Tag Archives: #UCUGraduate

‘I welcomed Christ into my life’

January 4, 2021Bishop Tucker School of Divinity and Theology, News, UCU Alumni#BishopTucker, #EasternCollegeAustralia, #RevOchen, #UCUGraduate, #UgandaChristianUniversity, Christianity, God, Theology, UgandaPatty Huston-Holm

Ocen Walter Onen at the UCU Mukono campus

(NOTE: In October, UCU Partners published an article about how this graduate of UCU helped the poor. That article is here: https://www.ugandapartners.org/2020/10/we-cannot-keep-preaching-the-gospel-to-the-poor-without-helping-them-realize-their-potential/. This article is the “back story” of that alum.)

By Ocen Walter Onen

BEFORE KNOWING CHRIST
In the morning hour of about 8:45 a.m. on March 2 of the year of our Lord 1992, my mum gave birth to me. Like any other baby, I cried at my first arrival into the world, which was going to be my home for some years as the Lord so wished. My mum later told me that I was born during an insurgency – various Ugandan civil wars.

Though, what was worse than my country’s rebellion against government is the fact that I was borne into non-Christian family. This meant that my life and growth were somewhat controlled by the traditional ancestral deities. For example, when I was a four-year-old, I fell sick and my parents consulted a traditional healer, who said that “the god wanted my name to be changed from Okot Walter Onen to Ocen Walter Onen.” This practice of listening to witch doctors was inherited from our great-great ancestors and continued until 2005, when Jesus Christ interrupted this evil chain – starting with me and then with all my family by 2014.

KNOWING CHRIST
On May 5, 2005, I welcomed Jesus Christ into my life. The burdens accruing from my countless sins had suffocated me and sincerely speaking, “I was dead pretending to be alive.” So, when a preacher quoted Matthew 11:28 (Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.), I realized my vulnerabilities and the need to accept the free mercy of God to redeem me from my state of hopelessness.

I could say much more about this wonderful day, but let me turn your attention to what happened after I got saved. Immediately, I felt my heart lightened, and my fears of guilt disappeared. In fact, the spirit of God filled me and I began going to church, sharing with brethren through fellowship and Bible study.

I began to question where God was leading me. What was my purpose? What does He exactly want me do? Why did He create us in his image instead of animals, trees, mountains and other non-human creations? Why does He cherish us so much to the extent of giving us His only Son? These questions shaped my thinking and ignited my quest for a philosophical understanding of the church’s doctrines. It was also one of the key reasons that compelled me to pursue a degree in Theology and Divinity at Uganda Christian University.

AT UGANDA CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY (2016-2019)
At UCU, I met distinguished scholars, especially from the faculty of Bishop Tucker School of Theology and Divinity who encouraged me to wrestle with new theories and concepts about Christianity and its mission in the world. For example, Rev. Can. Prof. Byaruhanga Christopher challenged us to think outside the box and avoid the temptation of spiritualizing Jesus’ proclamation in Luke 4:16-18, but apply it to fight multidimensional poverty, injustices and the all forms of ungodliness in our vocational context.

According to him, “a pastor is the fifth gospel” meaning that people will always look up to you for the meaning of righteousness. Another professor, Rt. Rev. Prof. Alfred Olwa, who was our dean then, also would reinforce the message that the centre of Christianity is shifting from the global north to the global south. The theologians in the global south, including Africa, should be more prepared than ever to shape the discussion revolving around the orthodoxy of the unchanging gospel truth in the dynamic world.

I wondered how we might do this if most of the biblical scholarship is still being done in the western world. The urgency of theologians in the south to participate in sharing the Word became more apparent.

AT EASTERN COLLEGE AUSTRALIA (2019-CURRENT)
In 2019, the words of the “Amazing Grace” hymn became ever more real. I received my degree from UCU on July 5 that year. Just the day before, I learned that I had been awarded a scholarship to pursue a Master in Transformational Development at Eastern College Australia. What a blessing! In fact, I felt like God’s exhortation to prosper us had just visited my door. Glory be to him, our rock and our redeemer.

In November 2020, my post-graduate studies are deconstructing, reconstructing and restructuring the worldview I had built from UCU. Indeed, it has created a platform for me to amalgamate both theology and development in one single unit of “integral mission.”

CHRIST IN EDUCATION
The COVID-19 pandemic has posed unprecedented challenges throughout the world, including in Uganda and specifically with education. A shift to on-line learning has been difficult for many.

Despite obstacles, I encourage current students of Uganda Christian University to appreciate the fact that a university education produces thinkers who can derive solutions for the mantra of prevailing problems in our communities. Individuals with university degrees are best positioned to creatively engage in rigorous research and innovation.

Scholars will play a key role in unleashing the United Nations sustainable development goals for 2030, the vision 2063 of the African Union, the vision 2040 of the republic of Uganda, and/or the vision of their own communities, or their own vision. At that, this is only possible if we permit Jesus Christ to reign in our lives, thoughts, words and actions.

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The Rev. Ocen Walter Onen is a UCU Bishop Tucker School of Theology and Divinity alum who is pursuing a Master in Transformational Development from Eastern College Australia.

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To support Uganda Christian University programs, students, activities and services, go to www.ugandapartners.org and click on the “donate” button, or contact UCU Partners Executive Director, Mark Bartels, at m.t.bartels@ugandapartners.org

‘We cannot keep preaching the gospel to the poor without helping them realize their potential’

October 14, 2020News#DevelopmentInitiative, #grasshuts, #HousingforUnderservedCommunity, #PalengaCommunityTransformation, #RevOchen, #UCUGraduate, #UgandaChristianUniversity, Poverty, UgandaPatty Huston-Holm

Rev. Ocen shows one of the houses already at roofing level

By Olum Douglas

On September 14, 2020, Milton Olanya, a retired primary school teacher, and his family were left under the open sky when their grass thatched hut was gutted by fire from an unknown source. All his belongings, including valuable documents and garden harvests for the first season were burnt to ashes.

Like Olanya, thousands of families in northern Uganda have suffered similar losses for decades. The losses are a common occurrence among the majority rural poor who predominantly use grass-thatched huts as their shelters.

But Uganda Christian University (UCU) graduate, Rev. Deacon Ocen Walter Onen, has designed a permanent solution to this problem. Through his Tochi Community Transformation Initiative’s “Get out of grass-thatched huts” program, Rev. Ocen has mobilized people around his home village of Palenga in Omoro District. The mobilization calls for villagers to support each other and build modern, two-bedroom houses with iron sheet roofs to save them from such sudden losses.

Under the program, individuals are encouraged to lay bricks, acquire a few other building materials and start up construction with the support of their colleagues. Every month, members of the group make financial contributions, ranging from Uganda shillings of 10,000 ($2.70) to 50,000 ($13.50) to support a member. The money is used to buy cement, building stones, sand, and steel, and also pay the technical labor force.

Rev. Ocen (extreme left) with a group of women at his neighborhood after a prayer meeting in September 2020

They also provide manual labour like fetching water and mixing sand. When the structure reaches roofing level, the Church, through its networks, appeals to well-wishers to make contributions as low as a piece of iron sheet for the member.

As of late September, the 40 people registered for the program were either at the brick laying stage, putting up the wall or already at roofing. At least 33 iron sheets had already been collected for Patrick Onen, 49, whose building has reached the roofing stage.

Rev. Ochen said his target is to have every family in the village living in decent houses in the next five years. He also plans to establish solar energy suppliers for cheaper solar systems that can light the houses.

Alfred Lugeny, 52, said for most of his life, he has been trying to leave grass-thatched huts, but each time he laid bricks, he would be forced to sell them because he could not raise enough money to buy the other construction materials and pay labor force.

“I have been struggling to leave my grass-thatched huts, but I could not,” he said. “Yet grass is becoming increasingly harder to get due to increased human population. Termites also eat them, causing us to keep repairing the huts every year. The coming of this program has therefore given me greater hope of acquiring a good iron-sheet roofed house.”

Apart from the building program, Rev. Ocen moves door-to-door to meet youths and women to encourage them to engage in economically beneficial activities. He also meets groups of women under their Village Saving and Loan associations, to preach the gospel, pray with and encourage them. Besides, he also is setting up a community-funded scholarship program to support needy children through school.

Rev. Ocen says his approach to evangelism is an integral mission, combining the gospel with attendance to community needs.

“We cannot keep preaching the gospel to the poor without helping them realize their potential,” Rev. Ocen said, “Like Christ who attended to the needs of the community (John 2:1-11, John 4:46-47, Matthew 14:15-21, Matthew 15:32-39 and Luke 17:11-19), we Christian ministers should also do the same.”

At 27 years, Rev. Ocen was ordained into ministry and posted as a curate at St. Peters Church of Uganda, in the Bobi subcounty in Omoro District on February 23, 2020. His ordination came exactly one month before the COVID-19 lockdown was instituted in Uganda on March 23, banning Church services among other social gatherings.

With his workplace closed, Rev. Ocen decided to continue spreading the gospel while also helping people around him transform their lives.

“I noticed that so many of our people were having dependency syndrome, thinking that they could not help themselves,” Rev. Ocen said, “That is why I decided to bring this Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD) approach, based on the Half-Glass concept with the view that everyone has something to contribute in order for development to be realized.”

Bishop Johnson Gakumba, the Bishop of the diocese of Northern Uganda, under whom Rev. Ocen serves, said the works of Rev. Ocen will not only benefit the Christians, but the diocese as well.

“Poverty has been a great challenge among our Christians. As a result, giving in Church has been very poor,” Bishop Gakumba said, “And him (Rev. Ocen) coming to address that problem is such a blessing that must be supported by all who wish well for the Church.”

Bishop Gakumba said for the short time Rev. Ochen has been in service, the diocese has started benefitting from his creativity through his valuable input towards the development of the five-year Strategic Work Plan of the diocese, a thing that makes him so proud of the young servant of God.

Rev. Ocen said he prides himself so much in his UCU education that opened his eyes to see the world from a new perspective.

Jesuit Stephen Okello, a high school student at Pope Benedict XVI Integrated Schools Palenga, and one of the selected beneficiaries for the scholarship program, said that he feels that God is working miracles in his life through Rev. Ocen.

“I had lost hope in going back to school after my Senior Four, but this program came suddenly to me,” Okello said. “I cannot thank God and Rev. Ochen enough for this lifetime opportunity.”

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Anguzu: UCU social work graduate restoring sanity in Arua

September 9, 2020News, Students: #socialwork, #BSWSAGraduate, #GivingHopeArua, #MorrisAnguzu, #UCUGraduate, #UgandaChristianUniversity, Poverty, UgandaPatty Huston-Holm

Anguzu walks out of his office at River Oli Division

By Douglas Olum

Lying in my bed in the Kudrass Hotel in Arua City on the evening of Tuesday, August 4, a sharp female scream pierced through the walls. Even though I did not understand the Lugbara language the woman used, I could tell from the sharp cries that she was in trouble. I rushed to the hotel reception to inquire about the problem.

“I think they are robbing someone,” the young man at the reception said. “There are gangs around here who rob people daily.”

I retreated to my room with a reminder to be cautious wherever I would go around this northwestern Uganda city. Arua is one of the four regional cities created recently in Uganda. It is located 520 kilometers (323.113 miles) Northwest of Kampala, in the West Nile region of Uganda.

Women make and sell popcorn and other snacks along a walk path in Arua City

This incident also reinforced the message delivered hours before in a conversation with Morris Anguzu, a 2018 Uganda Christian University (UCU) Social Work and Social Administration graduate who works in this area. Amidst our discussion, he shared with me his experience of the previous night when he received a 2 a.m. emergency call from a motorcycle rider whose bike was robbed while he was rushing a patient to the Arua Regional Referral Hospital. As the Gombolola Internal Security Organisation (GISO) officer in River Oli Division since 2011, Anguzu’s role places him directly at the centre of handling a complex web of societal problems ranging from domestic violence, child neglect, drug abuse, theft and robberies.

Of the two divisions in Arua City, River Oli has the largest population with approximately 50,700 residents of the estimated 72,400 city population (Uganda Bureau of Statistics Population projection report, 2015-2020). About 80 percent are Muslims. Anguzu said the three greatest challenges in this community are low literacy rate, polygamy and lack of parental guidance. He said most parents spend time looking for money, thereby leaving their children exposed to bad peers who introduce them to stealing, abusing drugs and smuggling goods from the Democratic Republic of Congo.

During the day, the city centre is busy with pedestrians, motorists and cyclists transporting all tribes of goods in and out of the city, crisscrossing everywhere. Sweaty, bare-chest men are seen offloading goods from large trucks, which bring them from Kampala, and sometimes loading them in smaller trucks that buy them from local wholesalers. Along the corridors, walk paths and backstreets, women and children are seen hawking carrots, cassava, ginger, onions, pepper, among other vegetables. In the same areas, others also are seen serving cooked foods, porridge, tea and snacks to the lower class city dwellers and some visitors.

Taking a ride with Anguzu along Lemerijoa road, in the afternoon of Wednesday, August 5, we witnessed a large group of young and older boys, drinking, smoking and chewing the leafy drug called mairungi. Anguzu explained to me that Lemerijoa is regarded as the hub of the gangs that rob people in Arua city on daily basis, and that the gangs are feared by both the community and local council leaders because they threaten them every time an attempt is made to confront or stop them.

Determined to change the narrative, Anguzu is applying various social work skills he acquired from UCU during his studies to help restore peace and security in the city. These skills include counseling and community engagement.

He said UCU equipped him with unique skills that have greatly improved his work results. He holds meetings with parents of boys to figure how they might work together to get the children to drop their bad habits; and speaks with many of the boys in one-on-one meetings. Before the COVID-19 lockdown in Uganda, he was more actively engaging elders, religious and local council leaders to derive a sustainable, effective approach through which they could permanently address problems.

While Anguzu’s colleagues are barred from speaking to the media by the terms of their work, others provided praise.

Benard Ezama, a boda-boda (motorcycle taxi) rider, said they have more hope in Anguzu than the Uganda Police because he does not demand money from them and normally quickly responds in case of an attack or robbery.

To Jane Aikoru, a shop operator in the city, the increased insecurity in Arua “cannot be solved by arresting and imprisoning the perpetrators because at some point they still return from jail and continue to wreck havoc on people.” Aikoru thinks that Anguzu is the only hope they have because he is unafraid of the boys and he sometimes helps people recover their stolen property from the gangs.

In June this year, and on his way to lunch, Anguzu saw a young boy snatch a phone from a woman and run away with it as the public merely watched. He chased after the 13-year-old boy and recovered the woman’s phone before taking the boy to police.

For many people, the engagement would stop there. No so for Anguzu. Hours later, he went back to police and had a talk with the boy. Together with the Arua Child and Family Protection police department, Anguzu arranged for a meeting with the boy’s family where they resolved to withdraw the case on condition that the boy start working to turn his life around. The family of the minor, whose name is withheld to protect his identity, said their son has since transformed. They say without the intervention of Anguzu, the boy would have a life on the streets. Anguzu says his vision is to make Arua an educated and self-sustaining society that fears God.

“As a born-again Christian I believe my job is a calling from God and I should serve our people wholeheartedly,” he said. “I face rejections from some members of the Muslim community who mistake me to be fighting their belief, especially their practice of polygamy, but I also am motivated further when people appreciate the things I do for them.”

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