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WHO AM I?

I Chronicles 17: 16b “Who am I, O LORD God, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far?

Part I: Night Club – But Tiresome and Empty

Hello, my name is Mbabazi Margaret Sebbale. I am married to Sh. Steven Sebbale and we have two children; Jeremy (9 years) and Natalie (5 years). I am a medical doctor majoring in Radiology. I was born in Kisoro village in Uganda. Uganda is a beautiful country in East Africa bordered by Kenya, Tanzania and Rwanda. It was named the Pearl of Africa by the early explorers because of its beautiful scenery, warm weather all year round and friendly people. I am the 9th of 10 children in my family. My parents were farmers so they could not educate all 10 children. When I was three years old my big sister (the first born) took me to her home in the city to baby sit her new born daughter (my niece). As a result, I was able to move from the village to town. I was able to start school early even before my older siblings. By God’s grace I was always at the top of my class in primary school. I was accepted into Gayaza High School, the top girls’ high school in Uganda at that time. However, the tuition fees were very high and I had to raise chickens to help my sister raise my tuition fees. I graduated at the top of my class and earned a full government scholarship to Makerere University Medical School, the top University in East Africa. I accepted Jesus into my heart in high school. However, I lived a very protected life and did not have any real challenges. It was a Christian girls boarding high school and at the end of each school term I was always taken home and my sister was very protective of me. I never faced any temptations and all the decisions were made either by my sister or my teachers. When I went to University medical school, I was suddenly very free. I could do whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted it. I decided to test my freedom by living like any other campus student. I got a boyfriend in the first week at campus. We always went to the night club on Friday night because of our busy schedule in medical school. I completely put Jesus and God aside in order to have maximum fun.

One evening as I was seated in my room reading, a Korean Missionary called Mary Yoo knocked at my door. I let her in because I needed to take a break from books. I did not understand what she was telling me but she invited me for bible study. I accepted because I wanted her to go away but I had no plan to attend Bible study.  I forgot about her immediately and continued with my life. However, after sometime she came again and again until I went with her for just one Bible study. She made me sit in the middle of campus under a tree and I was really embarrassed. I refused to attend any more sessions after that. However, with time, the word of God touched me through Genesis Bible study when she asked me what the meaning of my life was. Honestly, I didn’t know. Medical School was hard; my social life was fun but tiresome and empty. However, I was powerless to give it up. With Msn Mary’s help I was able to give up my Muslim boyfriend at that time but in about a week I had another one and later on another one. However, in all this, God protected me from alcohol, drugs or any form of impurity. Even though I lived a party life, I never gave in to these temptations but it was getting harder and harder. As we continued with bible study, I made a decision of faith to give up this kind of life and commit myself to God completely. However, it was not easy. Even though I had the desire to change, I could not do it by myself. One Friday, I was invited to go to a night club but I refused. Then everyone left and I was alone in the room. When my boyfriend came over I decided to go. On the way, I received conviction not to go so I changed my mind. He was angry and I went back to my dormitory. However, since it was past midnight, the hall was locked. I pleaded with the hall administrator but he refused to open. I could not go anywhere because it was late so I sat outside my room all night. During the night, I wrestled with God like Jacob. I cried a lot and by the time the sun came up in the morning and the hall was opened, I was a new creation. My old life was gone. I denounced my social life and committed myself to God and my studies. I vowed never to be involved in any other relationship except with my future husband. By morning I was exhausted but full of joy and a new purpose.

Part II:  A Life of Mission

During my 4th year I was raised as a shepherdess and after my internship I established a house church with shepherd Stephen. We have been working with the missionaries to raise more campus students as God fearing leaders. Sh. Steven is the fellowship leader of Jireh fellowship. We also serve the music ministry with Sh. Steven playing the guitar and I leading the Choir. As the ministry has grown, it was decided that the native senior shepherds go out and pioneer other campuses. So Sh. Steven and I are starting pioneering work in Uganda Christian University. Even though it is a Christian University, the students study Bible to pass exams and not for personal Christianity or growth. Most of them are not willing to study the bible because they do not see the need for it. We pray for God to show us how to win these lost souls for the kingdom. According to the Ugandan Medical system after medical school, we have to work before we do residency. I always planned to be a Paediatrician and after my marriage I went to the UK to study Paediatrics. Even though I passed all the exams and was registered with the medical council, I received a message from God to go back to Uganda and serve with the missionaries since most of the local leaders had left. I wondered what my future would be since I thought I could be a medical missionary in the UK. It was difficult but I obeyed and left the UK for Uganda. However, I didn’t want to have pediatrics training in Uganda because it is not good. After praying for some time, God led me to study radiology. There is a very big need in the Ugandan medical services for radiologists. While there are over 300 paediatricians, there are only 30 radiologists in the whole country. I asked Dr.Samuel Yoo since he had been my former lecturer in medical school and also my shepherd. He was very supportive and he told me that as a pulmonologist, he was very glad to get a good radiologist. So I did my 3 years of radiology residency and I completed top of my class in June this year. There is only 1 CT scanner in Makerere University where I was trained and there is no thoracic radiologist so we do not get much training.

Last year I attended 3 months of introduction to thoracic radiology at Kyung Pook National University in Daegu. In Daegu I was introduced to thoracic imaging for 3 months. I also attended the WCTI at Samsung Coex in Seoul. That is how I met Prof. Changhun Lee of SNU. He invited me to receive training at SNU medical school for a year. It is scary to come from a 3rd world country like Uganda to the top University in Korea. However, the training is also going well by God’s grace and I am learning to depend on God for even small things like not getting lost on the street. I thank God for this time to learn what it takes to be a missionary even a short term one.

While I stay in Korea I pray that I may learn the God of Korea, for academic excellence and for teaching the Bible to one student in SNU.  

One word: Who am I?

(She shared her life testimony in Korea on 9/15/14.)