Marriage is not only a union but a responsibility that requires sacrifice. For Godfrey Nuwamanya, the quality assurance personnel at Rite TV, his marriage was put to the test as his wife, Prossy, battled against kidney failure shortly after they had signed up for the matrimony.

What started as a gratifying milestone of ecstasy on January 18, 2014, as the Nuwamanyas tied the knot, would eventually twist into misery, shortly after the function. Sickness, loss of hope, judgement and colossal expenditure crept into their journey and put Nuwamanya's faith to the most incredible test.

"But as you may probably discover in 1 Corinthians 10:13. God is faithful: He won't let you be tested beyond your ability," Nuwamanya says.

God had already planted His seed on fertile ground. Nuwamanya had already received the gift of salvation, the enabler of his transformation. As such, his criteria for marriage had departed heavily from the modern-day man’s yardstick of selecting a woman. His was one of faith, prayerfulness and honesty, and even when the storm raged, his wife’s commitment to that triangle of values even tripled in measure.

If the criteria had been 'only in health', Nuwamanya would surely not have remained faithful.

The sickness

Shortly after the wedding, Prossy Nuwamanya presented with illness and was admitted to a local hospital in their home area of Lyantonde district, where Nuwamanya was born. The illness intensified as they were unaware of the root cause of the illness. The medics at the local hospital referred her to Mayanja Memorial Hospital in Mbarara, "one of the acclaimed facilities in the region". 

The matter had escalated into a serious case as the tests indicated kidney failure.

Lo and behold, the matter had escalated into a serious case as the tests indicated kidney failure. This news cut through their hearts like a razor blade does down the width of a cloth. This was the beginning of a five-year phase of excruciating pain, misery, loss of weight and hopelessness.

"I remember my wife lost almost half her weight," Nuwamanya says.

The condition cast a shadow over their happiness but all was not lost on them, their joy didn’t waver.

“Joy is the presence of God even amid chaos. If I didn’t believe in God, I would have probably given up, but God gave me joy and strength to carry on,” Nuwamanya says.

“We traversed hospitals in Kampala but the situation worsened. At one of the hospitals, they conducted a surgery and mounted catheters on her neck to aid dialysis. The tubes were mobile and temporary, meaning that she had to live with plasta around her neck,” he added.

Amidst this chaos, God appeared to them through several Good Samaritans and relatives.

Good Samaritans

“I remember one day, a woman who was a stranger, met us at the hospital and was sorry about our situation. She called a few days later and she offered to run a fundraising campaign for us out of which we amassed shillings five million,” Nuwamanya recounts.

He adds that some of his relatives also stood with them in this trying time: “My elder brother, for instance, covered dialysis expenses for two years," he said.

Dialysis is a medical procedure to remove waste products and excess fluid from the blood when the kidneys stop working properly.  Each time they conducted this procedure, we would be charged shillings 500,000. This was done three times a week.

“My wife at some point, due to the excruciating pain she was undergoing, couldn’t sleep in the normal posture, she would just sit and lean on her knees since her back was hurting due to the wounds sustained in the surgeries.” 

This would continue until we were referred to India for further medical treatment.

Almost giving up

“There came a point at which I felt like giving up. I got overwhelmed by the opinions of people.

Family meetings about my failure to bear children, due to my wife’s condition, were held. Many views from some members pointed towards the idea of me separating from my wife. However, the voice of the Lord overshadowed these voices.” Nuwamanya recalls.

Tears rolling down his chin, he recounts: “My father reached a point where he could not appear in public for fear of not having answers to the many questions that surrounded my childlessness".

Nuwamanya says luckily, on one of the occasions, one of his elder brothers whom he believes was used by God departed from the predominantly separatist view.

“He urged the family community to allow me to pursue my marital role and obligation without their interference. He instead, in addition, challenged me to pursue the calling in God’s ministry by studying theology in a bid to serve God, whom he had noticed that I love and fear so much. This was the game-changer of the family storm. This voice of reason calmed the sea of opinions to the extent that two of the members, coupled with the framer of the motion, pledged to pay my fees for the studies. This, to me, was the Lord speaking through a human. I gladly heed the call and pursued this theological career.”

Healing

“We had so many destiny helpers, in our fifth year of hospitalisation, we got a breakthrough to India for further treatment, and God took charge and healed her from the complication after five years of hopelessness,” Nuwamanya says.

“While in the process of her healing, I had already started school. Of course, I had to relocate to Lubowa, near Africa Bible Institute, where I had started school. This was a challenging move given that I had to identify a conducive home that would provide safety for a healing wife. Getting such a place in Lubowa, given that it is an affluent residential area, is an uphill task. But God, in His amazing grace, worked through another guardian angel, a brethren from Kiruhura Revival Fellowship, who offered to pay for us rent for as long we live in any house of our choice,” he adds.

On January 19, 2024, the Nuwamanyas celebrated their tenth anniversary and renewed their vows at All Saints Nakasero.

“The restoration was not done yet. After seven years of not bearing children and the ridicule from society, God restored hope in us by giving us Akibawe Etzer, our firstborn, who is now two years old,” Nuwamanya says

On January 19, 2024, the Nuwamanyas celebrated their tenth anniversary and renewed their vows at All Saints Nakasero.

What Prossy says

According to Prossy, marriage is a lifetime commitment and divorce is not an option.

“Each one of us serves a purpose to ensure that people have the means to live safer, happier and more useful lives. Marriage, like proofreading a book, requires patient and attention to detail,” she says.

She adds that the pain was terrible but God had comforted her husband in all troubles, and that he was able to comfort her because he was comforted first.

In her view, it is advantageous to marry a transformed man: “Seven years without a child would have seemed unbearable to my husband, but he believed in God”.

Godfrey Nuwamanya and his wife, Prossy

She adds that one day Nuwamanya encouraged her saying whether they had children or not she would remain his lawfully wedded wife. “I have never seen a man who respects marriage vows like my husband".

What others say

Arinda Allen

It is those who stick to their goals that achieve. I appreciate Nuwamanya for sticking to his covenant.

Jovan Akamumpa

Every time I listen in to the testimony, I am broken and challenged to seek the Lord even more. God bless Nuwamanya and Prossy.

Angus nasasira

As a cancer fıghter here in Turkey, l am blessed by Nuwamanya's story. l know God will open ways for me.