Pastor Wilson Niwamanya and his 12-year-old son were on their way home to Kabale on 21 November when they were stopped by Islamic militants.
They were returning after delivering Christian literature along the Democratic Republic of Congo border when four men stepped out of the bush and forced them to stop the motorcycles they were riding. Grabbing Pastor Wilson, one of the assailants declared, “This man must die for disrespecting our religion.”
The perpetrators began to beat the pastor on the head with blunt objects and then stabbed his son, Simon Peter, fleeing the crime scene when other motorcyclists approached. Simon Peter died at the scene, whereas Pastor Wilson succumbed to his injuries a few days later. Another Christian worker who was with them escaped with injuries to his hand. According to his wife, Pastor Wilson had received text messages prior to the incident, warning him to stop distributing literature that allegedly discredits Islam.
In a separate incident, relatives killed the six-year-old son of a former Islamic sheikh after he refused to renounce his faith in Christ. The Muslim relatives met at the home of Emmanuel Hamuzah on 23 November and, for two hours, tried to convince him to return to Islam. Later that evening, Emmanuel was outside his home with his son when five relatives reappeared. When Emmanuel once more refused to recant, they began to beat him; while others stepped on his son’s neck, causing suffocation to the child. The attackers fled when neighbours came to help, but the injured boy died before he could obtain medical attention.
While Muslims in Uganda are a minority, there are large concentrations in some areas. Some groups have become increasingly aggressive, particularly towards those who have left Islam.
Source: Morning Star News
- Ask the God of love and mercy to embrace Pastor Wilson’s wife and surviving children, as they endure this time of grief and loss. Ask the Lord to bring physical and emotional healing to the worker who witnessed the event and suffered injury.
- Prayerfully intercede for Emmanuel, his wife and their three other children, as they mourn the horrific death of their child.
- Pray that those who instigated these attacks will come to understand that same eternal hope which can only be found in the light and love of Christ.
Post your prayer in the comments below.
May the God of all comfort whom you serve give you peace knowing the victory has been won by Jesus’ life, death, resurrection and ascension to our Father and now intercedes for us. You will have a glorious reunion. Love to you .
Father God, my heart breaks and my tears flow at the news of this latest tragedy. Our brothers and sisters in Christ suffer much, and I pray You will pour your love on them, giving them courage, and the deep heartfelt knowledge that their loss is not in vain. Father God, this world is so unfair, violent and alienated from You Lord. I pray you will open the eyes and hearts of those who persecute your church, and heal those in need of your touch.
come soon Lord Jesus
🙏
Lord be with the descendants of the deceased and comfort the families. May love a d forgiveness sprout out of their grief and they extend their arms to the perpetrators in Christian love so that they come to the knowledge of Jesu Christ.
We pray this in Jesus name
Lord what a tragedy that this christian Pastor and his son ,plus Emmanuel’s son were killed simply for their faith. Yet out of these horrible events, they are now with you forevermore, and satan and no man can take that away from them.
Lord comfort those friends and family who are left dealing with the grief and pain of losing their loved ones. Lord bring justice to those who did the killing, and show them the error of their ways, so they can repent, so they never do this again to any other christian. Lord show these muslims how much they have disrespected you and your Word by these killings. Shame they do not see killing another human being the same way you do Lord. That it is sin. Hopefully one day they will.
O Heavenly Father, we know that you are the defender of the fatherless and comforter of those who grieve. Bring relief and help to our sisters and brothers as they endure such deep losses and violence to their lives. May your Holy Spirit minister to their hearts and minds that they might grow in their faith and look to the eternal and certain hope you have given them. Have mercy Lord and bring the perpetrators to faith in Christ. May they know your grace and forgiveness. To God be the Glory.