a lifestyle for the young generation to identify themselves as savedees a trend which invaded the employment market as well. It was common that most non-governmental organizations and charity groups were filled with Born-again Christians. The business community however was booming with most business owners being staunch Moslems. Though some people claimed that the business world was a scapegoat for fellows who had failed to make it in the academic world, the law of the jungle escalated.

Billboards that advertised Born-again miracle crusades conducted by American Evangelical billionaires were erected all over Kampala city. President Muama Gadaffi of Libya gave Moslems a helping hand by erecting the most magnificent building at Old Kampala that communicated to Kampala the superiority of Islam. Personal vehicles in Kampala and beyond ruled the roads with engravings on their window screens communicating Arabic words like; “Bismillah’, ‘Allah is great’, ‘Inshah Allah’, Tawheed,” etc. But Born-again Christians never seemed to give up so soon. Television stations, Radio Stations and Entertainment industries were rocked by gospel messages by hard-line Born-again preachers all over Uganda. Pastors made selling news headlines every other week in the leading dailies and their fire seemed to be unstoppable.

Islam wasn’t in slumber either. Crazy campaigns of invading church girls and coning them to marry Moslem young men and Hajjis also sprung up from within the Born-again community. Every young man who convinced a Born-again girl and managed to woo her, a brand new reward awaited him in Islam. The church was at the verge of disintegration as it was even proved that there were more born-gain young ladies than men. So many of the girls had reached their mid-life crisis but without any Born-again man proposing to marry them. Moslem guys therefore took advantage of such desperate young ladies and put them in the family way.

The war wasn’t over yet. The Nigerian movie industry was booming in Uganda like never before. Everywhere you go, you could hear people in groups talking about or watching Nigerian movies. However, most of these movies had a similar trend that exalted the power of Jesus Christ over witchcraft, religion and ungodliness. And every TV station, Christian or secular telecasted these movies day and night all over Uganda. Moslems cried foul play when they claimed that America’s Hollywood was pumping dollars in Nigeria’s Nollywood to spread America’s evangelical imperialism in Africa.

However, the struggle continued and involved passionate young men and women in high schools and colleges all over the country. The battle for souls was up in air and the time had come for every person to take his or her ground and make a lifetime decision that could end in perdition or eternity.

One of my fellow Cell (a Christian home fellowship) members was a young man called Ignatius Balayo who was soon joining College. He was a very committed Christian who got a scholarship to have his college studies in Algeria one of the Islamic states in North Africa. I was a little hurt that this young man was going to such a state. He went and I took long to hear from him on how he was coping with the Islamic culture in Algiers. However convictions kept coming my way until I decided to send him a mail and have a glimpse of what was really going on. So I wrote:

“Dear Ignatius. Praise God! I suppose this is the shock of your life to receive my mail from this land where the Nile escapes from. I always hear rumors that River Nile is a lake in North Africa! Is it true? Any way, how are you brother? This is Michael a member from Susan’s Cell in Bweyogerere Kampala. Do you still remember me? Oh my God! I hope you’re still in the Lord. Someone told me that it is a criminal offence to mention the name of Jesus in Algiers. That those circumcised guys can blow your brains out or keep you in chains! Is it true? Do you still receive manna and the quails in that wilderness? Or do you still remember TBN, LTV or Power FM in our motherland?

“Ignatius, for us in the Pearl of Africa we’re still enjoying God’s awesome power and incredible love with lots of cakes and ale. KPC is bursting at the seams growing up to over 18,000 believers with Eastern being the fastest growing District under the humorous Pastor Mark. Susan disclosed to us that you’re opening up a Cell in Algiers! That was a very brilliant initiative and thoughtful of you. How many Cell members are you so far? Do you still preach the Gospel of love to those guys? Please strain your nerve and bring multitudes to the light. By the way, do you still know how to speak English? I hear that you guys speak better French than the French! Is the celebrated footballer Zinedine Zidane a citizen of Algiers these days?

“Goodness, how are you coping with that ‘cold’ environment? Isn’t it affecting your studies? Are those guys more co-operative than us Ugandans? Oh my God, how I miss to see you Ignatius!

“Our Cell is growing and multiplying as each one reaches at least one. But most of the Cell members (male and female) are still singles! I wonder whether we’re searching or being searched! Can you imagine? Yet most of us are approaching mid-life crisis!

“For me I’ve just survived a terrible accident that took the lives of six people in a taxi. It was a narrow escape for me but I spent three days in a coma at International Hospital Kampala. I now use crutches to move but I am beginning to find my feet. I really thank the King of kings that He saved me from the power of death and now I am enjoying the yellow sunshine. I am also spearheading the initiation of a ministry that aims at developing Christians’ testimonies for publication through relationship building. Do you have some intriguing life stories to tell? Some may be devastating, but all in all uplifting. If so, you’re the right person I am talking to. Can we please keep sharing those testimonies via e-mail! I love that.

“Ignatius, let me end here for today. But I still believe in your success. You will triumph over the tallest peaks and find your way out of the deepest waters. And do not fear of the mistakes and failures you’ve encountered so far. God will make them a pathway to your golden success. I pray for you. Nice studies, friend. God bless you. Michael.”

After sending the mail, I waited for Ignatius’ reply for over a month without receiving any. It continued to puzzle my mind thinking that perhaps the young man had converted to Islam. Or he was caught red-handed trying to implement his underground campaign of establishing a Christian Cell in Algiers. Probably he had been thrown behind bars and is awaiting treason for bleaching the laws of Algeria. But how could God allow such a young man to die by firing squad? This could send signals of fear for all of us who had a vision of going to the farthest parts of the world with the glad tidings of the saving Gospel of Christ. Fear engulfed me all over, but I thrived on the risk of writing back to him. Even if my mails could be tracked by some Islamic authorities in Algeria, I was determined to endure the hardships.  So I wrote again saying:

“Dear Ignatius, I thank God that you have come to the close of 2007 when we are together either in spirit or in flesh. How was your Christmas? I know we haven’t been in close contact for the biggest part of the year, but your name and your family have been at the heart of my prayers. I thank you for your consistence and diligence in ensuring that I benefit from you in one way or another. My prayer for 2008 is that we come closer to one another’s hearts. Let’s try to stop being a bit distant from each other. I know work always robs us of our time, but God has prepared for us a place of timelessness in our deepest hearts.

“Dear Ignatius, in 2008 I know fear will be present. Any one who says that he or she doesn’t have fear is out of touch with reality. But let us have freedom from the fear of fear in 2008. In other words, we don’t have to be afraid of fear; we don’t have to be prisoners of fear. Fear will not define our world as it does to most people’s worlds. Instead of fearing fear dear Ignatius we will learn to confront fear and use it to our advantage.

“In 2008, instead of quitting because your work or business is out of money, because you’re afraid of not being able to pay your bills, being a true Christian will give you the courage to go forward, to think clearly, to study, to read, to talk to new people, to come up with new ideas and new actions. I really see that in you Ignatius.

“The desire for freedom will give you courage to operate for years without needing a secure job or a steady paycheck. That is the kind of freedom I am talking about. It is the freedom from the fear of fear. You and I have fear—the difference is whether fear causes us to seek security or to seek freedom.

“I just wanted to share that message with you; I pray and believe that God has placed on your heart a special message for me as well. Thanks Ignatius. HAPPY 2008. Michael (Cell E1E3A).”

Unlike previously, this time Ignatius blessed me with a reply that soothed my heart and took away all my fears. The way he wrote this message indicated that he had not read my first mail to him or he had simply ignored it. But I continued to read his mail which went as:

“Hey Michael, It is good to really have you around; if I remember very well I left when you are finishing your University studies. Well I am so grateful to hear from you such a wonderful message to usher me into 2008. All I want to know is how you are fairing, how everyone in Cell is doing and what we can do for keeping in touch. Thanks very much. Say hello to all the members of that Cell. I miss you guys very much and may God bless. Happy 2008 and may it be a New Year...........meaning let all the 2007 go.........”

This time I could not delay my reply because I knew this was a golden chance for me to keep this young man in touch until he is able to disclose the ins and outs of Algeria. I felt the passionate curiosity to know how this Islamic country treated Christians. But I had to take one step at a time until finally I would land on the concrete evidence hidden in the secret places of Algiers. So I wrote back an immediate reply saying:

“Hey Ignatius, I was so blessed to receive a mail from you at the close of 2007. I was restless since I had spent quite a long time without hearing from you. Sometimes I could send you messages asking how you’re coping with life up there, but I think they used to bounce.

“I finished my University Studies, only after which I discovered that those professors had only prepared me to look for employment and to work hard at making my employers rich and richer. But I thank God that I found myself in the right hands of one of my successful Uncles who has genuinely mentored me into freedom to start my own sustainable initiatives rather than seeking for financial security from the academic and corporate worlds. So I am in the process of transitioning from just good enough, to great.

“For us in Cell we enjoyed the close of 2007 in Super Cell Sunday and ate like horses the delicious meals Julian prepared for us. Unfortunately, our adopted HIV/AIDS patient missed the celebration. She was allegedly caught red-handed in a sex scandal with a 16 year old young boy and fled from the village! We are still uncertain of her whereabouts. But her children I heard had been taken to their uncle somewhere in Kampala town.

“We also reviewed and assessed our performance as a Cell in 2007 and we were grateful for the far the Lord has brought us from. Some of the 2007 highlights included adopting the HIV/AIDS patient, regular Friday prayers in Cell, seed projects, prayer walks, support to our neighbor Isaac in his wedding and the impending Children’s Cell among others.

“Members set goals some of which included WEDDINGS for most of us who are still single. Charles, Aggie and Lillian are the forerunners, as Stephen, Alex and myself (probably including you Ignatius) seemed like were seeing a bleak distant future! Cell meetings will be held on Saturdays as earlier proposed to enable our brethren who work upcountry to be fully involved. And we want to revive our diminishing relationships by keeping regular communication and by being our brothers’ keepers, as we also continue to stand by our fellow members who are not yet employed.

“So Ignatius I wish you a very beautiful 2008. Please always keep in touch. My heart’s desire is to always hear from you and know how you’re doing. Michael.”

I was attached to a rich Uncle whom I regarded as a secular Moslem. He had an Islamic name and was born of a Muslim father. But since his mother got saved through the sweeping gospel of Christ, he had married a Born-again woman as well. Rumor has it that the wife got saved after marriage but failed to change the secular lifestyle of her husband. However, all their children were given Christian names and attended Born-again celebration points. Through my regular interaction with this family I realized that though my uncle wasn’t such a religious person, deep down he had Islamic principles. For example he never wanted to hear anybody mentioning the word “pork”.

After trying to figure out how I could reach out to my Uncle with the gospel of love, I received communication from Ignatius saying;

“Hey, it’s really great to hear that update. I always longed for it. Tell me is Bweyogerere interesting? And has there been any giving of birth of our Cell? I am sorry for the days I have not been able to reply to your messages. I will try to see this time that I keep in touch now that I can get to you easily, thanks very much.

“I would like you to involve me in the Friday prayers by sending me the prayer requests so that I can stand with you if possible. To tell you as a matter of fact life isn’t that easy for me, but the good Lord has seen me through those days when I thought I couldn’t take it anymore. Thanks for the good work you guys are doing. May God bless you.

“I hope He also gives you the strength to carry on this year. I didn’t understand whether you mentioned something with me inclusive...happy 2008. Send my regards to all the Cell members, and thanks for keeping in touch.”

My intention was to dig deep into Ignatius’ life and find out how Moslems were treating him in Algeria as a Christian. However, since it was just the beginning of our interactions, I chose to take things slowly but surely. But the fear was still in my heart that probably Ignatius wasn’t putting up a spirited battle for the sake of the lost souls. I decided to write back saying;

“Hey Ignatius, thanks so much for sparing time and reply to my mails. You’re really a great friend. I love you. Our Cell birthed once. We are still many, though some members rarely attend due to their busy schedules. But we hope we’ll stabilize and continue to multiply.

“Bweyogerere is sunny and good, only that one couple was burnt live in a house that was set ablaze on Christmas eve. Rumor has it that the deceased couple was cheating on their real spouses. So the husband of the cheating wife decided to make them learn in a tragic way and set the entire house on fire! It was really sad!

“I’ll always try my level best to send our prayer requests and continue to call upon the name of the Lord to intervene in our circumstances. Concerning the difficult moments you’re currently facing there; Ignatius, do not give up your dreams. The Word of God to you will always work for you. Therefore no matter the pressures or challenges that you face, refuse to give up. No matter what situation stretches you to give up, God wants you to know that His indwelling presence remains in you. He’s working on your behalf. As long as God is in control of your life, you’ll move upward and forward.

"Let me pen off for now Ignatius, and I am waiting to hear from you again. Nice time from Michael (Kampala).”

After sending the mail, I remembered that Ignatius had hinted on the trying moments he was going through in his previous mail. Though he never disclosed them, my fear was the trials were likely to be religious. But we had been told that salvation is not a religion, rather it is a relationship. People establish religions to seek God. But God has established Salvation to seek for His people. So whoever receives the Gospel of Christ and gets Born-again, it means he or she has re-established a relationship with God. But this is a very hard thing for a religious person to understand. However, I kept in communication with my brother dwelling in Islamic state. He wrote back to me saying:

“Am good only that of recent things have not been going well, I don’t know what happened to our government because they haven’t sent us the scholarship in quite a long time. And now we as a community of Ugandans are facing some difficulties to make ends meet. But thank God that we will be able to survive the same way. Pray for one of us here who is having a liver problem and now is under intensive care unit. She is called Veronica. I will keep u informed though.”

When I discovered that Ignatius wasn’t the only Ugandan in Algiers, my spirit was spiced up. At least that alone gave him a sense of belonging. If he had even a girlfriend who had a non-Islamic name, it meant he was in safe hands. But I was not happy that our government had delayed to send them help. I wish I was in that government service or ministry I would have acted upon the cry of my brother. However, my desire to find out how the Gospel was penetrating into Islam was still unquenched. Ignatius had quite remained unbothered so much about it, though I had wanted not to force it out of his mouth. So I immediately wrote back saying:

Sorry Ignatius that you’re going through such trying times. Things of the government are sometimes unpredictable. I hear that our red-top guys are now in Kenya fighting for Kibaki! So we are also just watching the world go by but our prayer is that God intervenes in your circumstances.

“Susan asked me about you in Cell, and Julian is grateful for your Christmas card. We were so impressed that you always try to keep in touch despite the difficulties you’re facing. We are praying for you dear.

“I am sorry for Veronica. What happened to her liver? We prayed for her and I believe she’s okay right now. Are you related to her? Nice time dear. Michael.”

Susan was a great fun of Ignatius during the days when he was still fellowshipping with us. I suppose she was mentoring him into Cell ministry given the fact that I stepped into his shoes soon after he had flown to Algeria. So when Susan heard me mentioning that I have been in touch with Ignatius, she was so impressed and I suppose felt that she was the one who would have been in constant communication with him. I also enjoyed telling Cell members about the whereabouts of the rest of our brothers and sisters. I felt that I was growing to a level of being my brothers’ keeper. But if we would lose Ignatius to Islam, how would I account for his whereabouts? That he is in a mosque? It puzzled me so much. But his reply came just in time saying:

“Well, that is great to hear, tell me you mean you guys even can remember and discuss about me! I am so happy to know that. Anyway you guys made me, I mean the time I had in that Cell and the people I met in that Cell and the love we guys shared I believe can never be just ................am out of words to express what I feel. But to all the Cell members E1E3A tell them whatever happens I will always keep in touch, all the seasons because that is the only way you will know that a fruit was born of that Cell and that is my perseverance.

“Sometimes I go like things are not fine, life isn’t easy and things don’t have sense to me anymore, but when I remember that we shared then, and I see Julian, Susan, Angela, Bosco telling us His story, and Birungi, Cathy and all those whom you haven’t mentioned here. Well, guess its always great hearing from you. Please tell Susan I will find time and write to her. Tell her I am sorry I didn’t write to her in such a long time but I am great and that is my testimony. Keep it one love, and may God bless.”

To be certain, I had at least managed to make Ignatius feel that we still loved him as a Cell. And since he had as well pledged to write to Susan, my heart was beginning to be at peace. And in case he had been converted to Islam, he would still remember that we cared and we still love him. However, my sole intention of finding out how he dealt with religious pressure in Algeria was still stabbing me in the back. I had tried to be patient until he himself discloses such pressures but he seemed less bothered. But I chose to remain a little bit more patient as I wrote back to him saying:

“Thanks Ignatius for that intriguing mail you sent me. If it was possible, I would have shared it with all the Cell members. Personally I just feel motivated all the time to get closer to brethrens who are far from me. And I feel so blessed to have you close now. Love is the most potent force in the universe. Little wonder the Bible declares that love never fails. It was love that motivated Jesus to die for us on the cross. Love is the nature of God. In other words, not only is God a loving heavenly Father, He also is love personified. He functions by the love principle and as His kids we are to do the same.

“Most of our members are away in serious ‘busyness’. Sometimes I get offended when we become too busy for God and spend 90% of our lifetime working our fingers to the bone for perishable things. But God is good that he never condemns us.

“You never told me whether Veronica was healed. Should we continue calling upon the name of the Lord for her? Julian bought a new Honda, Angela has a new job at New Vision, Birungi is now at NSSF, Cathy shifted to the northern part of Kampala, and Bosco too left, Susan is planning to become self-employed, and I am running a writers ministry. I suppose you do not know some of our current members. We have Richard, Stephen, Charles, and Gerald among others.

“So how are you studying without our government’s support? Anyway, the word of encouragement I would say is you may give up on physical things but don’t ever give up on praying, studying and doing the Word of God. You must remind yourself of His promises because not one word of all His promises has ever failed. He is a faithful Father. The Word of God to you will always work for you. Nice time dear. Michael.”

Finally, my dream started unfolding when Ignatius started disclosing to me the happy, serious, sad and devastating adventures he went through in the Moslem world.