Mary Slessor: Omuwala Atatya Kintu Kyonna

Mary Slessor yakulira mu bwavu mu kibuga Dundee ekya kaddugavu, mu Sukotolande. Ab'ewaabwe baali n'ensimbi entono nnyo, n'olwekyo Mary yagenda okukola mu kkolero ery'ewuzi ng'akyalina emyaka kkumi n'ogumu, ng'alabirira ebyuma ebinene ebireekaana okuva ku makya ennyo, ng'agenda mu ssomero olw'ekitundu ky'olunaku kyokka. Yalina enviiri ez'omumyufu n'amaaso ag'obulaawe obwakaayakana n'obusungu bwe yalina okuyiga okufuga.

Mu kkolero, waliwo eyawa Mary emboozi ez'omuminsani ayitibwa David Livingstone, eyali atambudde okubuna Afirika. Mary yazisoma okutuusa ng'ayinza okumbeera alaba emigga n'ebibira. Yamalirira mu mutima gwe: olunaku olumu naye yandigenze.

Era yakikola. Bwe yakula, Mary yasaabala okugenda e Calabar, mu nsi kaakano eyitibwa Nigeria, okubuulira abantu ebya Yesu. Naye Mary teyayagala kubeera wala n'abantu mu nnyumba ennungi. Yayagala okubeera nabo. Yayiga olulimi lwabwe, Efik, okutuusa ng'asobola okuseka n'okuwakana n'okusaba mu lwo. Yalyanga emmere yaabwe n'asula mu byalo byabwe n'atambula magulu gereere mu kibira. Abantu ne balekeraawo okumulaba nga munnaggwanga. Ne bamuyita “Ma.”

Mu kifo ekyo waaliyo empisa ey'obukambwe era ey'entiisa. Abaana ab'olongo bwe baazaalibwanga, abantu bakkirizanga nti abaana bakolimiddwa era nti omu ku bo ateekwa okuba omwana w'omuzimu omubi. Kale abaana ab'olongo baatwalibwanga mu kibira ne balekebwayo okufa, ne nnyaabwe n'agobwa.

Mary yalowooza nti kino kya bulimba, era kya bwonoonyi. Kale buli lwe yawuliranga ku baana b'olongo, yaddukanga — okuyingira mu kibira, mu kizikiza, wakati mu bibinja by'abantu abasunguwadde — n'ayoola abaana n'abatwala eka. Yakuza bangi ku bo ng'ababe. Mpola mpola, kubanga omukazi omu omutono ow'enviiri enjeru teyatya, okutta abaana ab'olongo ne kutandika okukoma.

Abaami baamwesiga nnyo ne bamusaba okumalawo ennyombo zaabwe. Omukazi eyali edda omwavu ennyo n'atasobola kumaliriza ssomero kaakano yatuula ng'omulamuzi ow'emirembe wakati w'ebyalo ebiramba.

Abantu baagambanga nti Mary Slessor teyatya kintu kyonna. Ekyo tekyali kya mazima ddala. Mary yatyanga emirundi mingi. Naye yali amaze okusalawo edda nti kyandisinze okutya n'agenda, okusinga okuba mu mirembe n'asigala — kubanga yakkiriza nti Katonda yali agenda naye.