NWOYA PARISH ON FIRE

NWOYA  PARISH  ON  FIRE

The Parish Priest of Nwoya Parish, Rev. Nyeko Simon Peter, Tuesday 17^th Jan 2017 lost items worth millions of shillings. Rev. Nyeko told us that the fire was started by an old woman. Among the items lost in the inferno were:  2 ½ Bags of Beans, about 400 kilograms of onions, all his documents, Vestments (7 clerical shirts, 3 cassocks, 1 surplice, 6 trousers, 4 stoles) 1 cupboard, Iron box, 3 New Bibles, 4 Big saucepans, 2 bicycles, 2 wheelbarrows, 4 Office chairs, 2 tables, 4 plastic chairs, 5 Jericans, 2 Basins and many other small items. The wife who was away had no time to pick any of her items and those of her 9 children.

Women who came to comfort Rev. Nyeko Simon Peter

A total of 10 huts got burnt, 5 belonging to the Reverend’s family, one hut of an old woman and 4 built by parents for the teachers of Nwoya Primary School.

The Diocesan Secretary Rev. Lumumba Patrick who visited the scene was shocked by what he saw.  Rev.Lumumba appealed to the Christians to support the Reverend to recover from the incident.  He was pleased with the women who turned up to see what had happened and said “even during the time of Jesus women were with him during difficult moments”. Rev. Lumumba took 25 kilograms of Phosho and some kilograms of beans and used clothes as emergency contribution from the Diocese.

Bishop Johnson said “It is high time the Christians start building decent houses for the pastors instead of grass thatched”

Nwoya is one of the many parishes in the Diocese of Northern Uganda where the clergy residences are still grass thatched. By the time of compiling this report the Reverend Nyeko and his family were still camped in the Church building. Rev. Neyko Simon Peter can be reached on his mobile number 0787 713 673

Uncontrolled fire in Northern Uganda

Hut where Wod Aceng was burnt with his family

It is dry season in Northern Uganda, rain is expected in March. After moving to 18 parishes in our Diocese in four days, I observed the following key things: -

Ø  Uncontrolled fire is razing in many places day and night.

Uncontrolled fire in Nwoya District Jan 2017

Ø  Many huts have been burnt.

Ø  People have lost food staff and other household items to the fire.

Ø  Those who have got good harvest are selling food items like the world is ending today. 

Ø  The road to Amuru district Headquarter is the worst.

Residence of the Parish priest of Amuru

Children of Rev. Otema George of Amuru Parish

Out of the original 24 parishes we have 7 parishes having decent accommodation for their priests (St. Philips Cathedral, Christ Church, St. Michael Obiya, St.  Andrew Anaka, Cwero, Agung and Koro). The rest are living in grass thatched huts (OT LUM).

In Koch Goma we visited a ruined of the late wod Aceng who was burnt together with his wife and three children in a grass thatched hut. This is a sad reminder of the Kony era, where torching of huts was the order of the day.

We thank God that through Bishop Johnson in the last seven years  all the parish headquarters have got permanent church building except only two  parishes of Ongako and Lakwana.

Please pray for the families of the clergy in our diocese that they be transformed from living in grass thatched huts (which is highly ignitable) to Iron roofed houses.