Joy Kihuguru: Pastor Bugingo was a man I had lots of admiration for

Five years ago I sauntered into House of Prayer ministries Makerere Kikoni a broken soul, traumatized and tired.
I was going through a situation that had me being judged for something I was innocent about..
I had just had a function and introduced a ‘man’ to my family who was in every way a fraud.
The tabloids were awash with headlines accusing me of having stolen someone’s husband.
God finally exonerated me and I know that House of Prayer played a big role.

The Holy Spirit told me to go for spiritual refuge in House of prayer.
This was a ministry I had heard about from afar but I obeyed.
I used to disguise myself in the beginning as I didn’t want anyone to recognize me.
I sat at the back during the lunch hours but every time I went it was like the Pastor was talking directly to me.
I was so encouraged and my soul was being ministered to.

As I continued to go, I began to be more confident and I even invited my mum to attend and we started going to House of Prayer every day.
I eventually met the Pastor, his wife Pastor Teddy and even one of the daughters, the second born, a very pretty young lady who became very close to my mum.
They constantly showered each other with gifts and wrote letters to each other.
It was a strange relationship but also a display of love of two generations apart..

This was a house of prayer as I have said.
Every half of every month we were fasting, I don’t think there is any ministry I know that does that.
I remember more than one time when it rained so heavily, I was all dressed up on a Sunday, we were praying in the open space but that never stopped us from praying..
The rain was pouring down on some of us who chose to remain in the rain but all I wanted was to be in the presence of God.

The one year that I spent in House of prayer is something I will never forget or take lightly.
The Lord did an amazing work in me using both Pastor and his wife.
I was restored in that place, I was grounded in that place and I was ready to continue my journey with God.

Pastor Bugingo used to preach about the Fixer, Jesus Christ fixing us and making us new again..
I had so much respect for this couple and their children.
There was their miracle child, their last born son who had come years after his siblings.
Every time he came to church, everyone would look at him with admiration and know that God still performs miracles, signs and wonders.
When they would tell you of their stories, you would listen and wonder whether they were telling the truth.
Pastor Bugingo liked to tell us about how he came on a Fuso Lorry all the way from Masaka to Kampala, oblivious of city life, ended up in Owino market, hawking anything he could get his hands on.
Pastor Teddy on the other hand would tell us stories of how she would go looking for the cheapest food in the market for them to eat, remains of matooke that nobody wanted..
Pastor Bugingo liked matooke so she always made it a point to prepare him matooke.
They lived in a muzigo and the tales of rats trampling over a well laid bed and the woes of living a life of poverty was a wonder to listen to considering that the Lord had changed their story.
These stories resonated very well with many of their congregants who were living in that kind of state.

What is very interesting is that we had an encounter with Susan Makula on two separate occasions.
One day after the lunch hour, my mum and I were having a conversation with Pastor Teddy and that particular day, the car that usually picked us up had gone with my dad upcountry.
Susan came driving a Salt Tv car and Pastor Teddy asked Susan to drop us home.
She humbly obliged and as we drove home with her, my mum was telling her how beautiful she is.
When we got home, my mum took off her beautiful necklace and gave it to Susan.
Susan thanked her and drove off..

Pastor Bugingo was a man I had lots of admiration for and respected highly..
I noticed his woes with his spiritual father but I knew that it was not my business to dwell there, I focused on what had taken me there and that was to sit and feed from this ministry and at the set time, leave.

When my time came to leave, I bade farewell to the whole congregation and thanked Pastor for the time I had submitted and fed from this incredible ministry.

When I hear what the devil is trying to do now it is an eye opener to me that the enemy is real..
He hates families that stay together, he hates destinies, he hates testimonies..

I know that God is still on the throne and is going to turn this whole situation around for His glory.
Ever since my mum heard about what was going on, she hasn’t been herself. she’s so broken, she doesn’t even want to talk about it.
She’s become more quiet and it breaks my heart.
I believe there are so many people out there like her that are hurting..

God will see the tears of many and bring restoration..
I don’t know how He will do it but I know He will.
I woke up this morning with a heavy heart for the Bugingo family and I said a prayer for them.
Please take one minute and say a prayer for them.
That seed of prayer you say for them may be the seed that will speak for you in your challenging time.

Joy Kihuguru, is a online pastor of ministry Soaring With Eagles