Apostle Julius Andala Ambunya

P. O. Box 732 – 50100 Kakamega

E-mail: apostleambunya@yahoo.com

Mobile phone: 0733-451358

 

 

My name is Julius Andala Ambunya. I was born on 23rd November 1958 in Kakamega town, Western province of Kenya. I am the second born of my mother in a poor polygamous family.

Education

Because of poverty, I went to school late, when I was fourteen yeas old. I went direct to grade three. Albeit through problems, I managed to reach Form two high school grade but I did not finish and neither did I sit for the national examinations. I did not have school fees which led to my leaving school for good.

Theological education

I later started theological education, being sponsored by the Baptist Church of which I am a member. This was after I got saved in 1978, and by then I was still in school.

Marriage

In 1982 November, I married my wife Margaret Nabwire through ordinary common law marriage since we were poor and could not afford a wedding. We were blessed with five children although one passed away in the year 2006. My wife and I remain with four children: Adelaide, Philgeria, Geoffrey and Solomon. I have also five adopted children since the year 2004.

Call to serve

Immediately after my marriage in 1982, I heard the voice of God through the Holy Spirit, to join the pastoral ministry where I started work as a pastor. It was difficult but I had no way to refuse God’s work. This was because in most of the churches in rural areas, pastors work on voluntary basis as the churches do not have money to pay salaries to their pastors.

 Apostolic call

In 1999, I heard the second call through the Holy Spirit to join the Apostolic ministry after working as a pastor for seventeen years. I started my new ministry as Apostle by going out from the church to share the gospel of Jesus Christ with people and to start other new churches. This is what I am doing to date. Obviously the work of ministering is difficult due to financial problems.

Personal business

After experiencing the hardships we were going through and facing, my wife started a fish mongering business in order to support our family. This activity has forced her not to accompany me in the ministry work. I have sometimes had to take on casual work to help my wife or in order to make some money for transport and other needs for the ministry. Though my wife works hard, she occasionally experiences difficulties from government authorities, market authorities, transportation problems, and has even gotten herself in police cells.The business does not make a lot of profit but at least, we get our daily food. Sometimes, instead of buying food, she sacrifices to provide me with transport and other needs when I go out for the ministry.

Challenges

1.      My four children are depending on us as parents to provide their education and other needs whereby one is in a polytechnic college second year. Another is in high school form four while another is in primary grade four. The last one has had to drop out due to lack of school requirements including fees.

2.      I also have five children whom I am taking care of after their parents passed away in 2004 due to HIV/AIDS. To make them not think about their deceased parents, I take them to school and we must show them that we are there for them. I am also taking care of my mother after my father passed away in 2003. So we are a family of twelve to care for.

3.      Though my wife is struggling to support this family, it is making her not be able to join me for the ministry. And it is good for a man to be accompanied by his wife for the ministry.

4.      We stay in a two-roomed semi-permanent house of 14 x 18 ft. some children spend nights in my mother’s house which is smaller than mine.

5.      When starting a new church without buying a plot and building a church, people will not stay. Because of poverty, people are afraid to be asked to contributions for building.

6.      I am willing and targeting to start four new churches in four different areas which are five to six miles from my church. But finance for transport and support for those who will be helping in these new churches is the problem. I am willing to go to countries like Sudan and others for the Gospel but how to reach there is a problem. I have one new church going on now which is about six months old.

Prayer

Since all these challenges are mainly because of poverty, my prayer is to the donors, well-wishers, volunteers, apostles, bishops and pastors, whoever shall be touched to join me in prayer, work or do anything as God will direct, for the ministry, are welcome to contact me in writing.

Many people in Africa are dying in sin because of lack of enough apostles, and those who are there have very little power to work in the ministry while at the same time taking care of their families. Churches are poor in giving since members are living in poverty. So it is very hard for the poor to support each other.

May the Almighty Father bless all that are thinking for the Gospel in Africa.

Faithfully,

Apostle Julius A. Ambunya