THE BLESSING OF SOROTI'S MAN, MOSES

CHAPTER 28

   ...   Towards the end of the Baptist service something happened.   A man stood and began speaking.  Cary didn’t understand, since he was speaking only in their tribal language, but she could see that people were overwhelmed both with sadness and with joy. When she looked at Pauline, as a nurse, her eyes were very open and she looked shocked.  Many of the people immediately prayed for him and Joseph did, too.
      When the service was ending, Joseph brought this man over to Pauline and Cary.  When he sat with them, he spoke openly to Pauline and told her to tell Cary what he was saying.  As he spoke, Pauline interpreted.

      His name is Moses and about thirty-seven years old.  When he and his brother were grabbed by the rebels in their village, they were told that they must carry the heavy artillery weapons, and if they dropped a gun or damaged any of it in any way, they would be killed.  Moses and his brother carried them all around the northern area of Uganda for hundreds of miles, in and out of the forests, up and down the hills, across the streams.  Constantly.  No times broken whatsoever.
      Their rebel captain was particularly evil.   He came to a point where he decided he would murder Moses.  He beat Moses with a panga.  Moses collapsed, and seemed dead.  The captain was very happy.  Then, suddenly, Moses stood up.  Yes, he had cuts on his body that were very painful, but he was able to carry the weapons. 
      A couple weeks later, the captain demanded the other rebels to beat Moses until he died.  The captain wanted to make him an example of how the captain could run the show.  They obeyed their leader and beat Moses with their rifles and other weapons.  He fell, and while collapsed, he definitely appeared dead.  Then, a few minutes later, he shocked them again.  He stood up straight.  He said to them that he knew it was the Lord who had healed him and given him strength.
      A few days later, the captain made Moses’ death another requirement.  So, this time, he was to be hit with the machetes by the rebel group again.  They whacked his head and other parts of his body.  He had large cuts on his head and was bleeding to death.  His feet were damaged and one of his toes was broken off.  He collapsed.  They were certain this was finished.
      Very shortly thereafter, he stood up.  He had again been healed enough to move around.  His cuts continued to be shown, but,  amazingly, the Lord had made him strong and capable of standing tall.
      The captain was furious.  He again told the others to kill him.  They said, “No.”  He said, “I am your captain.  You do what I tell you to do.”    Again they said, “No!”  He said,”Then I will kill him.”  They said, “He has come back to life three times.  If you kill him, we will kill you.”
      No one touched him again.
      While at church, he showed Pauline and Cary his head and his scars and bald spots left by the blades.  He also showed them his feet with scars and the loss of a toe.  He smiled at them.  Happy to be alive.
     Shortly after his last beating, he had somehow escaped or been left behind.
      When he was running through the forest areas, and seen by the Ugandan Army, he was captured, because, at his age, not being a young person, they were certain he was with the LRA.  Local villagers, however, recognized him as someone from their area, so he was set free.
      Now he was staying in Soroti at a local camp, because in his village area near the IDP, he knew there was the risk of capture and another attempt to murder him.  Even though he knew the Lord had brought him back to life, he didn’t want to face that danger again. He also didn’t want to stop being a father.
      When the information was given from him to Pauline and then to Cary, Cary asked if he knew anything about his brother.
      He shook his head.  His brother was still missing.  He looked very concerned for a few seconds. Then he smiled.  His wife was in labor near their village when he was captured.  It’s been so wonderful to see his wife and his four children, especially the new little boy.
      Cary turned to Pauline.  “I see so many cuts on his head and on his feet!  Is there anything we can do for him?”
      “We can pray for him.  There are so many in the hospitals and doctor areas that if Moses is not in serious trouble, nothing will be fixed or given any medical issues that might change it.  He truly, truly was kept alive by the Lord.  He would rather spend more time with his wife and children than going to the hospital.  He trusts the Lord, and that’s all that counts with him.  I’m so sorry for him, but he’s so worshiping and glorifying the Lord that I sure can’t cry.”
      Cary took a number of photos of Moses feet and his head.  So many of the cuts were still there.

      When they finished sitting together, Moses smiled and thanked Cary and Pauline for listening to him about the whole situation that had occurred for months.
      Pauline and Cary smiled at him, he stood up and, while heading for the main door, showed to them great faithfulness.