Believer offers land for church

St Ponsiano Ngondwe Church, Mbalwa, below, a certificate to the donor from the church. PHOTO BY KELVIN ATUHAIRE.

As one approaches the church, one cannot miss the side view made of glass and a green metallic fence. A flower garden accommodates a signpost which reads St Ponsiano Ngondwe, Mbalwa Sub Parish, Namugongo Parish. a few kiosks and food stalls can be spotted and construction seems to still be ongoing.

How the land was got
We meet Patricia Ayigihugu, one of the residents that neighbour the church. Ayigihugu says before her husband Protasio Ayigihugu passed on, he had hinted on the idea of giving Mbalwa Catholic community land to construct a church. This was after many but fruitless searches for land. This, she says was always announced in church (Namugongo) that the community wanted to acquire land and construct a church. In 2014, Ayigihugu donated a piece of land as her way of giving back to the church and Catholic community in Mbalwa.

“I always used my piece of land for agriculture and I later gave it to the community so that they could construct a church,” she notes, adding that no one had a say over that piece of land.
Then the church management took care of processing the necessary paperwork. They later presented her with a certificate that indicated that the land was now owned by the church. It should be noted that her sons, who are lawyers, also handled the transfer of the property.

The construction
In 2016, construction started and this project saw many community members contribute towards the cause. Armpass Construction gave a structural framework and workers, then the church community raised money to pay the workers, provided materials and everything else that was required.

What it mean to believers
Agihugu is happy that she gave land to the community and it is being maximised for the glory of God.
Carol Naamala, one of the executive leaders in the church, says the donation and construction of the church is an example of great faith by individuals. Naamala shares that she has learnt from the Agihugu family what it means to be a true Catholic.

“A true Catholic loves, cares, is generous and gives back. I also appreciate the family for opening their home to the different Catholics as they used to convene at their home and hold two Holy masses every Sunday. For more than a year, the Agihugu family never complained about hosting the community members for prayers until the church was opened,” she explains.

It should, however, be noted that this has been a community effort and various families and individuals have come on board to see to it that the Catholic church is near completion.

Priest says
The Rev Fr Pontian Mayega, the assistant parish priest, Uganda Martyrs Namugongo Shrine Parish highlights that believers in Mbalwa have been brought closer to God and their spiritual needs are going to be met more since the church is close by.

“People who did not have the capacity to come to Namugongo Parish have got a listening ear. With the St Ponsiano Ngondwe Church, there has been exceeding generosity and the community has been actively involved to see it grow,” Fr Mayega adds.

He says it is also a lesson that a community can own a church and do whatever it takes to get God closer to them.
This is a message that is not only going to be established in the community but also in their hearts because it has been established on love.