Uganda is for sure the "Pearl of Africa"

I love how god used me in Uganda and I am praying about going back. I was Uganda for 5 days and I was working with Uganda Jesus Village, fresh fire ministry, local churches and just encouraging the missionaries on the ground. Uganda itself is doing better politically. It is Africa’s rare success story in the fight against the AIDS pandemic (although interesting is that Human Life International says that “condoms are adding to the problem, not solving it”). The LRA still exists, but there is a hope of peace and stability. More important, there is a tremendous opportunity for the Gospel message to be shared in Uganda today.

So how can we pray for Uganda?

* Do not pray against the nation’s problems. That will solve them, but others will rise in their place. Pray that Uganda finds its redemptive purpose, and God will take care of the problems.

* When people hear of what God is doing in Uganda today, they consider it impossible. But Uganda’s example demonstrates that God can turn impossible situations around, and reveal himself as the living God in the midst of immense problems. Therefore pray in faith.

Background on Uganda

Islam was introduced into Uganda in the mid-1800’s. Muslims are mainly Sunni, although there are Shi’a followers of the Aga Khan among the Asian community. While today’s Muslims complain of being marginalized, in truth, private Qur’anic schools are becoming more common. Holy days celebrated as national holidays include Eid al-Adha and Eid al-Fitr. Muslim prisoners usually were released from work duties during the month of Ramadan. And the Uganda Muslim Supreme Council enjoys diplomatic relations with the USA.

On 3 June 1886, thirty-two young men, pages of the court of King Mwanga of Buganda, were burned to death at Namugongo for their refusal to renounce Christianity. Instead of impeding Christianity as intended, it only built the faith and strength of Christians.

Economy of Uganda

Uganda has substantial natural resources, including fertile soils, regular rainfall, and sizable mineral deposits of copper and cobalt. Agriculture is the most important sector of the economy, employing over 80% of the work force. Coffee accounts for the bulk of export revenues. Since 1986, the government - with the support of foreign countries and international agencies - has acted to rehabilitate and stabilize the economy by undertaking currency reform, raising producer prices on export crops, increasing prices of petroleum products, and improving civil service wages.

About Uganda

Population: 30,262,610 (July 2007 estimate)
Note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected.

Life expectancy at birth: 51.75 years

Ethnic groups: Baganda 16.9%, Banyakole 9.5%, Basoga 8.4%, Bakiga 6.9%, Iteso 6.4%, Langi 6.1%, Acholi 4.7%, Bagisu 4.6%, Lugbara 4.2%, Bunyoro 2.7%, other 29.6%

Religions: Roman Catholic 41.9%, Protestant 42% (Anglican 35.9%, Pentecostal 4.6%, Seventh Day Adventist 1.5%), Muslim 12.1%, other 3.1%, none 0.9%

Languages: English (official national language, taught in grade schools, used in courts of law and by most newspapers and some radio broadcasts), Ganda or Luganda (most widely used of the Niger-Congo languages, preferred for native language publications in the capital and may be taught in school), other Niger-Congo languages, Nilo-Saharan languages, Swahili, Arabic.

Literacy: 69.9%