Wandago is a community known for one thing—Gin.
For the majority of the residents in this community in Uganda, their livelihood is completely dependent on distilling and selling Waragi, an alcoholic beverage that is a homemade version of the famous spirit.
The production of this locally distilled alcohol is so prevalent that according to the World Health Organization, the population of Uganda is one of the largest per capita consumers of alcohol in the world.
“They say, if your taxi stops for a couple of minutes at a light in Wandago, and your windows are open, you might get a buzz from the fumes that are in the air,” said David, one of our pastor partners in the region.
The problem is so pervasive, many people who are working as pastors have even found themselves distilling the beverage to try and support themselves.
It has led many who call themselves Christians to feel ashamed of the lives of sin they are leading, and reluctant to share their faith, or even live it out on a consistent basis.
“Many of them attend church on Sundays to worship God, but during the week, they compromise their integrity to make a living,” David explained.
But it is in this context that David is seeing the impact ShareWord Global’s relational evangelism training can have on the community.
“This is a bridge from understanding the gospel conceptually to living it out in their daily lives,” he said. “The impact of the Discovery and Ignite training in Wandago is a testament to the power of hope and transformation. The community now has a renewed sense of purpose and a commitment to relational evangelism. The local churches, armed with new knowledge and resources, are poised to make a significant difference, bringing the light of the gospel to a village that desperately needs it.”
Please join David in praying for this community, the believers that call it home, and the health of the Church as they try to overcome patterns of sin, and glorify God as they live out their faith and share the gospel.