Uganda – Dayshare St. Patrick’s Day – Monday 17th March, 2025
For the last six years, I have been travelling to east Africa to teach the Bible to pastors and church leaders. In April 2019 I visited Rwanda, followed by Burundi and D.R. Congo. My first visit to Uganda was in the spring of 2022. In 2023, after a call from Christ at the grave of C.T. Studd, I commenced ‘sole’ ministry, relying fully on support from individuals and churches. Since then, I have returned to Uganda four times, starting a programme to teach the entire Old Testament, one book at a time, for as long as it takes. Over the last two years, I have been teaching Genesis and Exodus in churches in the Eastern region of Uganda. God-willing, I will be back to Uganda in May. I partner with OPAL Trust, to ship books to a Bible College in Busia and take Bibles in my suitcase to gift personally to pastors. If you have been one of my supporters (thank you!), you will have seen my pictures and videos on Whatsapp and received my visit reports on email. If you wish to receive these, please get in touch. You can also visit https://www.stewardship.org.uk/partners/petermclean
Let me share a very short history of Uganda and its church from a biblical perspective. Some pictures will provide context. I include some Bible verses I encourage you to read, to better understand Christ’s plan for the country. I hope you will be informed and encouraged that the best days of the Ugandan church lie yet ahead.
The written history of Uganda can be traced back 700 years, to the kingdom of Buganda in the early 14th century. In the 19th century, the ‘muzungus’ (white wanderers) first arrived. Explorers Richard Burton and Samuel Speke traversed the continent to ‘discover’ the source of the Nile at Lake Victoria in 1862. (My Ugandan brothers always laugh when we say they ‘discovered’ the source of the Nile. They knew it was there all along!) After this, the first CMS mission, led by Charles Wilson, was set up along the northern banks of Lake Victoria. Then in 1885-87 (exactly 6000 years, or six ‘days’ after Eden, according to Moses’ chronology in Gen 5/11), almost fifty Uganda martyrs were brutally murdered by Mwanga II, Kabaka of Buganda. This event founded the Ugandan Church. A century after Smith and Wilson, in 1962 (‘the year of Africa’), the British Protectorate of Uganda became an independent nation. At that time, the leaders chose a national flag and a coat of arms. They had obvious human reasons for choosing the colours and emblems they did.
The three colours are black, yellow and red. The founders chose these to represent the people (tribes of the nation), the sun (gives life to the nation), and the blood of the martyrs (birthed the nation). The crested crane at the centre personifies the national spirit – a gentle bird, whose nature and movement embody humility and grace. There was also a divine hand that guided the selection of these. Given that the Holy Spirit is the hand in the glove of the biblical authors, and biblical prophecy is replete with colours and creatures that symbolise peoples and nations, Ugandan church leaders agree that by viewing their flag through a biblical lens, they can gain insight into Christ’s revealed purpose for their country. We trust in a sovereign God who rules the nations with an iron sceptre. Let me share some observations on the flag of Uganda, from biblical prophecy.
Revelation 6:5-6 Black: the black horse of the third seal reassures Ugandans that although they have for decades suffered poverty, corruption and famine, Christ is not ignorant of their plight. He will come to their rescue. If the nation honours Him, then He will raise them up, protect and bless them in future.
Malachi 4:2, Matthew 17:1, Revelation 1:16 Yellow: the true life-giving force in Uganda is the ‘sun of righteousness’, the Son of God, whose radiant face watches over the nation. He wishes to bestow His favour on the people, provided they continue to follow Him and obey His commandments.
Isaiah 1:18-20, Revelation 6:9-11 Red: it is only by the blood of Christ that Uganda is saved. The martyrs paid the highest price with their own blood. Christ acknowledges their sacrifice and will reward them in His time.
Isaiah 42:1-4, Matthew 11:28-30 Crested crane: Christ Himself is at the centre of Uganda. He is the true ‘crested crane’. His gentleness and humility sustain Uganda. Pray they will not become weary and burdened, but that Christ will ease their yoke and they will find rest for their souls.
Please pray for my partners in Uganda – Overseer Enyomu Eughene and his wife Florence in Kalaki, and Director Wejuli Fred and his wife Josephine in Busia. Thank you all at Dayshare for your prayers over the last two years. Your support for me is a direct contribution to the learning of church leaders in Uganda. They serve Christ by teaching their flocks, as they all await His return to their nation on the seventh ‘day’.
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