Metropolitan
Henry Paul 's Working Visit to Sweden
19
- 23 December 1999
Key
Partner
The
Rev. James Ssemakula of Uganda was my partner
during this working visit. He had before
this time lived in Sweden for 15 years.
He came to Sweden on the advice and assistance
of the United Nations Refugees Council's
team in East Africa who had sheltered him
temporarily in Kenya during the persecution
of General Iddi Amin in Uganda. The Rev.
Ssemakula is an ordained Anglican minister.
He was ordained in Uganda before escaping
the persecution of Iddi Amin.
In
Sweden, The Rev. Ssemakula served as the
Assistant to the Minster-in-charge of
the Anglican Church in Stockhom (Ven.
Archdeacon Gerald Brown) for four (4)
years. Ven. Archdeacon Brown was also
the official Chaplain of the British Ambassador
in Sweden. This means that Rev. Ssemakula
served also as an Assistant Chaplain to
the Ambassador. This chaplaincy service
which The Rev Ssemakula participated is
under The Rt. Rev. John Hind of the Anglican
Diocese of Europe whose See is in Gibralta.
While
in Sweden, The Rev. Ssemakula did serve
as an interpreted for U.N. refugees from
Africa. He also created community forum
with the African community in Sweden.
He participated in a Europe-wide consultation
among the religious communities who had
African roots. He succeeded in hosting
the May1998 European level consultation
among African Communities in Diaspora.
He managed and succeeded in getting the
Swedish Foreign Affairs Department to
support the consultation at which the
Swedish Minister for Foreign Affairs attended.
The
Rev. Ssemakula regularly participated
in group-learning exercises through the
'study-circle' informal adult education
of Sweden. The Revd Ssemakula viewed the
'study-circle' as a very appropriate tool
for the development orientation activities
in Africa.
Key
Partner
