Incubatee - Mariea Nakyagaba, Nurturing Ubuntu
VISION: I
SEE A WORLD WHERE TERRORISM IS ERADICATED.
MISSION: TELLING THE STORY OF OUR FAITH.
We live
in a nation where people have become bystanders; with an attitude of ‘tebinkwatako’ (I don’t care) creeping
into the places of worship. People are no longer touched by the pain and
injustice faced by others. Terrorism has become a permanent news fixture; a car
bombing in Nairobi, the Kibwetere cult massacre in Kanungu, an explosion by Al Shabaab
youth at Lugogo, shootings of Army Generals in Kampala.
So as the
saying goes, “When did the rain start
beating us?”
Growing
up, I observed that life now revolves around performance and not character. We are created to BE and not
to DO. The passing away of my mother, sweet and kind as she was, brought about
an exposure so-called church friends who were really opportunists. They preyed on
my father’s mind causing him to allot part of our home as a shrine (grotto) for
the group of “kabondo” (people who
rotate in homes reciting the Rosary).
So, it
begs the soul-searching questions:
Ø Why are we rallying as campaigners for
positions and title yet we could be congregating, enjoying each other as
children of the Kingdom? When did houses of prayer turn into gatherings of robbery,
dominance, manipulation, and intimidation by our leaders? How long will we
extort from the underprivileged, the unschooled, the immature or the ignorant (obubadi mu Masinzizo).
Ø How can a faith-based leader advocate
for confiscation of land by promising Heavenly bliss to the owner and fighting to
leave others exploited (ejoogo & okutulugunya)?
As a father, you are expected to protect your family, provide for them, mentor
them; love them, grow them and be invincible in every way.
Ø Why do we condone divisions into cliques
(obukukulu) among siblings, families
or communities? Isn’t this what leads to gang ups with no one to steer amicable
intervention in conflicts at homes, communities, tribes and national upheavals?
Why are conflicts rationalized with myths such as: ab’oluganda bitta, or omunyoro ku muganda , kabwa na ngo yet TEAM
is spelt Together everyone achieves more?
Ø Which kind of society allows the
inhuman segregation and exploitation of the weak and religiously zealous? What
happened to the African spirit of ‘UBUNTU’; “I
am because we are”, “I am great because I have a community that cares for me”,
“I am a good parent because my village (uncles,
neighbours, shopkeepers etc) supported me”?
Ø In the previous years, we talked about
prodigal sons but now we are seeing a rise in prodigal fathers? Pain inflicts my heart when a parent chooses to
damp a child; it is a form of rejection. Why is this rejection spreading like a
cancer across the nation?
Ø Why do families feel more like
battlefields than love-nests? Why are we letting the family be explained away
by the Western cultures? Why are we gunning down our own law enforcement officers
(ettemu).
So,
how did we get here? Why is the rain still beating us even in our places of
worship?
Join
me in documenting the story of our Faith; about the past ministers, ministries
and martyrs who have shaped faith in Uganda; their successes, failures, issues
and opportunities. “The blood of the martyrs is the seed
of the church.”
Therefore,
ü Share
the story of your place of
worship. As we co-curate the story
of our faith will help ministries and families to be more relevant in grooming
‘Ubuntu’ (being a good neighbor). “Until the lion learns write, all stories
glorify the hunter”.
ü Organisations
are welcome since I am
currently working with family support organisations like Family Life Network in
Kansanga and Uganda Muslims Against Terrorism (UMAT).
ü We are teaching value for life and people are gifts; sensitizing against
the dangers of domestic violence; preaching peace as a lifestyle and as a
process.
ü Land should be looked upon as a family custody and not an element of
one’s suppression of others under the pretense of ownership yet used to inflict
pain on those who esteem and depend on you for livelihood. Patriotism should be birthed from a home and then grow into the
veins of our communities and to a Nation which will fire up others nations to
create a World of Brotherhood
whose blood follows for the well-being of one another and hence freedom from
terror.
Zoos have keepers, Bees have keepers,
Prisons have keepers.
Brothers need brothers. Be a Brother’s brother.
Brothers need brothers. Be a Brother’s brother.
Comments
Post a Comment