THE RISE OF BIDIBIDI

RESPLENDENT in a handmade African print dress and a black hijab – a square scarf covering her head and neck, a mid aged girl in her early 30s emerges from a rub hall, a relocatable tent-like structure common in humanitarian spaces, erected at a Food Distribution Point in one of the zones in Bidibidi refugee settlement, carrying a stash of papers with names of would-be beneficiaries of the in-kind food items, in the background is a group of World Vision staff clad in an orange and white patched jacket weighing food on a digital scale, one elderly man who supervises the team as a food monitor stands with hands akimbo taking note of the slightest deviations on the weighing scale.

The UN agency, The World Food Programme (WFP) heavy duty trucks park in a certain rank and file within the open field, one of those 10 tonne trucks was being driven by a foreigner, you could tell by his accent and looks that he is a Somali, with mouth full of khat, his discolored teeth and a toothpick stuck on the cusp of his lips, one of his checks is replete with a ball of khat that he is chewing intermittently, The WFP works during emergencies and longer-term crises to provide food to displaced people around the world, especially vulnerable groups such as women and children with the hope that one day the food-related activities will build refugee self-reliance, the assistance is designed to maintain a sound diet through a balanced and culturally acceptable food basket, the food items consisted of cereals, pulses, Corn Soya Sugar Blend, Oil, and salt. 

The refugees are queuing up in two endless and disorganized lines, majority of them are grasping polyethylene sacks while a few elderly women have huge saucepans. as soon as the food distribution exercise is ended, droves of vehicles are seen driving out of the settlement some with merchants, traders and food items bought from refugees who would have preferred cash assistance instead, such is the dilemma that humanitarians agencies face, the much needed aid is often times abused by the very beneficiaries it is supposed to help with multiple reports of vandalized temporary latrines to stolen solar lamps among others.

ON AUGUST 12, 2016, one of the most protracted conflicts the world had ever seen boiled into a full-fledged war that has since claimed the lives of over 300,000 people, displaced more than 250,000 men, women, and children, and brought about unprecedented suffering of monumental proportions in South Sudan. 

Tragically, the conflict has resulted into thousands of families being forced to leave their homes because of attacks by non-state armed groups. Extreme violence and displacement have had a devastating impact on the population. People have witnessed their loved ones being killed, beheaded, and raped, and their houses and other infrastructure burned to the ground. Men and boys have also been forcibly enrolled in armed groups. Livelihoods have been lost, and education stalled while access to necessities such as food and healthcare has been hampered. Many people have been re-traumatized after being forced to move multiple times to save their lives. 

One such place that the south Sudanese refugees sought refugee in Uganda was Bidibidi refugee settlement.

Bidibidi refugee settlement in Yumbe district covering an area of approximately 250 square kilometers, an area larger than the size of cook island – a nation in the South Pacific, the settlement is sandwiched between two districts of Terego and Obongi and was established in August 2016 to host the rapid influx of South Sudanese refugees fleeing fighting and conflict. The settlement was originally planned to accommodate about 150,000 people but over time, its population has almost doubled to 224,048 people by July 2022, making it one of the settlements holding the largest refugee population in the world. The settlement is divided into five zones with over 84% of its population being women and children.

From being a once underutilized hunting grounds that were uninhabited and not considered choice lands for agriculture by the locals situated within shedloads of low, rolling hills and mostly rocky soils and tumps with rolling grassland scattered with shrubs and isolated trees, the settlement is arguably the largest refugee settlement with a potential to transform into a city or urban town.

OBONGI BY FERRY

The silver sedan pulls up at the river side, as I disembark it, I stroll close to the river edge, I can feel the cool breeze blowing against my face. The air is fresh and crisp, with a hint of moisture in it, and I can hear the gentle sound of the water flowing by. In March the weather was typically warm and sunny, with occasional scattered clouds providing some relief from the heat. The sun's rays reflected off the water, creating a dazzling display of light and color. Like many places on the peripherals of river basins, the weather at a river side is always unpredictable. The clouds can roll in suddenly, casting shadows over the water and creating a foreboding atmosphere. Thunderstorms can also appear out of nowhere, bringing with them flashes of lightning and claps of thunder that echo down the river valley. However, despite the unpredictability of the weather, there is a certain tranquility and peace that can be found at the river side. Whether it's the sound of the water gently lapping against the shore, the rustling of leaves in the wind, or the chirping of birds in the trees, there is always something soothing about being near a flowing river, and this was the experience I found myself in on 24th March 2023.

I had emphatically jumped on an opportunity to travel to Kampala from Yumbe, via Obongi Ferry, then Adjumani, Gulu, and straight to Kampala, crossing the river Nile proper, two times, one here and the other at Karuma.

Obongi is a town located in the northern region of Uganda, specifically in the district of Obongi. It is a small town that was carved out of Moyo District, the population is largely floating and it is divided over five sub-counties of Palorinya, Gimara, Itula, Aliba, Ewafa and one town council. The town of Obongi is known for its natural beauty, with lush green landscapes and rolling hills surrounding the town. The nearby Obongi Hills is a popular destination for hiking and sightseeing, offering panoramic views of the surrounding countryside.it is a charming and peaceful town that offers visitors a glimpse into the natural beauty and rich culture of northern Uganda. With its friendly people, stunning landscapes, and unique attractions, Obongi is a must-see destination for anyone traveling to this part of the world.

When the ferry turned up at the docking station, some 20 minutes after we arrived, I hurriedly took a seat next to the queue of vehicles lined in the middle of the vessel. The landing site in Obongi is Laropi, named after the landing sites of Laropi, the ferry connects Adjumani District to Moyo District and according to information obtained from the UNRA website, it carries an average of 1,500 to 1,800 people per day at the crossing with a minimum of 12 trips and a maximum of 22 trips. It takes 30 minutes for loading and offloading while the time to cross is between 10 to 15 minutes.

Using a ferry can be an exciting and unique way to travel. The experience of riding on a ferry is quite different from driving or flying. As the ferry glides across the water, passengers can enjoy stunning views of the surrounding landscape and the tranquil waters beneath them. The sound of the engine revving up was loud.  

As the ferry continued on its journey, the scenery changed, and we could see a variety of sights, including isolated fishing boats, floating hyacinths, and distant fishing villages.

The journey on a ferry was a peaceful and relaxing experience, giving me a chance to escape the hustle and bustle of daily life. If it were not for the many travelers, it was easy for me to sit back and enjoy the ride, letting the sound of the waves and the breeze on their face soothe their senses.

As we disembarked from the docking station, the side of Adjumani district, I couldn’t help but add this to one of my favorite and unforgettable traveling experiences. a perfect way to travel and explore new places while enjoying the beauty of nature.

 

THE DAY I SAW THE LIGHT I

For you have been born again [that is, reborn from above—spiritually transformed, renewed, and set apart for His purpose] not of seed which is perishable but [from that which is] imperishable and immortal, that is, through the living and everlasting word of God. 1 Peter 1:23 AMP

Doreen is arguably the most important ex-girlfriend I have ever had and one of the greatest friends in my life. One hot afternoon, sometime in March 2012, a tall straight out of campus church girl, with a proverbial diastema hurriedly slipped an invitation letter into my hands.

Dorine and I were dating, she was nice, crispy and had good vibes. We meet on Facebook at the time when surfing the Internet cost an arm and a leg!

She had arranged with her cell to get me an invite for the amazingly famous Heavens Gate & Hells Flame show at Watoto Church Down Town.

She was an usher, so she sent me to the balcony and told me she would be right back, "she's very inconsiderate" I thought to myself, "Why would she abandon her boyfriend like that" but I patiently sat through the drama. Boy! was it powerful.

"Heaven's Gate and Hell's Flame" is a metaphorical reference to the concept of heaven and hell in Christian theology, heaven is often described as a place of eternal peace and joy, where believers go after they die to be with God and enjoy the rewards of a life lived in faith. On the other hand, hell is often described as a place of eternal punishment and suffering, reserved for those who have rejected God and lived a life of sin.

The metaphor of "Heaven's Gate" refers to the idea that entrance to heaven is through a narrow gate or door, and only those who have accepted Jesus Christ as their savior and lived a life of faith will be granted entry. The metaphor of "Hell's Flame" refers to the idea that hell is a place of torment and suffering, often depicted as a fiery inferno, where those who have rejected God will spend eternity.

As the actors and actresses which included the celebrated comedian Kenneth Kimuli a.k.a Pablo transformed themselves into completely different personalities, some like the devil incarnate while others like angels, they shed their own personalities and took on the characteristics of others.

As the clock ticked, Pastor Gary Skinner, did the altar call, and as fear gripped me on the heaven and hell escapades, I gave my life to Christ, Hallelujah. Dorine caught up with me, on my way out, she had kept an eye on me, the way village aunts eavesdrop their teenage nieces boyfriend tales.

She saw me off as I sauntered to Kikoni. I was now a new creature.

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. 2 Corinthians 5:17 KJV.

Years later, when I realised what she did for me, I have never stopped thanking her for bringing me to light, She led me to Christ. 

WHAT IS CHAT GPT?

I asked Chat GPT what it was and here is the response in 2 minutes.

Chat GPT (Generative Pre-trained Transformer) is a language model developed by OpenAI that uses deep learning to generate human-like text. It is one of the most advanced language models available today, and its capabilities have been demonstrated in a wide range of applications.

Chat GPT is built on top of the transformer architecture, which was first introduced in a paper by Google researchers in 2017. The transformer architecture is designed to handle sequential data, such as text, and is particularly well-suited for tasks such as language translation and text generation. In the case of Chat GPT, the model is trained on a large corpus of text data to learn the patterns and structures of language.

The training process for Chat GPT is done using unsupervised learning, which means that the model is not given explicit instructions on what it should output. Instead, it is trained to predict the next word in a sequence of text. This approach has been shown to be highly effective in capturing the nuances and subtleties of language, as well as the broader context in which it is used.

One of the key features of Chat GPT is its ability to generate text that is indistinguishable from text written by a human. This has led to the development of a range of applications that use the model for text-based communication, such as chatbots and virtual assistants. Chat GPT can also be used to generate creative writing, such as poetry and fiction, and has even been used to write articles for news publications.

Another important feature of Chat GPT is its ability to understand the context in which language is used. This means that the model can generate text that is appropriate to the situation, such as using formal language in a business setting or using slang in a more casual conversation. This makes it a highly versatile tool that can be used in a wide range of applications.

Despite its impressive capabilities, Chat GPT is not without its limitations. For example, the model is only as good as the data it is trained on, which means that it can produce biased or inaccurate output if it is trained on biased or inaccurate data. This is a challenge that is being addressed by researchers in the field, who are developing techniques to ensure that language models are trained on diverse and representative data.

Overall, Chat GPT is a highly sophisticated language model that has the potential to revolutionize the way we communicate with computers. Its ability to generate human-like text has already led to a range of innovative applications, and it is likely that we will see many more in the years to come. As the field of natural language processing continues to evolve, we can expect to see even more advanced language models that push the boundaries of what is possible with machine-generated text.

THE REAL MCCOY

The Real McCoy is a 1993 American heist crime film, directed by Russell Mulcahy and starring Kim Basinger (Karen McCoy), Val Kilmer (J.T. Barker) and Terence Stamp (Jack Schmidt). After a decade behind bars, former burglar Karen McCoy (Kim Basinger) simply wants to earn a legitimate living to support her son (Zach English) -- but as the best bank robber around, she's in high demand in the criminal underworld. When Atlanta crime boss Jack Schmidt (Terence Stamp) discovers her intention to go straight, he kidnaps her son to force her into one last job. Teaming up with an amateur (Val Kilmer), McCoy has to use all her cunning to pull off this heist and save her son.

That is not the point really.

According to Wikipedia "The real McCoy" is an idiom and metaphor used in much of the English - speaking world to mean "the real thing" or "the genuine article", The phrase has been the subject of numerous false etymologies and one of the most prominent and possibly accurate is one of inventor Elijah McCoy, born in Canada in 1844. He had many different inventions including an ironing board and a lawn sprinkler. Other companies copied his devices, but these never worked as well as Elijah's so people would say, "I want an ironing board, and make sure it's a real McCoy."

So what is the point really?

In Romans 12:6-7 MSG the bible emphasizes on us being what God made us to be "let's just go ahead and be what we were made to be, without enviously or pridefully comparing ourselves with each other, or trying to be something we aren't. If you preach, just preach God's Message, nothing else" Somebody referred to as a real McCoy, is simply somebody who really is what they claim to be and not an imitation. 

1 Timothy 4:4 ESV says "For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving" which means there is nothing unbeautiful before God, who gives beauty for ashes. God tells us in 1 Peter 3:4 to cultivate inner beauty, the gentle, gracious kind that God delights in, because we are fearfully and wonderfully made, Psalm 139:14 KJV.

The world is full of people who instead of being themselves are a cheap copy of a great original. As a child of God, you are destined for greatness only if you can tap into the unfathomable depths of God's creative power to walk into the reality of who you truly are; the righteousness of God.

 

WHAT IS EPIGNOSIS?

The morning air probably brought chills across my chubby checks, air drifted across the big hall, hanging between the trusses of the building was a big black bird that had nested there for a while, the palm trees lined outside the building engaged in a romantic dance, the wind breezed through unabated, the paint on some parts of the room was angrily parting ways with the plaster, the white plastic chairs arranged in a neat pattern protested silently as they endured the morning breeze, when the security checkpoints fang open, swarms of people burst forth into the rectangular building, there was no burgundy bricks but a mixture of monolith and steel, you would have a feeling the windows hadn’t been opened in weeks, the glazes were fuzzy. 

As you enter through any of the five entrances, the smartly dressed ushers would smile at you and some generous ones give you a warm embrace. In no seconds, a well-trimmed man suddenly appears on the dark and white patched stage, his job would be to welcome everybody and speak in tongues for a few minutes, when the room burst into tongues, you could mistake the church for peters upper chamber, there seemed not any man who wouldn’t bubble in unknown tongues,  shortly the choir had been ushered in and was singing one of the most bespoke Christian music you could ever find, a lady with a dark complexion played the guitar while a very energetic young man, well into his 20s played the drums, he hit them so hard that you couldn’t know there was a man playing a saxophone.  When the preacher took to the stage, he spoke very articulately and expounded on a greater dimension of knowledge unbeknownst to me, while he uttered one word that had never been heard by my indigenous acoustic meatus, the word epignosis.

What exactly is Epignosis?

Epignosis (pronounced e-pē’-gnō-sēs) is a compound Greek word from EPI (meaning - upon) and GINOSIS (meaning - knowledge). Thus, "upon knowledge" .This word family occurs 62 times in the New Testament. The verb (EPIGNOSKO) occurs 42 times while the noun (EPIGNOSIS) occurs 20 times. [Credit: https://epignosisministries.wordpress.com/what-is-epignosis/]

It differs in use from other words translated “knowledge” (gnosis, ginosko, etc.). Epignosis refers to ethical and divine knowledge of God, which is precise and correct. Paul writes to the church in Philippians praying that the Philippians’ love may abound more and more IN precise and correct knowledge and in all judgment.

“And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment;” (Philippians 1:9)

Again, in Colossians 3:10, Paul tells us that the new man who believers put on is renewed IN precise and correct knowledge after the image of the creator God.

“And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:” (Colossians 3:10)

In writing to the church in Ephesus, Paul prays that God the Father of glory, the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, give the Ephesian Christians the spirit of wisdom and revelation IN the precise and correct knowledge of Himself.

“That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:” (Ephesians 1:17)

Knowledge is multi-dimensional in Greek and it is defined as Epignosis, Epiginosko or ginosko; Epignosko “denotes (a) “to observe, fully perceive, notice attentively, discern, recognize” and “suggests generally a directive, a more special, recognition of the object “known” than does ginosko; it also may suggest advanced “knowledge” or special appreciation; thus, in Rom. 1:32, “knowing the ordinance of God” (epiginosko) means “knowing full well,” whereas in Rom. 1:21 “knowing God” (ginosko) simply suggests that they could not avoid the perception. Sometimes epiginosko implies a special participation in the object “known,” and gives greater weight to what is stated; thus in John 8:32, “ye shall know the truth,” ginosko is used, whereas in 1 Tim. 4:3, “them that believe and know the truth,” epiginosko lays stress on participation in the truth.”

Epignosis is completely superior to these types of knowledge. The next time you want to execute a decision, idea, concept, weigh it against knowledge which is Epignosis, you will move very fast. You will do in one year what it takes other men 20 years to do.

THE POWER TO EVOLVE

The sun draped in crimson and gold rose hastily, spilling its beautiful light all over the plains of Lango, the white clouds beamed with glee when the half-baked hues penetrated their opulent canopies, it could only take a weather man to discern that the last days freezing night would turn into a scorching day, the sun snaked through the skies, and when it had reached its zenith, half the people on the streets had retreated to their homes or hidden under the trees that swayed gently, as the sun set, the strips of clouds turned to shimmering gold setting the stage for the abnormally large moon to bath the earth in its luminous glow.

December is invitingly rude, its high sunlit clouds, the skyrocketing commodity prices and a mass of people flocking through the streets are a huge eyesore, 16th December was not an ordinary day, I had travelled across the plains of Yumbe, drifted through the undulating hills of Moyo and embraced the savannah of Adjumani and gazed at the unforgetting huts in the outskirts of Gulu, the breath taking scenery captivated me as I traveled, the Japanese vehicle I was driving vibrated across the corrugated dusty roads, I had arrived in Lira, a City that was in a hurry to grow that evening, the shooting storied buildings and unplanned slums all competed for the land, the huge rumble strips and humps that gave us sore backs rolled out the red carpet. I was in Lira City to attend the overly anticipated crusade slated from 20th – 22nd January 2023 by Phaneroo Ministry International. On Thursday 19th January, something happened!

It was a cold grey afternoon with a dull sky, The hue clouds rolled slowly and low across the parched lawn at the Lira Mayor’s garden, a row of 2000 or thereabouts of plastic armless chairs were arranged in an orderly pattern, the young boys and girls dressed in immaculate white shirts and dresses patrolled the pews like they searched for beads in a sea of sand, In a second, I saw one of the ushers standing with hands akimbo through my left cornea, she was convincing a heavily drugged street child to come and take a seat, it seemed like they were selling ice to an igloo.

When the Phaneroo Thursday service was set and rolling, the preacher, Apostle Grace Lubega beaming with gladness appears on the mega screens in front of us, his voice immaculate, his splendor unmatched, he was sandwiched between an army of well draped choirs. “Today I am preaching a sermon entitled the ‘Power to Evolve’ exclaimed the man of God.” What is to evolve asked Apostle Grace, 

“Evolve is to grow, to alter, to transform, to convert into a greater, better, improved and more glorious version of yourself"

In the sermon, Apostle Grace taught;

“Our God is a God of advancement, growth, transformation and conversion and that He has designed our lives to adapt to a greater glory, so that we are better today than what we were yesterday in all aspects of our lives.” 

When the sermon concluded, the screams of joy and ululations were ear-splitting in confirmation of the impact it had had on us. The sermon punctuated with stories of mega conglomerates such as Kodak, IBM, Blackberry, Blockbuster, Nokia that failed to evolve eventually leading to their downfall, was breathtaking. I could hear resounding shouts of young men and women speaking in tongues as the worship song filtered through the gigantic speakers hanging on metallic trusses.

One of the most articulate analogies to depict the power to evolve, is the Butterfly Life Cycle, the butterfly develops through a process called metamorphosis. This is a Greek word that means transformation or change in shape. There are four stages in the metamorphosis of butterflies: egg, larva, pupa, and adult. The eggs are laid on plants by the adult female butterfly, then the caterpillar, which is the feeding stage, primarily the caterpillars only job is to eat and eat and eat. As the caterpillar grows it splits its skin and sheds it about 4 or 5 times while growing 100 times their size, food eaten at this time is stored and used later as an adult, the pupa which is the transition stage also called a chrysalis. Depending on the species, the pupa may suspended under a branch, hidden in leaves or buried underground. The pupa is protected inside a cocoon of silk, this stage can last from a few weeks, a month or even longer. It may look like nothing is going on but big changes are happening inside. Special cells that were present in the larva are now growing rapidly. They will become the legs, wings, eyes and other parts of the adult butterfly. Many of the original larva cells will provide energy for these growing adult cells and then the adult which is the reproductive stage; this is what most people think of when they think of butterflies. They look very different from the larva. The caterpillar has a few tiny eyes, stubby legs and very short antennae. The adults have long legs, long antennae, and compound eyes. They can also fly by using their large and colorful wings. The one thing they can't do is grow. 

How does a caterpillar rearrange itself into a butterfly? What happens inside a chrysalis or cocoon may not be fully explained but one thing for sure, it’s where the biggest transformation happens and If it is possible for a caterpillar, then how much more and often is should be for a human being.

The year 2023 is a year of transformation and evolving, that is why I enrolled for the Harvest Institute, School of Leadership to help transform me into a better version of myself, a better leader and person. Fundamentally as the eons unwrap and close with the passing of time, what are you doing about yourself, if you are not evolving, chances are your are frustrating Godly potential.

And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit. - 2 Corinthians 3:18