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In this episode of 12-Minute Convos with Jesus Believers, Engel Jones connects with Pastor Kayongo Rogers, joining the program from Uganda. Rogers, who is married to Jemima and leads Back to Jesus Church, shares one of the most breathtaking and emotionally raw testimonies ever recorded on the show. Rogers reveals that he is the living survivor of a forced attempted abortion after his mother was tragically raped by her brother-in-law an event that brought immense cultural shame and led his family to try and end his life in the womb. Though he survived, Rogers was left unable to walk. In a stunning display of God's providence, when his mother sought out a simple wheelchair, a surgeon named Professor Bedichia chose to operate on Rogers completely free of charge and was tragically shot and killed just three months later. Healed by this miraculous surgery, Rogers has spent his life using his feet to walk the earth preaching the gospel. He vulnerably opens up about his childhood, reflecting on what it was like to be hidden away from household guests by guardians to keep his existence a secret a painful experience that left him "psychologically orphaned".
In 2013, Rogers channeled that pain into purpose by founding the Dream Center charity and Dream Reality Center Foundation, begging school headmasters for bursaries to educate vulnerable children.
Today, he uses the beautiful biblical story of Mephibosheth sitting at King David's table to remind us that when we accept God's invitation, our past brokenness is fully covered. If you have ever felt rejected, abandoned, or defined by a painful background, Pastor Rogers's beautiful testimony of grace will powerfully remind you that God can turn any curse into an eternal blessing!
Guest's Bio
I am Rogers Kayongo, the lead pastor of Back to Jesus Church and the team leader of the Dream Reality Center Foundation, based in Kampala, Uganda, East Africa. I am married to Jemmimah Muwamguzi, and we have three wonderful children together.
Our vision is to reach souls and positively influence our community. Our mission is to preach Christ to all mankind, with the ultimate goal of restoring, healing, and protecting lives.
With the guidance of the Holy Spirit, we have successfully established churches in three different communities and have witnessed transformative changes in the lives of many people. However, one community in particular caught our attention because of the difficult circumstances its residents were facing. Parents were struggling with extreme poverty, made worse by the lack of clean water and medical facilities. Even when medical care was available, it was often inaccessible because of the long distances and lack of transportation.
The community also had very limited access to education. Being predominantly Muslim, many people viewed salvation as a sin, which made it difficult for us to introduce the Gospel.
Instead of beginning by simply preaching, we chose to demonstrate the love of Christ through practical acts of service. We provided clothing, medication, food, and support to orphans who were desperately in need of care. We began with seven orphans, and by the grace of God, we have grown to support 32 children.
Over time, the community began to accept us. Even some of the toughest individuals began to trust us and believe in the work we were doing. Eventually, members of the community donated land for the construction of a humble school. Today, that school is growing and has more than 130 students.
We trust in the Lord, the Provider and Author of every God-given vision, to help us replicate this success in the other two communities.
When I heard about your missionaries and that you train pastors and leaders, I saw it as an opportunity to seek advice and learn from those who have been doing this work for many years. The Bible says in Hosea 4:6, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.” I believe there is much I can learn from others who have walked this path before me.
I also wrote a book called Father-Son Talk after learning and witnessing the effects of fatherlessness and the gaps that often exist between younger and older generations. Much of what I have learned while serving children through the Dream Reality Center Foundation has helped me understand that orphanhood is not only the absence of physical parents; it can also be psychological and emotional.
My own life is a testimony of this reality.
I have parents, but my story is one that I believe God has used to build the ministry I am doing today.
To make a long story short, my mother was a student when she visited her older sister's home during the holidays. Unfortunately, she was raped by her sister's husband, and she became pregnant with me. Because of the culture and circumstances surrounding the pregnancy, the family decided that she should abort me. She tried several times, but by the mercy of God, the attempts were unsuccessful.
However, the drugs she took during those attempts affected both of my feet, and I was born with a disability. When my mother realized that I was disabled, she hated me even more. The family decided to keep me hidden because my existence was considered a constant reminder of shame and reproach, and they feared that my presence would raise questions that could affect my mother's sister's marriage.
So I was taken deep into the village and kept there as a secret. I was not told who my parents were.
I used to call every woman “Mom” and every man “Dad.” Yet, deep inside, I knew that something was missing. When I looked at other children with their biological parents, I felt a deep pain and confusion. It tortured me emotionally.
Then missionaries came to the place where I was living. I believe I was around seven years old at the time. They preached Jesus to me, and Jesus performed the first miracle in my life. My encounter with Christ brought a total change.
Why am I sharing this?
After I was saved, my mother finally opened up to me and revealed that she was my biological mother. She took me into her new marriage, and her husband accepted me and adopted me as his son. For me, that was the second miracle.
One day, my stepfather told my mother to take me to the hospital so that I could get a wheelchair or walking sticks to help me move around. When we went to the hospital, Jesus performed what I consider the third miracle.
There, I met a man from the United States who had come to volunteer. He was a specialist who operated on children with disabilities. When he saw me, he told my mother that he would perform the operation at no cost.
He gave us an appointment, returned as promised, performed the operation, and today I stand as a living testimony of that miracle.
Unfortunately, my hero, Professor Belitcher, was shot and killed at the very hospital about three months after I was discharged. I never knew why he was killed. May his soul rest in peace.
How I wish he were still here. I would have visited him and told him, “See how God is using the man you saved.”
But he is no longer here. So the only way I can continue the legacy of love shown to me by my stepfather and Professor Belitcher is by extending that same love to others.
I believe I would not be the person I am today if those two men had not reached out their hands to help me. I always carry that thought with me: perhaps there is another Rogers among the orphans and needy people whom God brings into my life.
I have many testimonies of children whose hands I have held and who, through God's grace and the support they received, have gone on to succeed in life.
You know, gaining wealth can make a person feel great, but serving a purpose brings something deeper—satisfaction, joy, and peace of mind.
You can reach us on prkayongorogers@gmail.com
Website: http://www.backtojesuschurches.org