SEAN Discipleship for Uganda’s Islands

Ssese Islands and other hard to reach areas

In the same Spirit the need to go to other hard to reach areas became apparent. This time, it was the call from Rev. Edward Gombe of Ssese parish then, requesting SEAN Uganda consider serving them their hard to reach areas. Ssese Islands has got close to 48 active congregations on the habitable islands that form the whole of Ssese Islands. However, all these congregations were and are served by one ordained minister. This meant that ideally, some congregations would never have the opportunity to meet their pastor nor have a proper preaching session in a year. Most of these congregations relied on untrained Christian volunteers, who supported Rev. Edward, to have Christian meetings on different points of the islands.

Photograph of Sudents and Leaders of the Ssese Islands

Sudents and Leaders in the Ssese Islands

Given the very mobile nature of the islanders, there was a great need to set up a discipleship ministry that would enable practical learning in Christian meetings even in the absence of a trained minister. The aim was to find a programme that was affordable, simple, educative and sustainable for islanders to rely on for discipleship and spiritual development. The SEAN vision was shared after a baseline survey and then the programme was established in 2013. Today, over 35 islands have active SEAN groups and some congregations have developed leaders who have gone ahead to become commissioned lay readers in Namirembe diocese. These include men and women leaders on the islands.

Due to the ongoing ministry on Ssese Islands, Buvuma island in Mukono diocese have requested for the SEAN ministry to go to their discipleship needs. We still await God’s ordained time to take the first steps.