October 2, 2025
We have had an action-packed two days (Monday and Tuesday) of getting to know the UCLF staff and visiting a police station and a children’s remand centre. How would we sum it all up? The word ‘hope’. Our hearts are filled with joy to witness what God is doing, restoring what is broken, redeeming what is lost, making “a way in the wilderness and streams in the desert” (Isaiah 43:19). And we are hopeful for what He will continue to do – “exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think” (Ephesians 3:20). Some highlights of the last few days below!
Monday: Veronika, a member of our team who is completing a Master’s degree on artificial intelligence, was invited to give a presentation to Ugandan law students on the responsible use of AI. She boldly stepped up to the challenge – especially as she was the first among us to give a presentation on this trip! – and gave a comprehensive talk with many practical tips and strategies.
Tuesday: We had the great privilege of spending time with Anania Twinomujuni, a paralegal at UCLF who had been imprisoned without cause for 6 years, and was only released after UCLF took on his case. He now dedicates his time to advocating for people in the same position as he was, visiting police stations and building positive relationships with police officers in order to advocate more effectively. We were so moved to watch Anania courageously work in a context that holds traumatic and difficult memories for him, and to witness the way he lives out forgiveness in his gracious interactions with police officers. Anania also introduced us to the officer in charge at the station, Habomugisha Kenneth, a man of integrity and compassion who spoke about his deep desire for justice and digital solutions to enhance access to justice – for example, he had implemented an electronic tracking system to ensure that people were not held in custody for longer than the legal limit (48 hours). Anania’s gracious and consistent witness has led to significant cultural shifts in many of the contexts where he works – a testament to the power of God to bring transformation out of brokenness. As we stood, heads bowed, praying together with the chief of police, we were humbled and awed by how God does the impossible, and what he does with our simple obedience, as we set aside our pride and grievances and follow Him, as Anania does every day.
(Side note: Anania’s Luganda name, Twinomujuni, means “We have a Saviour”, which is very fitting!)
We were also incredibly honoured to meet Ronald, a UCLF lawyer whose focus is outreach to law students. Ronald shares his story often, with boldness and vulnerability, consistently pointing his listeners towards God as his Father and Saviour. So here is a little snapshot of his story, shared with his permission.
Before Ronald was born, his mother tried to abort him. When he was four, he lost both of his parents to HIV/AIDS and ended up on the streets of Kampala, taking drugs and stealing to survive, from an early age. He describes the turning point in his life as: “the moment a pastor showed me care and told me that I was loved.” Ronald’s journey to full freedom from drug addiction continued until midway through high school, when he was convicted to flush the drugs he had down the toilet, leaving his old life behind and radically committing to follow Jesus. The mentorship and care he received from UCLF members during his university days led him to give back to UCLF as a paralegal, and he eventually climbed the ranks to become the coordinator of student engagement. It was a privilege to witness Ronald in action at the remand centre, as he led a hundred children in worship, praying over them and reminding them of their identity and freedom in Christ. Ronald is truly a living, walking testimony to the goodness of God.