faith 17 August 2026 Daily Monitor (Uganda)
Tororo Healer, 76, Abandons Shrines for Christianity After Vision
A 76-year-old traditional healer in Tororo District has renounced his decades-long practice of ancestral rituals and idol worship following a profound spiritual experience. Joseph Opendi claims a divine encounter during a storm led him to embrace Christianity. Source: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/-76-year-old-tororo-traditional-healer-abandons-shrines-after-divine-encounter--5561534
Joseph Opendi, a 76-year-old resident of Paloto “B” Village in Magola sub-county, Tororo District, has reportedly forsaken his life’s work as a traditional healer. For over four decades, Opendi was a respected figure in his community, known for his practice of traditional healing and ancestral rituals.
His life took a dramatic turn on the night of Sunday, August 17, 2026, amidst a fierce storm. Opendi recounts witnessing a brilliant light and hearing a divine voice instructing him to abandon his idols and turn to the Christian God. This startling experience, he stated, prompted him to kneel and utter his first prayer as a Christian.
“I served demons for years,” Opendi declared at a recent outreach event hosted by the Pentecostal Outreach Ministries International Church in Tororo, where he now attends. He further shared that a vision of Jesus convinced him that the spiritual practices he had relied upon were not the true source of power.
Following this transformative encounter, Opendi willingly sanctioned the dismantling of his main shrine and the destruction of numerous ritual objects. He has since been baptized and publicly committed his life to Christianity. Opendi now aims to leverage his past experiences to guide others away from occult practices and towards Christian faith.
“I used to pray for clients seeking wealth, victory in court cases, power and even the ability to harm their enemies. Now my prayers are for people to find Jesus Christ and peace of mind,” he explained, acknowledging the surprise of some former clients at his conversion.
Dr. Girado Olukol, a senior member of the church, welcomed Opendi’s decision, urging him to remain steadfast in his new faith. The community of Paloto “B” has reacted with astonishment to the elderly healer’s significant shift from his traditional spiritual path. Opendi’s testimony marks a profound change after more than forty years devoted to traditional practices.