Simeon
Nsibambi
“The Evangelist who did not wear
shoes”
Simeon Nsibambi was born in 1897
and was baptized at Namirembe Anglican Cathedral at five years of age.
After leaving school he got a job
in the Kabaka’s government as Public Health Officer.
His life had been set on a new course by a significant religious experience. Disappointed that he had not got a scholarship to study abroad, he was assured in a vision from God that such earthly things were not the most important things in life; rather to receive eternal salvation was the pearl of great price.
Nsibambi next took a
break off to the mountain for a period of prayer before embarking on the work
God was calling him to do. It was on this mountain that he heard a voice
telling him to take off his shoes like as He said to Moses.
He resigned his job and also gave
his wife charge over Nsibambi estate. All the land titles, he had several, were
transferred into his wife’s name and Eva. He said that God had called him as an
evangelist and would not have time to do his duties as a husband.
It ought to be noted that before
meeting with Joe Church, Nsibambi had already started preaching revival in
Uganda. However the East African Revival was born when they both partnered
together.
On
Saturday, September 22nd, 1929, Dr. Church stayed at the home of Dr.
and Mrs. Schofield on Namirembe Hill.
On Sunday morning he joined the Africans
going up to the cathedral for the morning service. He walked through the old
sun-dried brick archway at the top of the hill and there, opposite the entrance
of the Synod hall, was a man in a dark suit standing beside his motor bike. He
spotted Dr. Joe Church and ran out to greet him. It was Simeon Nsibambi whom he
had met in March when he spoke to Miss Ensor’s Bible class. Nsibambi was also a
neighbor of Mable Ensor, that outspoken critic of the Church of Uganda.
In
Nsibambi’s words:
“Kneeling down as the Baganda do,…we took
each other’s hands and prayed for the fullness of His Spirit, and God answered
that prayer.”
Their
hearts did ‘burn within them’. As Simeon Nsibambi once told Joe Church with
disarming simplicity:
“Do
you know? Dr Joe, I can tell after I have shaken hands with a new missionary,
whether he has got the real thing in his heart or not.”
Oh!
He has gone mad
During
his stay of two days at Namirembe an interesting thing happened. A lady
missionary met him and said,
“What
have you done to Nsibambi?”
“Why,
what’s the matter?” Dr. Church asked.
“Oh,
he’s gone mad and is going round everywhere asking people if they are saved.
He’s just left my gardener.”
They argued, but she advised him
to get back to his work for Ruanda as quickly as possible because Africans were
not ready for this teaching about sanctification and the Holy Spirit.
Nsibambi’s
public ministry comes to an end
Nsibambi
found the year 1943 a strain and he was confined almost entirely to his house,
but God began to use him in a ministry of personal work in his physical
weakness. Leaders of Christians work and visitors to Kampala would not leave
without a visit to Nsibambi, and would often return home with a new challenge
and blessing.
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