Called to go

Interview with Alice, a leader in All Nations Kampala who attended All Nations Cape Town’s training program, CPx, last year.

By Allison Sherwin

1.  How did God first get your attention? When did you begin to follow Him?

I grew up in a Christian family so I knew about God all my life.  We would pray and go to church on the weekend.  But I wasn’t really concerned and I was just living my life. In 2011 during school holidays I visited some friends who were followers of Jesus.  They kept wanting me to pray with them but I would say no.  They would often pray for me that God would change my heart.  On the 14th of February, they were praying but I was just sitting and watching a movie.  This time it was different and I started to feel this voice in my mind that was bothering me.  I waited for them to stop praying so I could discuss with them.  The voice was saying “accept me, accept me, accept me.”   When I told them my friends what was happening, they laughed and said God is telling you this. The husband led me in prayer and I said yes and accepted Jesus. 

I was supposed to go back and finish High School.  Now I was a new Christian and I was asking God what to do.  My friends encouraged me not to worry and told me I’m a new creation and God forgives me. I must allow Him to use me.  At school I had been very stubborn and disobedient. I went to all my teachers and said, “I have been a bad student and been disobedient.  But today I have come to repent. I’m sorry for what I’ve done to offend anyone.”  I also called all the students together and got in the middle and told them I’m so sorry.  I met with them one on one and repented.  They all wondered what was happening to me and said, “is this really you?”  I told them, “I’m saved and I’m a new person. I’m born again so no more disobedience or bullying.  Whatever you used to know about me, I’m different.”  Some gave me a week and thought I would go back to who I was.  I asked God to help me prove that I had really changed. 

  I felt God wanted me to start a scripture union at the school and they said yes.  I met Herbert at that school and I observed how he was ahead of me in spiritual maturity, the Bible, everything.  I asked him to help me. He refused me at first.  He had heard the rumors of me from how I was before.  On the third day, I told God I was going to ask him again and if he refused then I would not do it.  I went to him that day and told him, “I am like Moses.  God wants to liberate the people through the scripture but I need an Aaron. I don’t speak well. You must help me.”  Herbert then agreed to help me.  After he left, I became the leader of the scripture union until I left high school.  

2. How did you get involved in the All Nations movement in Uganda?

  In 2017, I would often go and pray and retreat in the mountain.  I used to go to church and people would always prophesy about me that God wants me to serve Him.  I didn’t understand. I thought I was already serving Him by going to church and tithing.  I decided to ask God what kind of service He wanted from me. 

  Herbert called me soon after and said he had been looking for me. We hadn’t seen each other in awhile.  He came to visit me at my business and told me about All Nations. He cast the vision that Jesus must be worshipped by all peoples on the earth and he taught me DBS.  He invited me to visit the hub gathering the next weekend.  I met Wilson and he said I can start movements and preach the gospel.  Eventually I went through the CPx in Uganda and I felt more at peace with the vision and mission. I felt like God was calling me and I started to move with Wilson in the ghetto with different groups.  I felt like everything was right and that I fit here.  These people felt like home.  

3. What was your experience like coming to Cpx in Cape Town? What did God teach you?

I enjoyed being in class with many different nations.  It was awesome!

  Before I went to CPx Cape Town, I had a time where I disobeyed God.  After knowing All Nations and feeling like I need to join the work, I also decided I wanted to work abroad and make money.  I told myself I would serve God when I had enough money.  But God wanted something different.  Everything was almost ready for me to move abroad and I gave a guymoney to help with the paperwork.  Then he disappeared with my money.  I came crying to God and He said, “I was not involved with that. I told you to do something different.” He gave me the story of Jonah.  From there I cried and wish I had obeyed.  That man took a lot of money from me and also lots of other people’s money.  

  When I went to Cape Town, I decided to ask God where he wanted me to go. In Uganda, I was okay with the movement in the ghettos but in Cape Town I started to feel I should go to a different place and a different culture. I started to pray and ask Him and he first thing I heard was Kalamoja.  My first thought was, “no way, I can’t go there!” We have a joke about people from there; “you can’t wait for Kalamoja’s to put on” (which means they are always slow).  I knew a little about their lifestyle and culture.  I discussed with my classmates and they said to ask God to confirm.  Once I was praying in the prayer room and God gave me a picture…I saw small white and yellow huts made of soil in a dry climate with short trees.  In the middle was a man on a small stool with a white robe and people were gathered around him.  I was going by myself to this place.  I introduced myself to the man but I ended up concentrating on the kids.

After that vision, I felt very confirmed that God was calling me there. I remembered Revelations 7 about every tongue, tribe and nation around the throne.  I was so touched I was crying, and I heard a voice deep inside saying “love, love love.” I cried and repented of how I saw these people of Kalamoja.  I had not seen them in a godly way as people belonging to God.  I said sorry and told God I was ready to go where He wanted me to go.  I didn’t want to run away like the last time.  My greatest revelation was hearing this call and God answering me.  

  Wilson and the team had also been praying for God to send someone to that side because there are unreached people groups there.  They were amazed when I told them my story and what God had spoken to me.  I felt confirmed and ready to go. I wasn’t afraid, even if I had to go alone and if the people were hostile. I was ready. 

  I waited for funds for a vision trip and God provided.  My family was concerned that I was going alone. They thought I was crazy to leave my business. They knew me as a hardworking person.  But I decided to follow Jesus because he promised He would provide. 

4. What was your first visit to the Menings like?

  I traveled two days, I had an accident on the way but no one was injured.  I kept trying to ask people for directions and find places to sleep at night.  I boarded a bus and I thank God for teaching me during Cpx to smile and welcome people and take the opportunities in front of you.  The man next to me on the busy was sick with a cold and I gave him some medicine and introduced myself.  He asked many questions.  For him it was weird that I was a missionary.  He thought only white people were missionaries.  He was also amazed that I was so young.  I was open with this guy and he said he would help me to find the Menings when we reached the town.  

  I arrived at a small, remote town at the border with no electricity.  This man helped me find a guest house. Many people were observing me and could tell I didn’t belong there since I look different.  One woman asked what I was doing and gave me good advice about going to the Menings. She said some of them came there for business but most of them were across the border in Sudan.  The cost to travel there was high.  She told me to look for the chief and introduce myself to him.  Wilson was able to send more money for me to get there.  

  When I reached the place it felt like I had been there before. It looked just like the picture God had given me! I met the chief who was very surprised and asked a lot of questions.  I answered them all.  He said he would decide and let me know.  I went back to Uganda to wait. He didn’t call, but people said there was no signal and the network was bad. I prayed and decided to go back.  When I went, the chief gathered five other chiefs who asked many questions.  They welcomed me and wrote me a letter to take to the person at the border wrote me a permit to get in.  

  I have never been in such a remote and isolated place. There were no shops, houses, hotels.  The people don’t need money since they survive on the food they grow and on hunting.  They don’t go to school.  They only know how to cultivate and eat.  They have no electricity or network.

6.  Share some of the history of this place and what they believe. 

Menings are a group of people who live in Bira Piyam in South Sudan.  They are one of the smallest and least known tribes in South Sudan.  I think the population is about 18,000.  Some people call them Ketobo.  They speak Langi, Karamajong, Arabic, some English and other indigenous languages.  They have chiefs as leaders who are under the state (Ikotos).  They do farming and hunting.  Recently, I  have connected with a lady who comes from that village but now lives in Juba.  She said in the 1960’s an Italian guy was touring and saw their village.  He decided to come back and start a school. He tried to introduce some Catholic religion but the people weren’t interested in that.  He eventually got sick and went back to Italy.  Most people sacrifice to small gods if they need rain or need to find food when they hunt.  

5. What do you want to see God do amongst the Menings? What is your dream and prayer for them?

  My biggest dream is to see change in that community. For God to change mindsets and how they see things.  When I pray for them, I get a picture of the light coming down. In the middle are the Menings but the light is hindered by a rock and doesn’t shine on them.  I want to see the light reaching that community. I want to see a movement.  I believe change will come if their hearts become open and free to the Lord.  

6.  What is your greatest need right now?

  My biggest need is for my budget to be met so that I can travel there.  I know I can pray from where I am and God can change them but I feel like I need to be there on the ground and be part of them.  I want to join hands and pray with them and together see God answer our prayers. 

7. How can we be praying for you?

Pray for the community to accept me.  This lady I know from there told me that if the people accept me then everything will be okay, but if they deny me then it will be difficult. I need favor with the people.  I also need a team, but I would love my team to come from the local people.  I really want God to prepare the ground there for me so I can see a harvest. 

8. How can we be praying for the Mening people?

  Pray for the leaders in the community who God is preparing.  I don’t see myself living there for so many years, but I want to raise up leaders who can make the movement and expand it to nearby communities.  God knows them and they are there.