FRED AND EMMANUEL REALITY -- UGANDA STORY

Cary always enjoyed the ride between Kampala and Jinja.  As they were driving past the Mabira forest Cary perked up.  “Sam, did you ever talk about the forest with Fred Mukasa?”

“No.  Usually we just talk business when we are together.”

“Last time we visited, he told me that during the Amin times and the Obote civil war, hundreds and hundreds, or thousands, of bodies were dumped in this forest.  Off and on over the years since then, when driving down this highway, people have seen a woman walking across the road, usually in the middle of the night, and they’ve slammed on brakes, causing accidents, or driven off the road to avoid her – and then she had disappeared. 

 A ghost. 

Fred said he actually saw that not long ago.  He wasn’t the driver, was dozing, the driver hollered and started slamming the brakes and swerving the car, and they nearly rolled.  Fred saw this woman, too.  And he saw her disappear right before his eyes.  I trust Fred; have known him since our first visit here in ‘91.  For him — a very intense Christian, as you know —  to tell that story, lets me know that what people are seeing is the truth... but in a spirit realm that we rarely enter.”

Sam said, “I’ve heard those stories many times, of course.  With all the murders attached to those years, and all the witchcraft, and the rituals done to bring people part way back to life, I can see how it would happen.  Especially here.”

“I followed the news sometimes and the number of accidents – and frequent deaths as a result – is mind blowing.”

“People are praying all over this area of Kampala, Jinja, and other towns and villages seeking God’s forgiveness for these hundreds of crimes that were committed and asking Him to restore and redeem the communities and families that were damaged, even totally destroyed.  We’re gradually seeing positive results.”  He paused.  “And, even though that demonic spirit is seen along this highway, I can only hope that, with the prayer, the day will come when the Holy Spirit cleanses this area and none of that danger will be part of our lives.”

Cary patted Sam’s arm.  “I agree.  I know the Lord is the only answer.  It’s true in so many circumstances in all of our lives.  I can hardly wait to see Uganda restored.”

They stopped chatting after that for another stretch of time.  The light was increasing, as was the traffic.  Suddenly they were crossing the bridge in Jinja by Owens Dam at the beginning of the Nile.  Cary shook her head.  “Did I tell you the story about the guy we met in Jinja during our first time here?  When we were visiting the church in Jinja?”

Sam shook his head.  “I don’t think so.  What was it about?”

“Emmanuel was a godly man, but he had a very bad

experience during the civil war.  Bodies piled up at the base of the dam and the army moved them and usually just buried them in a huge pit -- or sent them down the Nile. The rule was that the folks walking across the bridge to get from the cotton factory on the west side to the Jinja side could not look over the side of the dam. 

One day Emmanuel broke that rule.  He looked.  The soldiers beat him, nearly killed him, and his mind has never been healed.  He worships the Lord and has a true heart for God.  But he has some serious physical and mental problems.”  Cary chuckled.  “I know he was badly damaged and it shouldn’t be funny, but he did do something funny with me.  When he met James and I at his church, and I was the preacher, he offered to give me a monkey.  He didn’t have it with him, but would give it to me and I could take it home in my suitcase.  I told him that it couldn’t work that way, because I couldn’t make it through customs, and also told him that if he wanted to give me a carved monkey, that would be OK, but a real one wouldn’t be.  He finally seemed to understand. 

Anyhow, I didn’t come home with either a real or a carved monkey.  But I have Emmanuel’s name in my Bible.  Proverbs 22:3.”  Cary turned around and dug through her back pack for her Bible.  “Here’s the verse.  ‘A prudent man sees the evil and hides himself, but the simple pass on and are punished (with suffering).’  After I reached home and was reading the Word, that jumped out at me about Emmanuel and his life.”

Sam just shook his head, a very serious look on his face.  “So many incidents took place like that during the wars and fights.  We all lost so many family and friends.  And most of the time we never knew what happened.  They just disappeared.  It’s a miracle that Emmanuel lived.  So many didn’t.”