Totally Changed

By Matt Petersen

“This same Good News that came to you is going out all over the world. It is bearing fruit everywhere by changing lives.” —Colossians 1:6a (NLT)

This story was told by Mukasa John and his wife, Saliima.

Before I began reading God’s Word, I was very, very badly off. I was a drunkard and the Word of God was very far from me.

Because of my behavior, I lost my teaching job and sold my land, which I am no longer able to get back. I had no friends, my clan members hated me, and I had no peace with my wife and children.

Because of me, my children lost their chance of being educated and our family often went hungry. I used to sleep with other men’s wives and there was no peace in my home. Eventually my children left and went to live with relatives.

Whenever I drank, I would fight with my wife and beat her to the point of death. I wanted to kill her. I would even shoot her with a slingshot. I was taken to prison for a week because of beating her so badly. My wife became very sad and sorrowful because of the suffering I brought her.

Touched by God’s Word

Then the words of Jesus in the Gospel of Mark in my own Bwisi language touched my life so much I accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior.

The verses that really touched me were where John the Baptist preached repentance and the forgiveness of sins. In addition, Jesus’ words that say it is what comes out of a man—from his heart—that defiles him. From the book of Hebrews, God commands us to honor the marriage bed and to not let it become defiled. Up to now those words still challenge me.

Ever since I have had the Word of God in my own language, my level of understanding has increased. I was trying to memorize verses in other languages, but the verses left my memory. These days, when I memorize verses in Bwisi, though the exact words may go out from my head, I always remain with the meaning of the verse.

A New Man

Let my wife tell you how God’s Word has changed us:

“I see my husband being totally changed in a Christian way. He is no longer drinking, smoking, and beating me like a drum.

“We are reading the book of Mark and other books together. We are walking together. He is even telling me how much money he has, which was difficult for him before. I am now the treasurer of our home in everything.

“I used to have to sleep in the bush, but now I am in my house, with my husband, with peace.

“I do regret the time my husband wasted doing things that did not bring profit in our home. We lost the chance of educating our children. But we are now trying to educate our grandchildren—teaching them the Word of God.”

With a gift to Wycliffe* through the CFC, you can help people like Mukasa John and Saliima experience freedom through God’s Word in their own language.

*Wycliffe is one of many worthy organizations supported by the CFC.