Report on Global Change Consultation at Teremi Quarterly Meeting, Lugulu YM


QUERY 1. How has global change affected our communities and ourselves?

The changes we are experiencing have resulted in lack of enough rain. We are also experiencing scarcity of food. The cost of living has gone high. We are also experiencing migration of both man and wildlife. The level of pollution has gone high compared to the past years. Our local herbs which had medicinal value are very rare. The change is also straining the government expenditure through importation of more food from other countries.

Our social life has drastically changed. Transport and communication has improved. Modern technology has given rise to modern farming techniques to enable us have enough food production. The changes have also resulted to insecurity in our community.


QUERY 2. What actions have we taken in response to global change as experienced in our area, to express our responsibilities towards all creation? In what ways have my own activities or those of my community contributed to positive or adverse local and global change?

  1. we are planting trees

  2. We are preventing soil erosion through terracing and not ploughing on river barks.

  3. We are improving on our medical facilities.

  4. We use water filters to clean our contaminated water

  5. We are taking our children to school

  6. We have constructed pit latrines

  7. We practice proper disposal of wastes

  8. We are practicing family planning to control population growth.


In the past years our community valued local circumcision ceremonies. We have changed from this culture and we are now taking our children to hospital for circumcision. To improve our economic standards, we have established self help group to share ideas.


We are also practicing zero grazing to enable us get more milk. We have changed from having numerous cases of forced marriage. We are trying our level best to bring up our children in a God fearing manner.


QUERY 3. How do changes around us affect our relationship with God? How does my relationship with God affect my responses to the changes around us? What role does faith have in my life and in the life of my community? In what ways do I and my Friends church or meeting community bear witness to our Testimonies in our daily lives?

Our actions are not inconformity with the word of God. The changes have brought about so many cases of fornication, adultery, prostitution among others which are straining our relationship with God. We even forget to give thanksgiving to God whenever He blesses us. We have destroyed our natural resources and God is not happy with us. We always struggle to get in leadership to safeguard our corrupt ways. There is lack of truth, honesty, integrity and justice in the church. Our lifestyle is an abomination in the eyes of God.

My relationship with God will lead me towards taking that step of correcting what is wrong. If my immediate neighbors see the good deeds in me they will change by imitating what I am doing. I should be different from the other people. The changes should not make us change our commitment to God.

I want to believe that my faith should be “Creative” right from my home to the community. I should be a role model to the others. My faith strongly prohibits working on a Sabbath day. I personally believe in “simplicity.” If I have to get wealth let it be through hard work. All human are equal and we are not to allow racial parity amongst ourselves. I should use my wealth to glorify God. Never at any given time are we allowed to gamble to get wealth.

We are not living as per our Quaker testimony. The community is looking at us as very ‘selfish’. We are not coming out to assist needy in our midst.


QUERY 4. What stories or experiences from past – of catastrophic happenings – perhaps from Scripture, perhaps from the record of local or regional events- might inspire us to respond to the changes the world is facing today?


In the year 1997 there was an outbreak of cholera in our area. A lot of people died. The water that we were using in our homes that time was contaminated.

In the year 1961 we experienced floods in our area due to heavy rain that we had that year. We had springs literally emerging right from our living rooms. This reminds us of the floods that were experienced during Noah’s time in the Bible.


QUERY 5. How can we bear witness to the abundance God offers us and testify to the world about ways in which justice, compassion, and peace may address significant disruptions, stress, and tensions?

We are trying to assist those who do not have in our society. We also assist the widows, orphans and the senior citizens we are staying with. We always carry out periodical visits on to those who are sick and weak. We are trying to embrace revival of the prison ministry.


QUERY 6. How can we support one another in rekindling our love and respect for God’s Creation in such a way hat we are messengers of the transforming power of love and hope?


To strengthen unity we have formed groups that bring us together to meditate on the word of God. Income generating projects have also been set up in our community. Our good relationship can help us share ideas to improve on what we have.