The Reverend John Mark Haung Godia, incoming bishop of Anglican Church of Kenya (ACK) Maseno West Diocese wanted to be a military soldier as he grew up but he ended up a soldier in the army of the Lord. He is now a decorated officer.
As he is being consecrated and enthroned today by head of ACK Archbishop Jackson ole Sapit, he has an uphill task to unite the diocese polarised by the election process that culminated into his election as successor to long-serving bishop of the diocese Rt Reverend Joseph Otieno Wasonga.
Downplays polarisation
But he downplays the polarisation, saying it is not as huge as his opponents would like it to portray it.
“The divisions are not as they are being magnified to look and it is just a section of people allied to my worthy competitor who have sought to create divisions.”
Born on January 30, 1970, Haung grew up in Yiro, Ugunja Sub-county, Siaya County. He went through primary education in Ugenya before joining Maliera Secondary School for his O-Levels; he then proceeded to Agoro Sare High School for his A-Level studies.
“I tried to join the Kenyan military twice but things did not work out for me.
During the second attempt, I became second but was overlooked because I knew nobody,” he says.
Haung then left the village for Nairobi where he joined the Kenya School of Professional Studies. On August 16, 1992, he gave his life to Christ at Deliverance Church Umoja.
On coming back to the village he became one of the founding members of the Maseno West Diocese’s Youth Evangelistic Team (YET), a brainchild of Bishop Wasonga to help in the evangelisation of the youth. For eight years, Haung served as in the diocesan youth executive committee.
During his ministry with YET, the call to serve as an ordained minister came. Haung joined the Uganda Christian University for a Bachelors in Theology before pursuing his Masters in Theology at the same institution after being awarded a scholarship.
“My life almost took an academic turn but I came back and was posted to Ambira Parish where I started my career as an ordained priest at 35.”
Four years later Haung was appointed administrative secretary of the diocese and he states that during his tenure, it has seen remarkable growth.
The bishop-elect strikes a conciliatory tone on the differences that marked his election; he says a lot of work is being done behind the scenes to bring back those who opposed him to extent of going to court to challenge the process.
“We are engaging the canons of the church to reach out to them. Some have taken matters personal, they seem to have forgotten that there can only be just one bishop at a time,” he says.
The new bishop has plans: “In my first five years I want to see the church’s resources double and reduce diocesan dependency on parishes by half from the current 10 per cent.” Haung adds that his reign will be a slight departure from that of his predecessor, which he says was more pastoral.
He wants to combine pastoral and administrative roles even as he focuses on the youth and children for a stable church in the future.
The bishop says he will not shy away from politics but it will not be confrontational but dialogue-driven.
He believes Siaya has been over-politicised. “Education levels in Siaya have deteriorated and teenage pregnancies are at an all-time high.
I will focus on these as well as get locals to be producers and move Siaya from a net importer of basic food stuff to an exporter,” he promises.
Married to Eunice Ohowa, the couple has four children and another seven they are supporting.
