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Uganda

• Christian Radio Preacher Murdered

   

  

  David Omara was the pastor of Christian Church Center and a well-known radio preacher in northern Uganda. During his radio broadcast on October 31st, he contrasted Christianity to Islam. After finishing the broadcast at about 9 p.m., Pastor David received a phone call from a listener who expressed appreciation for his message and invited him to meet with some friends. Unaware of the danger that awaited him, Pastor David went to the meeting location, along with his son Simon Okut.

• Christian Woman Seriously Beaten

  

  A young Christian woman from the village of Luwooko in eastern Uganda was ambushed and beaten on April 7th for sharing her faith. Lydia Nabirye, 23, is the daughter of an area evangelist. In early March, she shared her faith with a young Muslim woman who later came to salvation in Christ. After the new convert was threatened by family members, Lydia's family gave her refuge, along with six other converts from Islam.

• Evangelistic Meetings Cancelled After Threats

  

  Churches in the western Ugandan town of Bwera had joined together for a series of open-air meetings that were scheduled to be run from May 20th to 26th. As a result, many community members put their faith in Christ. However, testimonies presented by former Muslims who converted to Christianity brought threats and ultimately an order for the meetings to cease.

• Imam Faces Wrath After Conversion

  

  Hassan Podo was a 28-year-old imam from the village of Kerekerene in eastern Uganda. However, after having missed prayers at the mosque for three consecutive weeks, and seen entering a church building on March 16th, he was subjected to interrogation by his family.

  When entering the family home that evening of the 16th, his brothers surrounded him, carrying sticks. They wouldn't allow him to finish answering their questions, but began shouting and beating him, calling him an "infidel" and an enemy of Islam. Fortunately, Hassan's wife and two children were able to escape to a nearby Christian's home.

• Abducted 12-Year-Old Survives Strangulation

  

  While out on an errand for his grandmother on October 25th, 12-year-old Emmanuel Nyaiti encountered four men from his village. Knowing he was a Christian, the men tried to convince the boy that he should convert to Islam.

  When Emmanuel refused, one of the men named Ali Lukuman slapped him. After the child started screaming, the men attempted to strangle him. There are also indications that he was given chloroform. By the time searching neighbours located him, the assailants had fled and the boy was found unconscious.

• Church Closes After Repeated Attacks

  

  A church outside of Kampala, the capital of Uganda, closed in early August after months of harassment by local Muslims. The final blow came on August 4th when a stone was thrown through a window, striking Pastor Moreen Sanyu of the Greater Love Church in the forehead and knocking her unconscious. After regaining consciousness, she found that most of the church members had fled for their lives. Following treatment in hospital, and the confirmation of no serious injuries, she was released.

• New Christian Attacked with Burning Oil

  

  One week after a young Muslim man came to faith in Christ, relatives who were angry about his conversion burned him with hot cooking oil. On March 4th, Gobera Bashir, 27, went to church with a friend in a neighbouring village. There he received Jesus Christ as his Saviour and Lord. The pastor gave him a Bible and encouraged him to be cautious when reading it, since his family members were all Muslims.

• The High Cost of Following Christ
  
  Photo: VOM Australia

  Munabi Abudallah was drawn to Christ when he came to see the 'God of the Bible,' as One who loves and communicates to people in a way they can understand. After coming to faith in Jesus this past January, he rushed home to share his joy with wife Aisha. Yet, in the presence of their seven children, Aisha shouted, "Kafir!" (meaning "infidel"). "You are a big shame to the family," she disdainfully added. After hurling the insults, Aisha forced him to depart from their home.

• Young Man Beaten Unconscious in Eastern Region
  

  On November 16th, a young Christian man was severely beaten by a group of militants to the point of unconsciousness. Mulangira Ibrahim, 27, was on the way to his pastor's house after a church service in the Mayuge District when he received a telephone call from an unknown person claiming that the pastor wanted to see him back at the church compound. En route to the church, four men confronted Mulangira and proceeded to attack. Prior to the assault, the men had threatened to kill him if he did not recant his faith.

• Impersonator Attacks School Director

  

  On November 4th, a militant Muslim posing as a Christian teacher attacked Hassan Muwanguzi, the director of a faith-based elementary school in Kabuna village, Budaka District. Due to the attack, some of the children at the Hope of Glory International Nursery and Primary School have been afraid to return to their classes.