THE CONCEPT OF UGANDAN ADVENTISTS IN THE USA MEETING ON A REGULAR BASIS ORIGINATED AMONG THE UGANDAN COMMUNITIES . ON ONE SIDE OF THE COUNTRY WAS ORIGINATED BY PR. ISRAEL KAFEERO, BRO. FRED SENOGA, AND BRO. PETER SERUNJOGI OF TEXAS. THE OTHER SIDE OF THE COUNTRY PICKED THEIR IDEA FROM MRS SARAH SENTEZA AT A LUNCHEON ORGANISED BY THE BOSTON GROUP AS AFEW ADVENTISTS WHO HAD ATTENDED THE UNAA CONVENTION FELLOW-SHIPED WITH THEM ON THE SABBATH DAY. THESE TWO GROUPS MERGED SUCCESSFULLY AS WORD CONTINUED TO BE RELAYED.PR. KAFEERO CONVENED A MEETING OF ALL UGANDANS IN SOUTHWEST MICHIGAN AND A COMMITTEE WAS FORMED TO START ORGANIZING THE FIRST CAMP-MEETING. PR. KAFEERO WAS CHARGED WITH THE RESPONSIBILITY OF CONTINUOUSLY ‘SELLING’ THE IDEA TO MORE UGANDAN ADVENTISTS IN THE USA.
THE TREND OF UGAMAA:
THE FIRST VENUE CHOSEN WAS MD/DC AREA. THE MEMBERS IN THAT AREA WERE ASKED TO LOOK FOR THE MEETING PLACE. THE COMMITTEE VOTED TO INVITE PR. SENDAULA FROM UGANDA TO BE THE FIRST SPEAKER. HE WAS ACCOMPANIED BY PR. JAMES KAJJYA FROM CENTRAL UGANDA CONFERENCE. PR KAFEERO WAS THE CHIEF ACHTECT IN WRITING THE FIRST DRAFT OF THE COSNTITUTION THAT RESULTED IN WHAT IS NOW KNOWN AS UGAMAA, A FULLY REGISTERED NON-PROFIT ORGANISATION OF A 501(C) 3 TYPES, AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL HERE IN THE USA.
THE FIRST ELECTED PRESIDENT WAS MRS SARAH KAFEERO, WHO IS THE NOW VICE PRESIDENT AND WOMEN LEADER. THAT FIRST SUMMER (2002), THE MEETINGS WERE SUCH A SUCCESS THAT WE HAVE NOT MISSED A SINGLE SUMMER SINCE THEN. WE HAVE BEEN AROUND A FEW CITIES NOW; BALTIMORE, BOSTON, MICHIGAN, SEATTLE, CALIFORNIA, TEXAS AND NOW CHICAGO. WITH SUCH A SMALL BEGINNING UGAMAA HAS BEEN A GREAT BLESSING TO THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN LUCKY TO PARTICIPATE.
WHAT UGAMAA MEANS TO US
UGAMAA BRINGS THOSE OF US BORN AND RAISED IN UGANDA TOGETHER TO FELLOWSHIP AND SHARE OUR MEMORIES AND EXPERINCES FROM OUR HERITAGE AS WELL AS MEMORIES OF HOW WE USED TO WORSHIP AND FELLOWSHIP AT HOME. IT IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT FOR OUR YOUNG PEOPLE MANY OF THEM HAVE NEVER BEEN IN THEIR HOMELAND TO MEET AND FELLOWSHIP WITH OTHER UGANDANS. PARENTS WHO ARE RAISING CHILDREN IN THIS COUNTRY SHOULD DO THEIR BEST TO LET THEM MEET OTHER YOUNG PEOPLE THAT HAVE A SIMILAR BACKGROUND. UGAMAA ALSO PROVIDES US A SETTING WHERE WE CAN INVITE OUR NONADVENTISTS FRIENDS TO SHARE OUR FAITH IN THE CONTEXT OF OUR CULTURAL HERITAGE.
DR. LUBEGA BEGS TO END BY SAYING THAT WE OWE A DEBT OF GRATITUDE TO OUR LEADERS FOR THE EXCELLENT ORGANIZATION AND PLANNING. HE STATED THAT THIS IS OUR ORGANIZATION AND WE ALL NEED TO BE INVOLVED.
