Kefa Sempangi

The Mercy Uganda team met with Kefa Sempangi the last time I was in Uganda so that we could obtain his letter of recommendation for the organization’s NGO (nonprofit) status. I had the opportunity to visit with Kefa a second time on the way back from sightseeing. Gabriel has a vision for ministry work in Karamoja and was sharing those ideas with me. In true fashion, I asked more questions than what he could answer. As a result, he suggested I meet with Kefa.

This personal meeting with Kefa Sempangi is a pretty big deal. Kefa is the former Deputy Minister for (post Amin) Rehabilitation and later became a member of Parliament representing the Mukono district. He founded the Presbyterian Church in Kampala and opened the Africa Foundation Children’s Home where Gabriel went to school for many years along with over 6,000 other homeless, abandoned, orphaned, or street children. Kefa is also author of A Distant Grief and From the Dust. A note about the Africa Foundation – I have met no fewer than a dozen of the friends Gabriel met while boarding and being educated at the Foundation and every one of them esteems Kefa to the highest degree. I also noticed that, although I didn’t understand the language, every person who departed from Kefa’s company during our visit left with a laugh and a smile.

We arrived at Kefa’s estate and, having been there just three months prior, could immediately detect the progress made on the rebuilding of his home and the redevelopment of parts of his land. Kefa and Gabriel know one another on a very personal level and a simple reintroduction to me seemed to jog Kefa’s memory a bit. We were warmly invited into his sitting room and given “tea,” which was really more like lunch.

After our affirming business-related discussion, we took a short tour of the compound so that Kefa could meet with another guest. During my last trip I met Kefa’s wife and the wife of an orphanage school leader, both of whom recognized me and welcomed me back to Uganda. Kefa returned and we chatted for another hour outside in the shade. Learning more about Gabriel’s life and his Karamojong background through Kefa, as well as learning so much more about Ugandan politics was very interesting and helpful.

At the last, Kefa asked when I would be moving to Uganda.