Impoverished Ugandan church gives to Ike relief

MBARARA, Uganda — Many church members in this African city are unemployed, and those with jobs earn as little as $1 per day, missionary Scott Glisson said.
Still, when Hurricane Ike struck the Texas coast Sept. 13, the Mbarara church wanted to help the missionary’s overseeing congregation — the First Colony church in Houston. The Mbarara church’s leaders earmarked a recent Sunday’s contribution for hurricane relief.
The average church contribution is about $11.
The church’s 50 members responded by giving 36,250 Ugandan Shillings.
That’s about $21.96.
“I don’t think it’s much money,” church member Richard Kweyamba said, “but we had to give what we had to show them the love we feel for them, and to let them know we are standing with them during their struggle.”
Another member, Livingston Nabassa, said, “I wish we could have given more, but we wanted them to know we are praying for them and loving them.”
Glisson said the contribution reminded him of the story of the widow’s mite from the Gospel of Mark.
“We need to be challenged by the generosity of those with so little, willingly giving more than what is comfortable,” Glisson said.