Uganda | Michael’s Family Gave Up on Him, But God Didn’t
In central Uganda there’s a slum that covers about 10 city blocks and has 4 million people. It’s associated with drugs and all sorts of crime. Many kids grow up there with absent parents, no guidance, and no way to tell right from wrong—so they look to the gang leaders to show them how to live. Michael moved to this slum with his mom when he was 3 years old, after his parents divorced. His mom wanted Michael to grow up in the church, but even though he went to church until he was 9 or 10, the people he looked up to were the gang leaders. He mistook fear for respect, and wanted to be like them. Michael became addicted to drugs at 11 years old. He had to fight hard to be accepted by the gangs because of his church background, so he became a “promoter”—finding markets for stolen phones, leading others who would sell them for him, and looking out for his people if they ended up in jail. Remarkably, he stayed in school despite all these activities. Michael thought God wanted nothing to do with him, and lived for himself.
He’s known as “Uncle Michael,” and can’t go anywhere in the slum without being recognized. Parents who used to curse him for the influence he had on their kids are coming up to him with testimonies and blessing him.
Many young people had started doing drugs and stealing because they wanted to be like Michael. His family had totally given up on him. But God hadn’t given up.
Michael had a friend in high school named Faisal, who was a Muslim. Faisal invited him into a Bible study, and Michael went because Faisal was a friend who he respected. Discovery Bible Study (DBS) gave Michael a different perspective on following Jesus, and he became a different person. Michael practiced listening prayer, and found he could hear God’s voice loud and clear. Experiencing the presence of the Holy Spirit was shocking to him, and changed everything. Faisal told Michael he should start a fellowship and DBS in the slum. The more Michael thought about it, the more he felt like he was supposed to do it.
Many of them switched from being involved in crimes themselves to being volunteer “security guards” to protect others. They recognized the troublemakers and told them they couldn’t do what they were doing there anymore
Michael began introducing his friends and those working for him in the gangs to DBS, both inside and outside of prison. He formed fellowship groups with some of those people in different slums. Many gang members were impacted by the truth in scripture. They had never heard these things before, and their lives changed. Many of them switched from being involved in crimes themselves to being volunteer “security guards” to protect others. They recognized the troublemakers and told them they couldn’t do what they were doing there anymore. Many of the gang leaders had to leave. The entire crime culture is changing in the slum. And where not long ago no one would be seen carrying a Bible, now people carry them proudly.
Michael’s friend Faisal now leads AVA Mission, Novo’s Global Partner in Uganda, and Michael leads their ministry in the slums. He’s known as “Uncle Michael,” and can’t go anywhere in the slum without being recognized. Parents who used to curse him for the influence he had on their kids are coming up to him with testimonies and blessing him. There are DBSs being led by high school students in the slum schools, and the DBSs among gangs continue to multiply. At this point Michael knows of 81 different fellowships in 15 different gangs—but there are even more. He can’t track them all because they’re being led by people he’s never met. And all of this change has taken place in just four short years!
