My name is Fred Kawuma, an Elder at Watoto Church in Uganda, where I have served for many years in various capacities. I am a minister in the marketplace and a retired diplomat who served as the Secretary-General (SG) of the Inter-African Coffee Organisation (IACO). I am a preacher, trainer, leadership consultant, and coffee expert. In 2024, I wrote a book titled 50 Years of God’s Faithfulness: A Journey of Unfailing Love and Compassion. I was inspired to write this book to share my testimony, marking 50 years since I gave my life to Jesus Christ as my Lord and Saviour.
In my professional career, I have written numerous policy papers and contributed to magazines and other publications. However, it was not until 2020 that I became a contributing author in a book titled Organizational Metaphors. Later, in 2023, I was a contributing author to another book titled Leadership and Calling Through the Prism of Scripture: A Phenomenological Study of Biblical Leaders. Both were graduate-level textbooks authored by colleagues from our doctoral program. Between 2021 and 2023, I wrote a book titled Is There Poverty in Your Cup of Coffee: An Overview of the Global Coffee Value Chain, which was published in 2024. This was based on my over 30 years of experience in the coffee industry, and I honestly outlined the functioning of the global coffee industry.
In October 2024, I published the book 50 Years of God’s Faithfulness: A Journey of Unfailing Love and Compassion, which contains the key themes and reflections from my 50-year journey of salvation. Throughout the book, I have included personal anecdotes, scripture verses, and reflections to provide depth and authenticity to my testimony. I share accounts from my life journey to enhance readers’ appreciation of God’s work in my life and offer them a message of hope, love, and faith.
Reflecting on my 50 years of faith and the transformative experience of accepting Jesus Christ as my Saviour, I recounted my childhood religious upbringing in the book, including daily prayers and regular church attendance. However, I noted that none of these were sufficient to satisfy God’s requirements for my salvation. I lacked the personal, intimate connection with God that came about on 20th October 1974, when I fully surrendered to the Lord, and He saved me. That was the turning point, which would not have been possible if the FOCUS ministry team had not come to our school and presented the gospel message that day.
Having accepted Christ as my Lord and Saviour, I have dedicated my life to serving the Almighty God. My wife and I have committed to supporting FOCUS, Scripture Union, and various ministries engaged in mission and outreach to bring the lost to the foot of the cross where they can find salvation in Christ alone. I also reflected on the importance of discipleship and the responsibility of churches to make disciples for Christ. The scriptures caution us against the dangers of idolising people but fix our eyes on Jesus, who is the author and finisher of our faith. I emphasised the need to follow Jesus’ and His apostles’ example in teaching and guiding new believers. I also highlighted the need for role models as I reflected on the influential disciplers who shaped my early Christian journey.
I also reflected on some personal challenges and trials in my spiritual journey, emphasising that faith in Christ sustained me through difficult times and provided strength to overcome adversity. I highlighted the significance of being a compelling Christian witness in one’s professional life, and from my experience, I share the lessons that God has taught me through the years. I discussed the role of Christian witnesses as “salt and light” in the marketplace, emphasising the importance of living a life that reflects Christ’s values and positively impacts others. The world has many challenges and contradictions, and it is Christ’s faithful followers who can shine in the dark places where people need to see the right way to follow.
I emphasised the importance of faith, perseverance, and a commitment to serving others, as well as a warning against the danger of focusing inward and being preoccupied with personal gain. God wants us to surrender to Him selflessly and let Him take the glory. Thus, I warned that we need to be on the lookout for the devil’s snares. In reference to the apostle Paul, he recounted how he trashed all his accomplishments, not dwelling on them but rather focusing on the crown at the end of the race.
Therefore, we must be vigilant against the snares that the devil will set in our way to trip us up. For thousands and thousands of years, Satan has been at the work of scheming, deceiving and causing destruction, and we cannot beat him in our human strength, wisdom, or strategies. We need God’s power to be well-equipped for the battle. Thus, we must remain vigilant and watch out for the temptations and traps the devil sets. I discussed lessons from my pastor, Rev Gary Skinner, who constantly warned us as leaders about three temptations: glory, gold, and girls/guys. The dangers of seeking personal glory, abusing power for financial gain, and engaging in sexual immorality come to all God’s servants, which calls for spiritual vigilance.
