Gratefulness

If you're reading this it means that you're alive because corpses don't read unless you're a ghost, which I think you're not! So you're alive, and that's quite something. It's something special to have the breath of life. You may even be going through a dry spell financially, and wondering how you will go through Christmas like that. Nevertheless you're alive, and that's something to be very, very grateful for.

There's always something to be happy and thankful for

To be alive means you still have work to do on earth. The challenges that confront us from every side will pass away like nighttime passes away for daytime. It really is true that no situation is permanent and no one is going through such a hard time that he cannot find something to be grateful for.

Many people are currently going through trying times. I watched a woman on TV whose husband was one of the victims of the Kasese killings, leaving her five little children. My heart went out to her and I prayed: "God, the Bible says You're the father to the fatherless and husband to the widows; please help that woman; give her the favour, the wisdom and the strength to raise those children to grow into men and women this country will one day be proud of." Then I felt that despite the enormity of her grief, she's still alive for her children. There are many children without any parents but somehow they get by difficulties notwithstanding. 

As an optimist I've learnt to find something to be grateful for no matter the challenges. Daily thankfulness is the fuel that keeps my engine going during tough times. So I'm writing this to encourage others that there's still hope. Use this last month in the year to forget the hurts of the past and the frustrations of today. Forgive the 'unforgivable' and crown the year like a free soul; free from baggage, and alive with a heart pulsating with the endless promises that are waiting to be embraced in the new year.

A conversation about the prosperity gospel

FRIEND: Man, you can get lost!  Must be the business of winning souls for Jesus. I hear you even went to Bible College.

ME: You know, man, things happen. It's true I've been pursuing a Diploma in Theology. 

A preacher and his translator

FRIEND: What! You want to become a Hummer-driving pastor?

ME: Ha-ha. What do you have against pastors living a good life anyway? 

FRIEND: I don't hate the players but I hate the game they play. Conning poor folk of their hard-earned money saying "bring the tithes and offerings into the house of God and the heaven will open and pour down a blessing you cannot contain!" Meanwhile it's only those pastors that become rich while their flock remain broke. 

ME: I tithe not because my pastor tell me to, but in obedience to God who through the Bible tells me to tithe and give offerings. 

FRIEND: So are you blessed? If that's the case why do you still 'pad' (walk) to work? 

ME: You are better than that, man. Owning a car has no nothing to do with being rich or poor. 

FRIEND: But why are those pastors obsessed with 'big-ass' cars and 'big-ass' mansions yet Jesus whom they preach had nowhere to lay His head? 

ME: You say Jesus had nowhere to lay His head yet He had the power to feed 5000 people with five fishes and two loaves of bread. And once He sent Peter to pick money for taxes from a fish. Man, all the silver and gold in the world was Jesus's and is still the Lord's. There is no testimony in His servants and those who believe in Him living in lack. He came that we may have life and live in abundance. So there is absolutely nothing wrong with teaching people to hate poverty and believe they were created to live in prosperity. 

 FRIEND: I see you're already talking like them prosperity preachers! Anyway it was nice chatting but I've to go. Let's stay in touch; I'm interested in talking more about this. 

ME: Sure. God bless you.

Without life there's no life

What is the most precious thing? To me the most precious thing in life is life. It is the thing everyone will do his best to protect and sustain for as long as possible because without life there is no life. That is why even the oldest man with all his teeth long gone and eyes so dim that he can no longer see, does not want to die. I know what I am talking about because in my teenage years I lived in a hospital where I witnessed many people on their death beds, and I testify that the fiercest battle is not the front-line battle between enemy armies. The fiercest battle is the battle to stay alive.

Some of the victims of the Rwenzururu attacks. In the background the palace is burning [Internet photo]

 And death, when it happens, leaves deep wounds in the lives of those left behind. Every person alive means a whole lot to some one out there; maybe a friend or relative. I will never forget the day death stole my cousin who doubled as my best friend. I had grown up with him; we had attended the same schools and lived in the same village right from primary to high school. Five years later I still struggle to believe that he died. He was the realest, nicest person ever. He had the biggest heart, had the warmest personality and was the only guy I know you never managed to provoke into rage. But what stood out was how selfless he was; the epitome of humanness.

He was one of those few and rare gems who live a life of such quality that just thinking about them alone inspires the best in you and provides sufficient fuel for you to excel at everything you do. That is the kind of mark some people leave in the lives of others. 

Imagine then how hurtful it can be; how deep the wounds go when such lives are unfairly snuffed out by political monsters as was the case in Kasese recently when the Ugandan army attacked the Rwenzururu Kingdom and killed over 80 people including burning down the palace.  If you take away precious lives ingloriously, how do you expect those in their lives not to fight back?