News > North America

GO MAKE DISCIPLES OF ALL NATIONS

“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Mathew 28:19-20)

PRAYER: Father almighty, from the beginning of time you loved me and called me and set me apart as one of a people called by your Name, a people belonging unto you, a holy nation, a royal priesthood to declare the praises of you who called me out of darkness into your wonderful light. I am the least of all, the worst of all sinners, have mercy on me as I share your saving grace in my life for the glory and honor of Your Name. Amen.

Who are my?

Iam a miserable sinner; named sh. Abraham Omoding from Uganda UBF- Makerere. I work as a Specialist physician at the Uganda cancer institute and currently here as a research fellow at the FHCRC / UW.  I had my first breathe and cry on a Sunday, 29^th September 1974 in a village health center to the joy of my mother as I would turn out be her last born among 9 children. Sr Connie is my co-worker and we have been blessed with two precious daughters, Phoebe and Hannah.

Life B.C

As written in Genesis 1:2…”now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the spirit of God was hovering over the waters”.my life was no surprisingly far from your guess…..formless, chaotic, empty and dark. Like any other African child I grew up doing all things children did, from stealing sugar, g-nut paste, mummies ATM basket of coins, starting fights and etc. I visited church twice a year… Easter and Christmas, I thanked Jesus for these two special occasions; not for his saving grace for me but as they were the only time to get new clothes and to have special delicious food and therefore I longed for them for this reasons.

My father’s home of 3 wives and 21 children was polarized with tension as our mothers competed to win the love of their dreams, our father’s love. Quarrels, witch hunts and divisions typified our home and we were not spared as we took sides with our mothers. Hatred and bitterness towards my father and my half brothers and sisters had a grip on me. I was always covetous, unforgiving, never-wishing anyone good luck, revengeful and malicious in all my dealings with my family.

I became a man scarred with all these vices and lived in conformity with the pattern of the world, got hurt and hurt others in return, lied and was lied too, cheated and was cheated too, became one of the drunkards, longed for human love among many. Struggled for fame, with great ambition of being rich, marry two or more beautiful women like my father one day and have children and wait to die. While in college, in pursuit of my selfish ambition, out of foolishness I “bribed” God with a vow….that if I made it to medical school on government sponsorship; I would commit my life to Him…God in His great longsuffering and unconditional love took me to medical school on government sponsorship. It was the greatest achievement for me and the whole of our village as I was the first to make it to university. Now in University….a far away country; I became proud and lived like a prodigal son who had gotten his untimely inheritance and was now squandering it in wild living by vicious cycle of cheating, drinking alcohol, partying and helping women do abortions so as to earn quick easy come money. Despite all these my soul was often empty and thirsty for more. I forgot the vow I had made to God at college.

My Meeting Christ

Acts 9:1-3 “Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. He went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem” Just as Paul met Christ on his way to Damascus to persecute the Christians….my meeting Christ is as worse as that!

During my 3^rd year of medical school, as I loused and gossiped during lunch break; I was invited for a Christian-fellowship meeting, I hesitantly accepted and went in but with a wrong motive of getting free hugs from some beautiful sisters in the fellowship. Little did I know this was going to be my day of the Damascus experience. The summon was to do with “keeping your vows to God” Deut 23: 21 “ if you make a vow to the Lord Your God, do not be slow to pay it, for the Lord your God will certainly demand it of you and you will be guilty of sin.” Guilty as charged was the verdict! The summon brought me to remembrance of my personal vow to God and how I had not lived up to it. God had been faithful to me and fulfilled his promise. My heart was rent and tears ran my cheeks as I came to realization of my wickedness.  What an amazing grace and what sweat sound that I received that day. It was that moment that the shackles and chains of sin fell off and I ran into my Fathers hands and embrace. Life has never been the same again. “a foolish selfish vow,,, pleasure seeking for free hugs” foolish indeed, but God used them with mercy and grace to turn my life around.

God had it all in plan…. Weeks later on; I met a man whom little did I know would have profound influence in my life than any other. As Ananias was to Paul (Acts 9:10-12); Msn Samuel Yoo was my Ananias from God; not only was he my medical school lecturer, but became my bible teacher, my mentor, spiritual father and yet a friend. He fed me with the word of God patiently with love. I learnt many lessons from the bible and from his personal life especially commitment in serving God and others. I received my eyesight….spiritual eye sight.

Life in Christ

Through a sustained 2 year bible study my heart was drawn by God to world mission through campus evangelism, I accepted the great commission call with great delight of soul and spirit and became a campus shepherd. His word unto me was “therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

The great commission is Jesus’ command, yet it is His trust and reminder of my life purpose; the great mission of making disciples of all nations by baptizing and teaching them to obey the word of God. Serving God through soul searching and soul saving is a great privilege that I have in this breath of life. No greatest achievement in life can a man attain than that of leading a soul to the Lord. I have had the most meaningful and purpose driven life, serving Gods flock; especially thru co-working with our co-workers in Uganda in campus ministry to raise disciples for Christ through bible studies. By God’s grace I was able to share the word of God with brethren at Makerere University and later on in Mbarara University of science and technology for 3 years.

Life as a short-term missionary in the USA

God by his grace enabled me to come to University of Washington to do a one year research fellowship in cancer medicine; I have received the best of training and above all shared the love of God with seattle UBF co-workers; their love and humility has continued to charge me, challenge and inspire my heart and spiritual desire for life of mission. I received much grace through common life, prayer and sharing word of God with brother Noleb and Sister Peace. I pray that the word of God will continue to live and grow in the hearts of Brother Noleb and sister Peace and raise them into Jesus disciples. 2 weeks after my arrival in Seattle, I had a vivid dream (see the end of my testimony); it has been God’s word to me to stay well as a Christian…a salt and light. Like any journey that has its ups and downs; my walk with God has had its own ups and downs, sometimes I have let God down out of sinful nature, relying on my human flesh, challenges of academics, work and easy going lifestyle but God has always been faithful and carried me even through points of weakness to run the race marked out for me; the race of being a witness of the gospel.

My 2011 KEY VERSE--------Jeremiah 17: 7-8 7 “But blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him.8 they will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.”

I have continued to receive much grace from these verses to trust in the Lord and to be confident in Him alone; not to trust in my own limited human strength in the event of challenges, the heat and worries of drought. Life in Washington has been a great blessing, the experience of missionary life! but challenging in many ways….from academic stress, clinic rotations, being away from family, indifference to my Christian faith from some American colleagues, almost no time to read and study bible…..this verses from Jeremiah have continued to be my comfort and assurance. The command “STAY WELL” from the dream has always resounded in my mind to live a Christian life in a foreign and secular nation. I have passed my UW exams well and in two months’ time I return to Uganda. All I cannot but thank the Lord for His love. I hear in my heart Jesus say to me, “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Thanks Giving topics.

1. God for loving me…prodigal son and giving me mission
2. Joy of fellowship, love, prayer support from all Seattle UBF co-workers…
3. Short-term missionary life experience
4. Northwest summer bible conference: SPIRITUAL REFRESHMENT
5. Sister Peace for making it to the Northwest summer Bible conference.
5. IARTP/HAMTP-scholarship

Prayer topics

1. To live a life of mission.
2. Grow in the knowledge and word of God
3. To pioneer Mbarara university by faith.
4. Sister Peace to receive God’s grace through the conference
5. Uganda UBF…Missionaries and local shepherds, KYU-Bible Centre.

One Word: Therefore go and make disciples of all nations.