There are amazing people and testimonies of hope that we hear when we spend time in Uganda, but only a few of them get shared. One that I would like to share this year is that of a young man named Nkalubo Billy Brian (“Billy Brian”) who we met this year. He is a gifted musician and sang at the conclusion of the Canby Cup to the glory of God and the delight of the thousands gathered there. I’m not going to share my words, but have asked Billy Brian to share his testimony in his own words – see below.
I’m blessed to count Billy Brian among my friends and pray for his influence among the children in Uganda.
It is pleasure for me to share with you my testimony, praise the name of the Lord. My name is Nkalubo Billy Brian. I am a 22 year Ugandan who lives in the Mubende district in central western Uganda.
Both my parents went to stay with the Lord: first it was my dad then my mother. Mummy died when I was only 5 years but I am not quit certain of when my dad died.
My mother’s name was Nanyonjo Teopista. Though I spent little time with her, I can never forget how loving, caring and what a good lady she was. I remember one time when I was attacked by yellow fever disease - in the midst of the night she carried me on her back to the hospital so as to rescue my life. She was my everything but unfortunately she passed away at a time I needed her the most.
Before she passed on, she happened to tell me about my dad. She told me that my name Billy was named after him. He was a soldier and that’s all I know about him. I don’t know what it feels like to have a father because I had no chance of seeing and interacting with him, so the story between me and dad is short.
After mummy’s death I had to stay with my Jajja (grandmother). Life became so hard at grandma’s place because her health was on and off and she used to suffer from swollen painful legs and back pain as you know elderly people.
Jajja did her best to take me to school. I started my education at Kaweeri primary school in Mubende district, and unfortunately I only studied from primary one to primary three then dropped out of school because grandma could not afford my school fees.
I always felt bad whenever I could watch others go to school. I remember there was a day I fell sick and I was at a point of death so I could always cry that “why me always”, and also wondered if God was in existence.
My story started changing when I met a Good Samaritan - Pastor Wilson Sentongo. It happened as I was on my way when Jajja had sent me to buy her tea leaves and sugar. He knew my mother and inquired why I was not at school. I narrated everything to him and he was so touched by my story that he opted to adopt me as his son. My new father took me back to school and I managed to complete my primary level and after which I joined high school. I was pursuing a certificate in journalism at college but I studied for only one semester and due to lack of tuition fees I dropped out but I am looking forward to continue with my studies. I thank God for the new family I got joined to. Though I have met a lot of challenges in life, God has always seen me through every hurdle.
During my time with Pastor, I made the greatest decision of my life and that’s accepting Jesus Christ as my personal Lord and Savior. This is when I discovered that I had a talent of singing in me. I lead praise and worship in the church. God has blessed me and I have managed to compose 5 songs so far, of these my favorite is “Mukama wali” which literally means that God is with you irrespective of the situations you go through and he is always there to wipe away all your tears. I composed this song basing on the things I have experienced in my life and of how God has been good to me. It motivates a lot and it has helped in restoring hope in many people and increased their dependence in the Lord, so I thank God for that. (DAVE’S NOTE: Click HERE to see Billy Brian’s video of Mukama Wali on Youtube)
Sometimes I cry when I think about my history, but I am grateful to God for this very big born-again family beside me. I had lost hope and never thought of having a future after losing my mum, but I tell you that God can help you out even when you are in a critical moment.
Right now I have a dream of building a home, helping other sweethearts out there who are experiencing challenges like the ones I faced, care for the unprivileged and orphans in providing basic needs like access to food, education, medi
cal care, shelter share the Gospel with them, inspire and usher them into becoming successful people in society.
I also plan to make a plantation of coffee to raise funds for catering for orphans. Concerning my music career, I dream of making my own music studio, make charity gospel concerts to raise funds for the helpless and homeless. I have faith and believe that God will make all these dreams come to reality.
Ooh - I had forgotten to tell you about my little sister Nabwami Dora, who also got a copy of all the challenges I encountered. She used to strengthen me whenever my moods were low. Her story makes me sad because she had no one to talk to her. She disappeared from me when she was 14yrs old and she got married. I looked for her everywhere and when I got to see her, she was nursing her third baby. She has two boys and one girl. I can’t imagine at her tender age that she is going through this.
I glorify God because I preached the gospel to her with the husband and they got saved. Sometimes I condemn myself for not taking care of Dora, but at least I promise to take care of her children. Join me in praying for her and family because they live up on a hill named ’’NAKAYIMA’’ which consists of a tree that traditionalists, sorcerers, magicians and all those who believe in witchcraft worship since they claim that it holds some ancestral supernatural powers.
Surely I have lived on the mercies of God and it hasn’t been by power or by mighty but by the spirit of God. I bless him for that and I believe God for great things in my life.
May the almighty God bless you.
NKALUBO BILLY BRIAN
(DAVE’S NOTE: If you would like to read a little more about Pastor Wilson, click HERE and scroll down to page 4 - The Surrendered Life of Pastor Wilson Sentongo. Also Nakayima Hill that Billy Brian mentions is the hill that Town View Hotel is on – the hotel we stayed in the last few trips. Below is the tree Nakayima that is worshipped there.)
Thank you so much
ReplyDeleteI still Bless the Lord
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