About seven months ago, Rev.
Canon Dr. Gideon Byamugisha Ssemakula was diagnosed with cancer. His doctors in
Uganda recommended him to India for surgery. One Sunday evening, Byamugisha
broke this news to the Christians who congregate at Bishop Samuel Chapel, at
Hope Institute in Nabweru. Many of his friends shed tears because they never
expected him to return. But thanks be to God, Canon Byamugisha is now back in
the country. He is visibly full of life, joy, hope and determination.
When What Why we Celebrated ThanksGiving Day
It is for this reason that
together with his wife Pamela and friends, he organized an evening thanksgiving
prayer service at Hope Institute of Transformational leadership and Development
at Nabweru, in Wakiso district on Sunday, March 13. The service was presided
over by the Bishop Emeritus of Namirembe Anglican diocese, the Rt. Rev. Samuel
Balagadde Ssekkade, who praised Canon Byamugisha for standing steadfast in his
Christian faith, despite the challenging health condition he has been going
through for relatively long. Canon Gideon’s daughter, Hope Kirabo could also
not hide her excitement. She took the mic and crooned a song of gratitude for
her parents. The students of Hope Institute, which was started by Canon Gideon,
also entertained the guests.
As champions of hope, you have
fed us, nursed us, paid our hospital bills and accommodation expenses. You have looked after our family and paid
special attention to our children’s educational needs, their psycho-social care
and spiritual nurture. As champions of hope, you have enabled us to finish 25
rounds of Radiotherapy, to start on Chemotherapy and to be buoyed with
mountains of spiritual hope, physical courage and friendship solidarity in the
face of life-threatening diagnoses, tough surgeries and life-saving-treatment
regimens.More tears flowed down as Canon Byamugisha passionately thanked his
wife for standing besides him in all his trials and tribulations.
When, Why we Celebrated ThanksGiving Day 2016
Canon Byamugisha’s cousin,
Engineer Hans Mwesigwa played the key-board during the service, which was also
graced by retired Canon Augustine Magala Musiiwuufu and Rev. James, the parish
priest of Nansana. One wouldn’t have expected a man from the hospital to make a
donation. But probably owing to his unrivalled generosity, Canon Byamugisha
donated 10 bags of cement to the development projects of Canon Gidedonn
Foundation, of which he is the founding Executive Director.
Yes, Canon Byamugisha has
returned alive, strong, nice-looking and full of hope. But he also has to go
back to India after three months for further medical examination. So, continue
to pray for him, further to giving him moral and financial support. Canon
Byamugisha is one of the greatest clergymen, both in the world-wide Anglican
and Catholic religions. He holds the historic reputation of being the first
ever African Church leader (both in the Catholic and Anglican Communions) to
come out openly and declare his HIV/AIDS status.
