Ugandan Pastor; attacked but not silenced

Umar Mulinde is a pastor from Uganda who came to faith in Christ from a Muslim background. As his preaching became more powerful he became the victim of a personal attack which, though leaving him disfigured, has failed to prevent him spreading the Gospel.

first published 11/11/12

Ed preface: The following are abbreviated extracts from two longer reports. The full stories can be read on the Maoz website.

by Ron Cantor/Chaim Goldberg
Maoz Israel

“Pastor, can you help me?”

Those were the last words that Pastor Umar Mulinde, a thirty-eight-year-old former Muslim turned pastor and evangelist, heard before he felt the excruciating sting of flesh-eating acid meant to kill him, striking his face.
Then, another bucket on his back. He screamed and ran back towards his church for help as his assailants cried out, “Allahu Akbar! Allahu Akbar!”

Umar Mulinde had much of his fate seemingly mapped out by birth and geography. He was born in the 20th century, in Uganda, Africa. That should have been the end of the story. Africa, poverty, disease, early death. It’s the pattern countless millions find themselves trapped in, each day. But that was not to be Umar’s path.

Umar was a Muslim. Life for a Muslim in Uganda is easier. Go along, get along, don’t make waves and you can live mostly without hassle. But then something unexpected and perhaps unwanted happened to Umar. He heard the Gospel of Yeshua the Messiah and his life was forever changed.

From the moment that Pastor Umar became a follower of Jesus, he faced heavy condemnation. Islam does not allow for conversion and in some countries leaving Islam for Christianity is punishable by death. Just like the pastor in Iran who is facing the death sentence for leaving Islam, Umar was a marked man.

Soon Umar grew in his faith and at some point he was not only a “believer” but he became a pastor/teacher, leading a congregation and even appearing on television in Uganda. God used his testimony and his teachings to touch the hearts of many including Muslims. Countless Ugandans began renouncing Islam and embracing Yeshua. It was a miraculous revival causing the heavens to rejoice and Satan to panic.

Turned from hatred to love

Umar 1

Not only did Umar’s heart turn away from the darkness of Islam, it also turned away from the blind hatred of Israel. The more Umar learned of God’s love for the Jewish nation, the more his own love for Israel grew. In Umar’s church hang two flags; the flag of Uganda and the flag of Israel. And he shared that love with his congregation and in large campaigns, encouraging them to pray for the peace of Jerusalem.

Umar was becoming a force for Christianity in Uganda. And the Muslims knew they had to do something to stop him. They plotted and planned and when they had the opportunity, they pounced. In a flash, in an instant, Umar was attacked. Not with a gun or even a knife. Umar was attacked with liquid acid.
A quick death was not to be his fate. No, the plan was to torture. To disfigure and ultimately to silence. That was their plan, but God had a very different idea. Instead of silencing Umar, the attack only relocated him. Today Umar is in Israel.

Umar2

When the Israeli government together with Orthodox Jewish organizations heard about what this Christian pastor and Lover of Israel had suffered, they immediately arranged to bring him to Israel where he has received 100% free hospitalization and the finest medical care possible. (Israel has very advanced medical technology and experience in its burn units because of the reoccurring wars.)

After a number of months in the hospital with numerous skin operations, he was deemed strong enough to be an outpatient.

Yes, Umar is currently disfigured. But silent he is not. Despite the terrible physical pain he’s in, Umar continues to preach the Gospel. Only now he does so in Israeli Messianic Jewish congregations.

In between excruciating procedures to re-build his eye-lid, eye-socket, nose and ear, he shares the love of Yeshua with his Israeli doctors.

Yes, what the devil meant for evil, God is using for good. Umar’s story has been well publicized throughout Israel - a Muslim who became a Christian who now loves Israel and teaches his nation to do the same.

Terrorist coming to Christ

By now some Israelis are perhaps seeing a pattern. Mosab Hassan Yousef was the son of one of the founders of Hamas. He is now a born-again Christian, and has even worked with Israeli intelligence to help thwart terror attacks. Taysir Abu Saada was the personal driver for Yasser Arafat, and an admitted terrorist himself.
Today he is a born-again believer in Yeshua, who preaches around the world about his love for the God of Israel and the people of Israel.

And so it is with Umar. Not content just to have a private faith in God, he speaks out to everyone and anyone who will listen. It’s because of that he was attacked. And it’s because of that, he joins the list of saints worthy of entry into the history books.

Footnote:
Prior to becoming a Christian, one night Umar had a dream where his hands and legs were tied with chains and he was hanging over the Lake of Fire together with many others. In fact in this dream he recognized many people from his own mosque. The pain of fire covered him from every direction.

“And then, a man stood at my right hand outside the fire. I knew He was shining even though I could not see his face. He said, ‘Islam is leading you to this torture. Be born again and you shall survive.’”

Click here for the fulll story of Umar's conversion and experiences in Uganda.

Moaz Israel, 17/08/2013