At the heart of every ministry there always seems to be one person that clearly makes the proverbial wheel go around and around! For Mission Mbale and Ebenezer Baptist Church that man is Julius Okanya. Julius is a genius on Microsoft Excel and his accounting skills have proved invaluable to Mary Faye as she reconciles the budgets and payments each month. Thank you Julius for all you do for the Kingdom of God but more than that, thank you for your Godly leadership that is ALWAYS present when you are around! Your service is invaluable to the day-to-day operations of Mission Mbale!
JULIUS O. OKANYA--GENERAL SECRETARY/EXECUTIVE PASTOR OF EBENEZER BAPTIST CHURCH IN MBALE, UGANDA
My name is Okanya .O. Julius, born on the 8th December 1980 in Kotia village, Kachumala Sub-county, Bukedea District to Omongole Okia Bazil (late) and Adeke Daudesia. My parents were very strong Catholics where I grew up attending church services in my early years. I loved the church so much and reading the Bible. I remember the words of my Dad very clearly one evening while handing over a gift of a Bible to me, he said "Julius, you are going to be the servant of the Lord"
My life as a child wasn't an easy one. Dad did not have money to educate us. But I thank God for him that he tried his best even getting a job in a security company as a security guard to be able to educate us. I remember him confessing that he would love even to sleep with me on streets in the night as he is guarding and in the morning I go to school. With time he lost that Job and life became really heard. This is a story I love not to talk about. I got a job in a security company as well to be able to further my education. I would work in the night and school in the day. Not only was I looking after myself but also after my other two brothers - John and Bazil. Life was hard. I thank God for what I am today.
At the age of 12 I was attracted to attending Church services at a nearby Baptist Church in our village where Pastor Robert Adiiba was a pastor by then. However, my mother could always persuade me to attend prayers at her Catholic Church. She loved seeing me reading the Bible in the church service. At the age of 12, I could read the Bible fluently and every Sunday I was assigned a passage to read.
In 1999, while in Mbale for my studies, everything changed. I remember very well that I was coming from the market where I had gone to buy food. There was a crusade that was staged at the Lions Pack Opposite Nkoma Senior Secondary School. I do not remember which Church denomination organized that crusade, but what I do remember, a woman was preaching. While on my way to my rented place in Namatala, from Mbale main market, I had this woman preach and I was touched. I intended to use a different direction to home but I found myself headed to the crusade. At the crusade, she asked if there are those who wanted to receive Christ as their Lord and Savior. I found myself among those who matched in front to receive Christ. After being led to Christ, my friend, David Emong came over and hugged me. From thereon I began fellowshipping with the First Baptist Church.
In the year 2005, I now made a strong commitment to serve God in the First Baptist Church and I was Baptized by immersion by Rev. Apollo Mwenyi in the First Baptist Church and so I became a bonafide member of the First Baptist Church of Mbale.
In the year 2006, I was privileged to be part of the team that Included, Pastor Fred Mazune and Mrs. Olive Mazune, Mr. Nathan Wamimbi and Mrs. Lorna Wamimbi and myself, to be commissioned to begin a church - Ebenezer Baptist Church in Namatala, Doko cell at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Lorna Wamimbi. At Ebenezer, God led me to serve Him through leading Bible Studies and Sunday School lessons and I served as the Bible Study/Sunday School Director. Rev. Apollo Mwenyi, Pastor Nathan Wamimbi and Pastor Fred Mazune, mentored me well in this area.
Today, God relieved me from serving as a Sunday school Director, a position Mrs. Olive Mazune is serving in now, but kept me serving as a Bible Study Director and also as a Church Secretary.
I am married to Esther whom I met in the year 2013. God has blessed us with two beautiful daughters, Tino Elisha Okanya and Akwii Olive Gertrude Okanya.
".....................To Him be the Glory both now and forever! Amen" 2 Peter 3:18
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