Juggle prayer, work

It is perhaps inevitable that work places are becoming a new place of worship for some employees. Most of the prayer meetings held at work are aimed at reminding them of God’s presence despite their busy schedule as well as God’s calling in different aspects of life.

It is a calling
Witnessing the closure of different commercial banks in the 1990s and the tension with which employees worked. Alex Ntale, a retired deputy director of Bank of Uganda, felt the need to seek God’s intervention in the banking institution.
“Work is a calling from God. A calling meant to bring joy and peace to us, but also give glory to God,” Ntale explains. Thinking about how to help fellow bankers, started the interbank fellowship which stands today, after her retirement.
“I got a vision in 2004. In this, God asked me to pray for the banking institution in Uganda.” Bringing together employees from the different commercial banks. We started prayer meetings in the gardens of Bank of Uganda.

Sending emails to the different banks; Ntale managed to mobilise a group of Born Again Christians to join her in a chain of prayer. In their respective banks, she says members gathered for prayers every morning before work.
“This got me new friends, I saw the banking sector stabilising and because of that ministry, I am a pastor at Jesus is Coming Mission Church in Mutungo. When starting the fellowship God asked me to do His work and in return He promised to take care of my needs. When colleagues were busy moving from office to another lobbying for promotions, I kept in prayer and I saw promotions.”

Getting closer to God
Sandra Nalumu, acting manager of Cooperative Insurance Company, was in 2017 advised by the Rev Samuel Muwonge of Namirembe Cathedral to join the lunch hour fellowship. Sparing one or two hours of her busy schedule, she started attending Tuesday fellowships at the cathedral.
“Being part of this fellowship helped me develop good Christian friendships thus getting closer to God. Even without a priest, we meet and talk about about our challenges as well as pray for each other. We send each other reminders. I have learnt the meaning of prayer and how to read and interpret the different bible scriptures.”

Forgiveness and penitently dealing with every situation ,especially at the place of work are other things Nalumu has learnt
. Relating with others during the fellowship, she has managed to widen her clientele.
Preaching to colleagues, she says, a prayer meeting was later started at her place of work. Meeting every Wednesday after work, they ‘report’ to God the day’s struggles and challenges.

Encouragement and support
Carol Nakiyaga, the senior assistant at Bank of Uganda, joined the fellowship in 2010. Working as an office attendant then, she applied for a post of bank assistant. A workmate asked her to start prayer for her application papers.
“I was dragged to Jemba plaza for a Thursday fellowship by a friend. While there, I focused all my prayers on the promotion I desperately needed,” Nakiyaga explains. Blessed with her pray request, she never regretted joining the ministry.

She notes that while at work one faces several challenges with none to hear them out. To keep a positive attitude at work, Nakiyaga receives inspiration scriptures from the fellowship’s WhatsAapp group every morning.
“Reminding each other to say the rosary and the different novenas is everyone’s responsibility,” she explains.
The unity of a community devoted to God is extraordinary. “Enjoying the company of others, having a good laugh and supporting one another through struggles is what the bible asks of us.”
Fellowship is unity.

Bible teachings Philippians 2:1, the worship gathering strengthens us when life gets complicated. There are times when we want to throw in the towel and give up on our faith....
1 Thessalonians 5:11-12, when we gather together, we increase our chances of helping others develop Christian character. Encouragement works best when we are in the presence of one another.