Witness of the East Africa Revival

Pastor David had the opportunity to interview people who witnessed the revival in East Africa between the 1950s and 1980s in Uganda, as well as their descendants. This article is based on those interviews.

Revival in East Africa in the 1950s

I heard about this from the following people:

• Muzee Ndege (Uganda, 97 years old)

• Satya Nathan (Uganda)

• Pastor Stephen Anguria Chelangat (Uganda)

• Claude Jean (Africa, Rwanda)

Muzee Ndege

"In 1948, I was 21 years old. That was the first time I heard the gospel proclaimed. Many of us, including myself, had no idea what the gospel was. We had never seen a Bible. Many people worshiped mountains, trees, and other forms of gods.

In 1950, missionaries from England and several African preachers came to our village and preached in an open field. People came from nearby and distant places in Congo and Rwanda. I still don’t know how they were invited, but thousands attended.

The week-long meetings in our village became a powerful revival. I could feel a strong wind from the west speaking directly to my heart. I couldn’t sleep. I felt heavy and hopeless. On the last day of the meetings, I responded, accepted Jesus, and converted from traditional African beliefs to Christianity. A few of us were baptized three years later. Even now, I still believe in Jesus, but I have never experienced a more powerful revival than that."*

Satya Nathan

"I was a teenager in the 1950s. British missionaries and some African preachers taught us to read and write the story of Jesus in our own language. During this revival, many people accepted Jesus. Hundreds of people in my community believed that Jesus alone was the only hope. Many families resisted the revival, and some faced persecution from others. Some found it difficult to give up traditional beliefs and customs.

There was also conflict between those who wanted to hold on to the old ways and those who embraced the new faith. When I think of the revival in the 1950s, I see that the Holy Spirit laid a foundation for a deeper understanding of faith in East Africa. I am thankful to the missionaries and preachers who brought us the Word of life."