THE CLERGY PRAISED HER HUMILITY, HARDWORK, LOVE AND CARE!
Chicken wings, thighs and goat ribs punctuated a courtesy visit by Arch Bishop Dr. Steven Kazimba Mugalu to the Vice President Maj. Jessica Alupo at her home in Katakwi.
The Man of God who was in company of a line of other top leaders in the Anglican Church including Soroti Diocese Bishop Kosea Odongo spent a better part of yesterday at Alupo’s home where Godly songs, preaching and of course, eating, drinking and laughter appeared in plural form!
A visibly joyful Dr. Mugalu couldn’t hide his happiness! He immediately showered praises to the Queen of Teso thanking her for her humility, hard work, love and care. He also commended her for always looking out for church projects.
“She has helped us a lot, she is a Roman Catholic but we don’t feel that because she serves all people regardless of faith. I want to appreciate you for that”, Mugalu in a joyful mood said and also referred her to the biblical teachings of 2Samuel 7: 18-29.
“God will always pick people of His Choice. God has a tendency of picking a no body to become somebody in front of everybody without consulting anybody. That is God”, he preached to an attentive Vice President and her family including her dear Mom.
He preached that God always chooses and always elevates those he chooses.
“That is Him and His prerogative” he said as he thanked Alupo who is also Katakwi Woman MP for serving diligently as a leader for the entire country-without discrimination.
He was all-smiles with Alupo for her support towards the Church of Uganda and the Inter Religious Council of Uganda’s socio-economic programs. He expressed the Church’s gratitude to Government for the tractors that the dioceses are using in agricultural transformation on different dioceses.
Mugalu who is on a pastoral visit to Teso sub-region assured the workaholic VP that the Church is committed to ensuring the sensitization of the people on socio economic programmes, stopping corruption, discouraging laziness, exploitation and fighting moral decadence.
On this note, the Man of God informed Alupo that the Church of Uganda had severed ties with the Episcopal Church of America and the Church of England on grounds of embracing homosexuality. He thus commended Gen. Yoweri Museveni Tibuhaburwa for his brave act when he assented to the Anti-Homosexuality Bill into Law.
“This is about protecting our children. The Church is very grateful that we can partner with the government to ensure that African values, biblical values and natural order are kept” he said, adding that the Church of Uganda stopped getting support from the Episcopal Church of America when they consecrated a gay man in 2003 and also recently divorced the Church of England which is going to be blessing same sex marriages.
Kazimba further lectured that while managing scarce resources, one must have joy and then practice JOY whose initials he summarizes as “Jesus first, Others next the Yourself last”.
“JOY entrenches strong virtues and creates better transparency during service delivery. The Church of Uganda has retrained it’s clergy who are now religious captains to handle adverse situations and personalities to bring them back to acceptable societal etiquette” he said.
Among the retrained clergy according to him is Bishop Captain Kosea Odongo whom he said is already handling problematic communities such as slums, prison communities among others.
ENTER ALUPO
Meanwhile, in a jovial mood with smiles written all over her face, the 2iC Maj. Alupo expressed her gratitude for the visit; a gesture she described as a ‘blessing’.
“From the bottom of my heart, I appreciate the acceptance of the Archbishop to come and pay a courtesy visit, bearing in mind you’ve come to serve all the districts and people of Teso sub-region as you do for the entire country. It is indeed a very big honor and privilege for my family, it is by the grace of God that this occasion can happen and indeed, I return all the Glory to God”, Alupo said with tears of Joy almost forming in her roving eyes!
The Vice President further appreciated Dr. Kazimba for his commitment in serving all people of Uganda equally without discrimination and also commended him for his role in the Inter Religious Council (IRCU) as its current chair.
“You have demonstrated that working together as humanity is a priority and an agenda that should be pursued by all of us as a country, emulating our motto, For God and my country,” she added.
She commended Religious institutions for being at the center of socio-economic transformation in various fields especially health and education, adding that this symbiotic relationship between them and government must be upheld.
The VP who herself is a product of church founded schools of Ngora High School and Kangole Girls, referenced her own family’s belief, faith and trust in church.
“We believe as Christians, that you come with blessings and we take them. We know that without God, we are nothing” she said.
Alupo also didn’t forget to inform her guests that government was on course with its efforts to make cattle rustling history.
Later, Bishop Odongo prayed for more Grace for the leadership of the country.
As courtesy, the Vice President had invited several other members of her family, including her mother and the local district leadership. The visit was crowned with Alupo and her family giving the Arch Bishop a line of gifts as a token of appreciation to his family.
