Chaplain surprised by ministry to Ugandans

By Carol Pipes

Chaplain Tom Shepherd leads a Bible study and worship service for the Ugandan guards working at Camp Liberty in Baghdad. Ugandan guards sing a traditional worship song in Swahili     Faith in the Sand – American soldiers in Iraq are not just safeguarding freedom for others. They are also finding it for themselves. See how God is using Southern Baptist chaplains to change lives in one of the most difficult environments on earth.   Download

In the Army, it’s important to adapt to your surroundings. Not only do chaplains have to adapt, they have to look for new opportunities for ministry each time they deploy. Garrison Chaplain Tom Shepherd knows this first hand.

Crammed in a six-by-12-foot trailer, a dozen or so Ugandan guards lift their voices in beautiful harmony singing praises to God.

“As an Army chaplain, I never imagined I would have an international ministry,” Shepherd says. In addition to his regular duties as Garrison chaplain, Shepherd leads weekly worship services for the several hundred Ugandan guards who live on Victory Base Complex.

The U.S. military contracts with companies from other countries to provide services like catering, laundry and security. For men and women from the poverty-stricken East African nation of Uganda, working as private security guards in Iraq can be quite lucrative. Most of the guards send 90 percent of their income back to their families who struggle to make ends meet.

Shepherd saw an opportunity to meet a need and fill the role as spiritual shepherd to these men.

“They have a lot of energy and take worship to another level,” Shepherd says. “They are very humble and appreciate fellowship with other Christians.”

Every week, armed with his Bible, a laptop, projector and screen, Shepherd leads the Ugandans in singing hymns and contemporary praise songs in English. One by one, individuals call out requests. “God of Wonders,” “Days of Elijah,” “Take it to the Lord in Prayer,” they shout, singing along as words flash on the screen.

Shepherd then directs them to the 23rd Psalm for a short devotional. The service ends with more singing, now in Swahili. “We’re singing about the greatness of God,” one guard whispered in my ear. If he hadn’t told me, I would have realized it by the countenance on each face. Some things translate beyond language.

Carol Pipes, editor of On Mission, spent two weeks in Iraq reporting on the work of military chaplains.

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