Elder Jan Paulsen, Christian greetings.

On behalf of the Makerere University Seventh Day Adventist Association (MUSDAA), College and University students from other institutions in Uganda, pastors, elders, chaplains, the church at Kampala, and on my own behalf, I take this opportunity to warmly welcome you to Uganda in general, and Makerere University in particular.  Karibu!  As we say here, please feel at MUSDAA.

1. Background
Makerere University, where you are now, is Uganda’s national University founded in 1922 as a university college affiliated to the University of London.  Adventism at this University can be traced to the early sixties when medical students were struggling to be exempted from Sabbath programs.  Over the years Adventism at Makerere has grown into the Makerere University Seventh-day Adventist Association (MUSDAA).  Presently MUSDAA is composed of Makerere University students, Makerere University SDA staff members, and associates (MUSDAA Alumni). The students come from Uganda, Tanzania, Kenya, Sudan, and Rwanda.  Financial support to MUSDAA is mainly by its Alumni.

2.Spiritual stand
The Uganda Union, Central Uganda Field chaplaincy, Kampala Central SDA Church, Makerere University SDA staff, and MUSDAA associates oversee the spiritual and welfare of the University students.  Unlike other SDA students in institutions of higher learning, MUSDAA has a full time presiding Elder courtesy of Kampala Central SDA church.  Below we present some of the activities MUSDAA is involved in.

2.1 In-reach activities

1. Weekly fellowships: several visiting pastors, evangelists, and other preachers are invited to conduct fellowships on Tuesday, Fridays and the Sabbath.  Tuesday fellowships and Sabbath afternoons are used for Bible studies. Regular attendance of fellowships at this University is more than 200 students.
2. Family fellowships: MUSDAA holds family fellowships in halls of residence throughout the week. These fellowships (that are mainly conducted by students) have proved to be an evangelistic channel to other people of the University community and a uniting factor to the MUSDAA members.
3. Week of spiritual emphasis: MUSDAA has an annual week of spiritual emphasis, which climaxes into a reunion with MUSDAA alumni.
4. Supporting students in need: MUSDAA members support their fellow students in form of mobilizing tuition for those who are lacking funds.
5. Health desk: In April 2005 MUSDAA initiated a Health Desk to improve the health of the general community especially with regard to HIV/AIDS.
6. Social gathering: Once in a while the students are involved in social functions and outings that enable them get together appreciate God’s Creation.

2.2 Outreach activities
MUSDAA has several outreach activities in and around the University that have been taken on as avenues of evangelism. These include among others;

1. Hospital ministries: MUSDAA has reached out to the neighboring hospitals like Makerere University hospital and the national referral hospital at Mulago.
2. Evangelistic crusades: three evangelical crusades organized by MUSDAA in 2002, 2003, and 2004 led to the baptism of more than 240 souls. Plans are already under way to conduct an evangelist crusade in Ssese Islands later this year.
3. Community service.  During the crusade and elsewhere MUSDAA has been involved in community service and charity work
4. Visitation: MUSDAA has been involved in visiting churches and schools, which send students to MUSDAA, or where MUSDAA members work after graduation.
5. Literature: Since 1996 MUSDAA has been publishing a Christian journal called The Link once a year to preach the Adventist message through the written word.

3.Challenges

1. Place of worship:  MUSDAA worships in the basement of St. Augustine Students Center, which belongs to the Catholic Community.  We are grateful to the Reverend Father Anthony Kanyike the chaplain of the Catholic Church at Makerere University who has given us a place where we freely worship without any disturbance. The basement has a capacity of 100 people but is used by more than 200 during fellowships. Some stand outside, others go back due to congestion.  We thank God that we have not had accidents due to overcrowding.
2. Sabbath challenges: being a secular institution, the University conducts its activities such as lectures, tests and exams on the Sabbath.  Many students are discouraged from joining the University; others have been discontinued, while others have compromised their faith.  MUSDAA has an ongoing case in the Uganda Court of Appeal on this issue and needs your prayers and support. MUSDAA vehemently thanks the Uganda Union for paying the legal fees.

4.Appeal to the General Conference
MUSDAA asks the General Conference (GC) for support in two main ways:
Students’ Center:  The lack of a permanent place of worship and the rapid expansion of evangelism at Makerere has led MUSDAA to come up with the idea of The Students’ Center.  The proposal for this project has been submitted to you by the Uganda Union. We humbly request the General Conference for financial and moral support.
Expatriate Chaplain: The Adventist Church is the only congregation without a chaplain and permanent place of worship at this University. Both the Uganda Union and Central Uganda Field are constrained in supporting this cause. We request the General Conference to support MUSDAA with an expatriate chaplain for at least five years.

Thank you for considering to fellowship with students. We wish you a fruitful stay in Uganda.  And please take our regards to the GC and wherever you go.  God bless you.