As I sat in the pastor’s office, seeking guidance and prayer, I never imagined that our encounter would take an unsettling turn and question my faith. The pastor, a man of God whom I had been introduced to by my auntie, almost crossed a sacred boundary.
Things had not been going well in my life at that time, and my aunt convinced me to go see a trusted pastor. I remember my aunt paying Ugx50.000 to meet the man of God to pray for me, and on entering his office, he told me my name and what I was going through. He assured me that the storm would be over soon since he was going to pray with me.
I had been struggling with personal issues, and I was relieved because I needed some changes in my life. As we sat together, he listened attentively, offering words of encouragement. However, as the conversation progressed, his demeanor shifted. He began to make inappropriate comments; his tone and body language were suggestive. I felt uncomfortable, sensing wrongfulness in his advances.
He then asked me to stand up and pray. I, of course, obliged.
I got on my feet, and to my surprise, he drew the window curtains. This is when it hit me that he had locked his office door, but I didn’t think much of it, as I thought that maybe he did not want any disruptions during the prayer session. I was wrong.
I pushed the nagging thoughts away and closed my eyes as he started to pray with me. As we were praying, he pushed me towards the wall and started squeezing me against it. In a few minutes, I felt his erect genitalia against me. My heart started pumping fast, and I did not know what to do, so I froze.
He removed his “privates” from his pants and was panting so fast, that I knew I was in trouble. At this point, in my frozen state, he told me to hold it. This is when my inner voice kicked in and told me, “Sophie, get out of here. This is a false pastor.”
I immediately pushed him away and rushed out of the office. I found my auntie in the church with other people singing songs of praise. I made up an excuse and hastily left. It has been over 10 years now, and I have never told my aunt what transpired in that room. One thing is for sure: no one can convince me to visit a pastor’s office. I decided to stick to the Church of Uganda and read and understand the Bible.
This experience served as a stark reminder that even spiritual leaders can falter. It is crucial for pastors and religious authorities to recognize the power dynamics at play in their relationships with congregants and to maintain ethical boundaries. I hope that sharing my story will encourage others to speak out against inappropriate behavior and promote a culture of accountability within religious institutions.