A radical Muslim has confessed to killing a 70-year-old pastor in Uganda on 11 June. Bishop Francis Obo, the senior pastor of Mpingire Pentecostal Revival Church Ministries International in Odapako village, Mpingire Sub-County, was killed after a group of Muslim extremists dressed in Islamic attire stopped him and his wife Christine, on their way home from a market at about 8:30pm.
Sources: Morning Star News, The Voice of the Martyrs USA
According to Christine, one of the men told Bishop Obo that he was an “infidel” who causes Muslims to leave Islam and “blaspheme the words of Allah,” and that, “Today Allah has judged you.” She continued, “Another assailant told me to go away and added, ‘Today, it is a day for your husband.’ As I moved a few metres in a hurry trying to save my life, I heard a little noise and wailing from my husband and realised that his life was in danger.”
She reached home trembling and unable to speak, and her children took her to a hospital where she was treated for shock. Early the next morning she regained consciousness and told her oldest son that his father was likely killed by radical Muslims and that he and his siblings should go to the site.
“Reaching there, they were shocked and fearful as they found a large number of Christians and relatives gathered around the dead body mourning their bishop after being murdered by Muslims,”
Christine said. Investigating police found a suspect, Imam Uthman Olingha, with blood on his clothes and shoes. They arrested him and another suspect identified as Jafari Kato.
Police told family members that Olingha confessed to killing Bishop Obo, with an officer telling them, “Olingha openly confessed that he can’t regret that he killed the bishop because he did it in the cause of Allah’s word to kill all infidels who mislead Muslims. He added that Allah will be with him in jail, but the kafiri [infidels] deserved the killing,” Christine said.
The bishop leaves behind a widow and 13 children. He oversaw 17 churches across the region. The pastor had been active in sharing Christ with Muslims locally and in the surrounding area, leading many of them to faith in Christ and discipling them.
“Some Muslims had earmarked him as someone who has been misleading their fellow Muslims and had been warned to stop converting Muslims to Christianity,” Christine said. On 4 June the couple had hosted a former Islamic teacher who testified on how he became a Christian at their church, she said.
Muslims make up no more than 12% of Uganda’s population. Local Islamists persecute Christians, especially along the eastern, southwestern and northern borders, where radicals have been steadily encroaching.
Let us pray.
- Ask the Lord to comfort Christine and her children as they attempt to come to terms with the shock and grief of this tragic loss.
- Pray for the Christians in the local area that they would come together to show love and concern for the family and for one another. Pray they will remain strong in the faith.
- Pray the death of Bishop Obo will not be in vain but that the Lord may use it to bring great spiritual blessing and revival to the community.
Lord, we mourn with Bishop Obo’s family and community. Would you cover them with your comfort at this time and help them to love and care for each other at this hard time. We pray that you would use this evil for good, and that many would be led to belief in the gospel of Christ by the witness of Bishop Obo’s life.
Praying
Heavenly Father,
We know our Lord Jesus warned us, we would be hated and that we would have tribulation on this side of eternity. But, sometimes there are no words to express the shock and grief we experience at the hands of evil.
Let us be reassured when the pain and suffering seem unbearable that we are to take heart for our Lord Jesus has overcome the world (John 16:33).
We grieve in our hearts with Bishop Obo’s family and loved ones and his church community. Comfort them Lord, wrap them in Your everlasting arms, reminding them that one day they will be reunited with their dear brother, husband, father, grandfather and friend in Your Glorious Presence.
Out of this situation, Lord, in Your time and in Your way, we ask that spiritual blessings may come to this community. We pray that a fresh revival will be ignited and hearts set aflame for the spread of the gospel. And please, please open the eyes of the spiritually blind to Your glorious truth.
In Jesus’ Powerful Name, I pray.
Blessed Lord Jesus Christ,head over the church, you are calling a people out of darkness into your marvellous light. We give thanks for the life, faith and witness of Bishop Francis Obo, the senior pastor of Mpingire Pentecostal Revival Church Ministries International in Odapako village, Mpingire Sub-County who was persecuted to death by a group of muslim extremists. We, together with his wife Christine, family and church, mourn his loss but are comforted in the hope and knowledge of salvation in Christ crucified and risen from the dead. We pray for suspects Imam Uthman Olingha and Jafari Kato and ask that they co-operate with authorities to expose the truth but also that confess Christ with their lips and believe in their heart that Jesus rose from the dead so that they may be saved. We ask for mercy and boldness for Christians in the local area that they would come together to show love and concern for the family and for one another. We beg you Lord to help them by the power of your Spirit to keep them strong in the faith and anchored in your word of truth. Have mercy Lord. Grant them peace and security in you.