Bishop criticizes religious leaders who keep followers in places of worship without working

Masindi: The general overseer for the Pentecostal Church of Uganda, Bishop Charles Bagonza has criticized the religious leaders who keep their followers in the places of worship without encouraging them to work.

Bishop Bagonza, who is also the lead pastor at Kabarwana Pentecostal church of Uganda in Masindi municipality says the   practice has breeds the culture of dependence among their followers   and retards their economic success.

He was speaking during the graduation ceremony for the ten mothers of children with disabilities from Masindi district who completed a four month training in tailoring held at the church on Sunday August 4, 2024.

Bishop Bagonza reminded the believers that God blesses the hands of those who work as they pray but not those who just pray without working.

Speaking about the training, Bishop Bagonza revealed that the training is aimed at equipping the mothers with the skills that will help them to earn and be able to support their disabled children instead of relying on handouts from well-wishers.

The training is conducted by the church under its humanitarian initiative “For Better for Families Uganda” that strives to promote a conducive environment in homes in the country.

The church also gave a sewing machine to each parent as a startup kit to help them earn from the skills acquired.

Bishop explained that this is part of the church’s policy of preaching a holistic gospel that caters for both the spiritual and physical needs of the followers.

He is concerned about some parents who discriminate against their children with disabilities.

Bishop Bagonza noted that despite all children being God’s gifts to the parents and being equal before God, some parents regard the children born with disabilities as a curse and do not treat them as the able-bodied ones, including denying them opportunities like education.

He therefore urged the parents to accept, love, and support their disabled children so that they can live happy lives like their able-bodied counterparts.

Bishop Bagonza explained that equipping the mothers of children with disabilities with tailoring skills and machines is aimed at enabling them to have sources of income so that they can support these children instead of relying on handouts from well-wishers.

Speaking during the same event, William Mwambu, the councilor representing persons with disabilities in Masindi district, revealed that due to the false belief among people that children with disabilities are a curse, many men abandon their wives who produce such children and leave the burden of looking after them to the mothers.

Mwambu revealed that with the training the mothers have attained, the district is going to give them financial support so that they will be able to look after their disabled children.

The mothers listed the challenges they face in looking after their disabled children, including buying costly assistive devices, providing medical care, and educating them.

They are, however, optimistic that the training and tailoring machines will help to address some of these challenges.

Masindi Resident District Commissioner, Emmy Ngabirano, who was the chief guest hailed the Churches for the initiative that he said is complimenting the government’s efforts geared towards improving the lives of the people with disabilities in the country.

RDC Ngabirano pledged the government support to the mothers to enable them support their disabled children.

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