My name is DICKENS ZZIWA SSENYONJO, the 7th born of the 11 children born to my late Dad, Drake Roland Zziwa of Lungujja – Kampala. I am married to Norah Nakato Ssenyonjo with whom the LORD has blessed us with 5 children (2 teenage boys – Jeremy who is due to make 16 years in June & Victor who is 141⁄2 years old and 3 girls, Daniella – 12, Gabriella who will be 10 also in June and Raphaella who is 5 years old).

My testimony of coming to faith is a fascinating one. I surrendered my life to the Lordship of Jesus Christ as a personal saviour at the age of 14 years shortly after joining senior one (Grade 8) at Busoga College Mwiri. I come from humble beginnings, and my Dad passed when I was only 6 years old. Dad’s death at the age of 40 was a devastating one to me and my siblings because none of us was ready for what was to come after his death, especially so since ours was a polygamous family setting with the 11 of us (the children) from 3 different mothers although God had a perfect plan for each one of us, as we would later discover.

With the loss of a father at a very tender age, I became a little bit careless and stubborn but God used my hopelessness to give me a chance to find peace in His saving grace. I was denied access to my mother by my paternal relatives from the age of 6 till I was 13 years old for fear that Mum would influence me negatively against the “family” customs from my patriarchal lineage. I was taken to live with one of my paternal uncles whose identity and location was hidden from my mother for reasons that I would perhaps be influenced by her against my other siblings. This in part, explains my stubbornness at the young age because I had no close relative to look up to for that love and guidance that a child benefits from their own parents. Whereas I was given opportunity to study in some of the best schools, I still felt lonely amidst the provisions of basic needs for life that I received from my uncle.

I received Salvation at a time when I was contemplating running to the streets and abandoning school all together after I had been bullied by some senior students on the first day of arrival in my new High school. This all began after my Uncle had dropped me off at the school which I had initially not wanted to go to because it was selected as my second choice even though the decision for placing it among the choices was from my uncle. I had selected one of the famous Missionary schools near Kampala (Kings College Buddo) as my first choice and by the grace of God did my best to attain the required grades to be admitted at Senior one but unfortunately, I was denied the chance because the school fees were higher than my uncle would afford. So, I was forced to go to this other school (Busoga
College Mwiri – in Jinja which is also a Missionary founded school) which I had selected as the Second Choice at the influence of my Uncle.

On this significant day after I had arrived at the school for my High School studies, my uncle drove off at about 2 pm to return to Kampala after he had cleared everything for my smooth start and stay in school. Shortly had he left than a few senior students from higher grades/ classes arrived and surrounded my bed with several questions and demands all directed towards me. For instance, I was asked the reasons why I was in school and what I had attained at my Primary Leaving Examinations (P.L.E). This all came from mean looking boys, who had not even given me an opportunity to know who was who and why they came to me among all students. I tried to answer all the raised questions until I received the heaviest of slaps that I have ever been given in my life from one of them who assumed that my response was provocative and it was unnecessary. His question was about my performance in Grade 7 (P.L.E) to which I responded as best as I had thought because I had attained aggregate 4 which was the highest, one could attain with a Distinction one in each of the 4 subjects sat (English, Maths, Science and Social Studies). To my astonishment, this boy slapped so hard with another question as to why I had not attained aggregate 3? This baffled me to the core.

With the pain of the slap still having its effect, I thought I was destined for hell in this new school and all other follow up questions were not to receive any answer from me for fear of insulting my tormentors. It is then that they all descended on my packaging box and took all the edible things that I had been given from home including my pocket money. As if that was not enough, they even brought their clothes and piled them before me with a demand to go wash them and ensure they are properly ironed after having them sun dried. This left me with no choice but to cry and think of a way I could escape to the streets because I could not afford such an environment.

But praise be to God that just at the right time when I was still thinking of how, when and where I would find my escape route, two other senior students realized my deep lamentation and relentless crying and with calmness inquired to know what the problem was with my sadness and how they could be of help. At first, I was hesitant to tell them for fear that they were part of the earlier group and maybe they had come to torment me more, but they insisted that I should let them know. But having realized that I was not going to say anything, they bent down and started washing this pile of clothes with me. This gave me confidence to tell them everything and they comforted me about everything and even promised to share whatever need I had with them so they could share with me their food and edibles (grab). This excited me to the extent that I purposed to wherever they would go except that they were in upper classes and I was supposed to be in my class during class hours. Anyhow, they led me to a fellowship meeting later that Evening, which I learnt
was a Scripture Union Students’ fellowship for born-again Christian students who wanted to be enriched spiritually through prayer, praise, worship and Bible Study. The Students in that fellowship were so welcoming and hospitable that I decided to join them for good and when an opportunity was given for those who wanted to give their lives to Christ, I never looked back because for the first time, I felt like I had found the real meaning of love and family. Having surrendered my life to Christ as a young born-again, I was discipled by those senior students who came to my rescue and they mentored me until my Senior two (Grade 9) when I was entrusted to be one of the fellowship/ Scripture Union (SU) Club leaders.

My leadership escapades started in Senior Two, when the LORD chose me to serve on the School SU Club Students’ Committee as the S.1 & S.2 students’ representative. The following year I was retained on the same Committee as S.3 representative before becoming a Vice-Chairman of the same Committee of the fellowship in S.4. Upon completion of Ordinary Level, I went back to Mwiri for Advanced Level where I ascended to the position of SU Club Chairman and Chapel Prefect. While at University, I pursued a Bachelor of Arts degree in Social Sciences majoring in Agro-economy and Economics. I was also privileged to serve as the Vice Chairperson of the Non-Residents’ Committee of the Students’ Christian Union at Makerere. Little did I know that all that was a training ground for my Christian leadership journey and responsibility that was yet to come as it is now!

I Praise God that after my Bachelors’ degree, I was led to come and volunteer with SU Uganda as a High school life skills’ trainer and Bible study leader. I did this for one year before being posted to the Western Regional Office (covering 18 districts then) as a Youth Coordinator for High School. Again, by the grace of God, I was appointed to head all the SU activities within the same region (covering over 2000 Primary and Secondary schools).
It was after 3 years’ service in this capacity that I was re-deployed at the Head Office to serve as a Central Region Traveling Secretary for High School in charge of Discipleship. I served in that position for one year before being appointed to head the Literature Department, a position I held for two years before being promoted to head the ministry as National Director from June 2009 to date but will be finishing my contract next year in 2024.
The reason I continue to serve with SU is because of the impact that this ministry is causing to society and its fruitfulness in fulfilling the great Commission. Having benefited directly from the services of this ministry, I would feel no better way of giving back to God part of what He has given me than to avail myself to be used of Him as He wills.

The Scriptural text in 2 Kings chapter 4 has always been a very encouraging message for me as Christian leader especially verse 24, which keeps ringing in my ears everywhere I turn since I became the National Director of SU Uganda. I always hear this voice within me saying those words “…Drive and go forward; do not slacken the pace for me unless I tell you.”