Lion’s Pride

Ebiseera byange eby’okusaba ne James byafuuka omugugu ku mutima gwange olw’abasumba n’amakanisa ga Victoria, ekimu ku “bibuga mu Canada ebisinga obutaba na bantu bagenda mu kkanisa”. Nnawandiika olukalala lw’amakanisa n’abasumba baago abaaliwo mu kiseera ekyo, ne ntandika okusaba n’obunyiikivu olunaku lumu buli wiiki, nga mmala ekiseera ku buli limu.

Okuva lwe nnajja e Victoria, mpulidde nga Kalebu ne Yoswa bwe bateekwa okuba nga baawulira, nga batudde mu weema zaabwe mu ddungu, nga bajjukira bye baalaba mu Kanani. Baali baagala okuyingira Kanani, naye obutakkiriza bw’abakessi abalala abaatumibwa okuketta ensi bwaviirako abaana ba Isirayiri okutaataaganira mu ddungu okumala emyaka amakumi ana. Katonda yali akyabaagala era ng’abawa emmere, naye teyali musanyufu gye bali, kubanga yali abaggye mu Misiri ng’ekigendererwa kwe kuyingira Kanani, ensi yaabwe ey’ekisuubizo.

Victoria yafuuka ‘eddungu’ lyange oluvannyuma lw’ebyamagero bya Hazelglen Fellowship, M/V Anastasis, n’essanyu lye nnafuna mu buweereza obw’okutambula nga mbuulira. Yee, waaliwo ebiseera lwe nnasanyukiranga okulega ku “bugubi n’emmaanu” ebyaweebwanga n’ekisa kingi bwe kityo, naye nnali nnalega ku mubisi gw’enjuki n’emizabbibu gya Kanani, era tewaali kintu kirala kyonna kitono ku ekyo ekyali kisobola okukkusa enjala yange. Ekkanisa gye nnasinzizangamu yafuuka ensulo mu ddungu gye ndi, naye ensulo ng’ezo zisangibwa mu bifo eby’eddungu, ate okwolesebwa kwange kwali kutunudde ku nsozi za Kanani.

Mu Novemba 2024, nnawulira ku basumba abalala bana abaali, nga nze, baweerezza ekkanisa okumala emyaka mingi mu Victoria, naye kaakano nga bakuŋŋaana buli wiiki okusaba. Nga nze, tewali n’omu ku bo eyali ayagala ‘okuwummula’, wabula baawulira omugugu okweyongera okuweereza ekkanisa nga beewaayo mu kusaba okw’amaanyi.

Mu kiseera kye kimu ekyo, waaliwo okukubaganya ebirowoozo okw’amaanyi mu bakulembeze b’ebyobufuzi ku “bantu b’oku nguudo”. Olw’okuba Victoria erina embeera y’obudde esinga obukkakkamu mu Canada yonna, esikiriza abatalina mayumba, abaddukira ku biragalalagala, bamalaaya, abaalumizibwa ku bwongo, n’abalala abeetisse ebiwundu eby’enjawulo ebiva mu bulumi obw’amaanyi. Ka mbayite “abantu bange”, kubanga neetikka obwakabona ku lwabwe mu maaso g’entebe ya Katonda (1 Peetero 2:9). Bazze okufuula Victoria amaka gaabwe, era abatuuze n’abasuubuzi be babeera nabo ne babakwatako mu ngeri eya bulijjo. Okukubaganya ebirowoozo okwaliwo kwali ku kukozesa ebiragalalagala by’oku nguudo eri abalwadde abaayingizibwanga mu malwaliro gaffe oluvannyuma lw’okumira ebiragalalagala ebisukkiridde oba olw’obutabanguko ku nguudo. Byandikkiriziddwa oba nedda? Gavumenti ya Ssaza yalina endowooza emu; Gavumenti ey’Awamu yalina endala ey’enjawulo ddala.

Mu lukuŋŋaana lwange olwasooka ne mikwano gyange egy’edda, Neil B yayogera ekigambo ekyankwatako ennyo. “Gavumenti eritegeera ddi nti teririna ky’eyinza kukola ku buzibu bw’oku nguudo? Yesu yekka y’ekyanukula.” Ekyo nnakitwala ng’akabonero kange, era ku Bbalaza eyaddirira nneetanira mu kizikiza kya Pandora Ave, oluguudo olujjula abantu b’oku nguudo bangi. Nnayingira mu Our Place, ekyali kyatandikibwawo ng’obuweereza obw’Ekikristaayo naye kaakano nga kyaleka omulimu ogwo okusobola okukkirizibwa Gavumenti n’okufuna ensimbi za gavumenti. Nnasiimye nnyo obuyonjo bwakyo n’obulungi bwa kaawa waakyo.

Nnasala oluguudo okulaba ekibinja ky’abavubuka, abaali bambadde mu ngeri y’emu bajaketi ez’amaliba, abaali baweereza abaddukira ku biragalalagala nga babawa ekifo eky’okwotera – kubanga, ddala, gwali mwezi gwa Novemba. Bwe nnali ntandika okubuuza ebibuuzo, omuntu n’aleekaana. Omuwala omu yali yakamira ebiragalalagala ebisukkiridde. Bwe baali banguwa okumukuba empiso ya Narcan okulwanyisa fentanyl (era ne kisobola), nnasanga amaaso ku maaso n’omukulembeze waabwe, omusajja omunene ng’ajjudde ebifaananyi ebyasiigibwa ku mubiri, ng’alina empeta mu matu ne ku buli lugalo, ng’alina ekimuli ekiwanikiddwa mu bulago bwe, era ng’asaze enviiri mu ngeri ya mohawk – yali buli kimu nze kye siri!

Oboolyawo nnagotaagota katono bwe nnatandika okwogera. “Gyebale, Jimmy, erinnya lyange nze Gareth, era ndi musumba mu kibuga kino. Omutima gwange gunnuma olw’abantu bano, era awamu n’abalala batono, ndi n’omugugu gw’okubasabira – naye tetumanyi ngeri ya kusaba. Oyinza okutulagako engeri gye tuyinza okusabamu, kubanga tukkiriza nti Yesu yekka y’ekyanukula eri ‘obuzibu’ bw’oku nguudo?” Jimmy yangwa mu kifuba n’alaya nti, “Yesu y’ekyanukula!” Bwe nnamubuuza ebisingawo, yaŋŋamba engeri ye ne mukyala we Megan gye baasisinkana Yesu emyaka nga ebiri emabega, era nti kaakano baali bakomyewo gye baagabiranga edda ebiragalalagala, okuleeta obubaka bwa Yesu eri abali mu bwetaavu. “Edda twaleetanga ebiragalalagala, kaakano tuleeta essuubi!”

Twasenguka ne tugenda mu McDonald’s eyali okumpi, era nga tunywa chocolate ayokya, ye ne Megan ne bannyumiza olugero lwabwe. Jimmy yali abadde n’obulamu obw’obutabanguko n’obumenyi bw’amateeka, yali amaze emyaka mingi mu kkomera ery’amaanyi, ng’akyusakyusa n’obulamu ku nguudo. Baazaala abaana babiri, era amangu ddala ne babaggyibwako ab’obuyinza abakola ku by’embeera z’abantu ne babatwala okukuzibwa amaka amalala. Bwe yava mu kkomera omulundi ogwasembayo, Jimmy yamalirira okubeera omuntu atakozesa biragalalagala wadde omwenge alyoke asobole okuddizibwa abaana be – ekintu ekyalabika ng’ekitasoboka mu kiseera ekyo.

Yagenda ewa Rev Al Tysick, Omukristaayo yekka eyali abeera ku nguudo buli kiseera, n’amusaba nti: “Al, njagala abaana bange bankomezebwe. Nkwegayiridde nnyamba ntereeze obulamu bwange.” Al yabakolera enteekateeka bombi okugenda e Vancouver mu kifo eky’okuwonyezaamu abaddukira ku biragalalagala okumala ekiseera, era okuva eyo ne bagenda mu kifo ekirala ekyesigamiziddwa ku kukkiriza, gye baasisinkanira bombi Mukama eyazuukira. Baamalirira okuddayo ku nguudo z’“ewaabwe” okuyamba abalala okuzuula ekkubo lino ery’okuva mu buddu bw’ebiragalalagala n’obutaba na ssuubi.

Obulamu bwabwe bwakyuka nnyo ddala, ne kiba nti n’ab’obuyinza baalaba enjawulo, ne babaddiza abaana baabwe oluvannyuma lw’emyaka egiwerako nga baawukanye. Kirabika guno gwe gwali omulundi ogusoose ekyamagero kino okubaawo ku nguudo.

Njagala okuyingizaamu wano akafaananyi katono ku Rev Al Tysick. Ye yakolanga mu Our Place, ekyali kiyitibwa edda The Upper Room – obuweereza obw’Ekikristaayo. Saamusisinkana, naye bulijjo nnamussangamu ekitiibwa kingi, kubanga, newakubadde nga yali tamanyiddwa kuba wa ndowooza yange ey’Enjiri, waakiri yali akola Yesu kye yandikoze ng’aweereza abantu b’oku nguudo.

Bwe nnasisinkana Jimmy, Al yali yawummula dda era yali yakawandiika ekitabo ku bye yayitamu, Muddy Waters (“Amazzi Ag’ebitosi”). Nnagula ekitabo ne ntuula akawungeezi kamu ku ntebe yange ennungi nga njagala okumala akawungeezi akalungi ak’okuwummula. Mangu ddala obuwummuze bwange ne bumpabuka, akawungeezi ne kafuuka akazito. Nneesanga nga nkaaba nnyo, si lwa ngero ezikwata ku mutima ze nnali nsoma, wabula nga nkaaba olw’ensonyi. Nnali mmaze emyaka amakumi ana mu kibuga kino, era, ne baganda bange Abakristaayo ab’Enjiri, twali tuzibirira amaaso abalumwa ku nguudo zaffe, ng’ate “Omusamaliya” ono, atamanyiddwa kuba wa kibinja kyange eky’eby’eddiini, yali akola Yesu kye yandikoze – ng’anaaza ebigere, ng’aliisa abalumwa enjala era ng’ajjanjaba ebiwundu byabwe. Ekiro ekyo nnakyuka. Ono ow’emyaka 85, nga Kalebu ow’edda, yasaba olusozi abakirimaanyi kwe babeera. Yoswa 14. Sikyasobola nate kumatira na bulamu mu nsulo z’eddungu.

Akawungeezi kamu bwe nnali ntudde ku kompyuta yange, nnaggulawo ekifo ekitereka fayiro ekyali kiyitibwa “Okusaba”. Emu ku fayiro ezaali omwo yawandiikibwa mu kiseera ky’obuzibu bwa COVID mu 2021, enkuŋŋaana z’okusaba bwe zaali zikolebwa ku Zoom. Omusumba wange yawandiika fayiro eno ng’eddamu ku lukuŋŋaana lw’akawungeezi ako. Bwe twali tulindirira Mukama okutulungamya (ekintu Ron Smith kye yanjigiriza mu nnaku za Hazelglen), nnalaba “ekimuli ekyeru ekirungi ekiyitibwa lily nga kimera okuva mu mazzi ag’ebitosi” – era ekitabo kya Al kiyitibwa Muddy Waters. Mukama yali andaga ebyali bigenda okubaawo mu biseera eby’omu maaso? Jimmy ne Megan be kimuli ekyo ekyeru ekirungi?

Nnafuuka “taata” wa Jimmy ne Megan, era nnina enkizo ey’okubalung’amya n’okubakuza mu by’omwoyo. Era bampita “Kryptonite” kubanga Jimmy atandika okukaaba buli lwe tugwaŋŋana mu kifuba! Baali tebamanyi nnyo Kigambo, naye kyali kyeyoleka nti baalina “okufukibwako amafuta” okw’amaanyi okuva eri Katonda. Nnabayigiriza emisingi gy’Ebyawandiikibwa, ne ntandika okukuŋŋaanya abakulembeze Abakristaayo abalala okubeetooloola. Lumu nnabuuza Jimmy Bakristaayo ki abalala be yali asisinkanye nga bakola ku nguudo. Mmanyi nti waliwo abalala, naye eky’okuddamu kye kyali kya mazima: “Taata, ggwe Mukristaayo asoose gwe nnali nsisinkanye!”

Nnafuna enkizo ey’okubabatiza mu maaso g’abaana baabwe abaali bamasamasa nga basanyufu. Nnatambuza Megan mu kkanisa okumutuusa ku mwami we, era ne njogera ku mbaga yaabwe. Ntambula nabo nga tusaba, era sirina kutya bwe ngwaŋŋana mu kifuba ne mikwano gyabwe. Mbatizza abalala basatu mu kidiba ku nguudo mu budde bwa Novemba! Olw’okuba beesigibwa nnyo mu bantu baabwe, nkkirizibwa buli gye ndaga, era mpeereddwa ekitiibwa eky’erinnya “taata ow’omu batisimu” (“godfather”)! Katonda akola ekintu eky’enjawulo ku nguudo zaffe, era ndi mwesiimu nnyo okubeera akatundu akatono ku kyo.

Ndowooza nti buno bwe bujja okuba obuweereza bwange obusembayo – naye tewali amanyi. Katonda bw’aba ayinza okunzigulirawo enzigi ng’ezo nga ndi wa myaka 85, kiki ekisingawo ky’ayinza okukola nga ndi wa myaka 90? Emirundi mingi mmugamba nti, “Ai Mukama, obadde mulungi nnyo gye ndi okumala emyaka mingi. Lwaki nnandibuusabuusa nti ojja kweyongera okuba omulungi gye ndi? Ndi mwetegefu okukomawo eka, naye mu kiseera kino, nkwegayiridde weeyongere okukola mu nze, ndyoke mbeerenga bulijjo ‘olw’okutenderezebwa kw’Ekitiibwa kyo’.”

Ebyongerezeddwako: Omusomi wange bw’aba ayagala okumanya ebisingawo ku Jimmy ne Megan n’obuweereza bwabwe, Lions Pride, nkuyita onoonye omukutu gwabwe ku www.lionspriderecoverysociety.ca oba obanoonye ku Facebook. Omukutu gwange nze gwe www.garethevansministries.org, era ebitabo byange bisangibwa ku www.ochorus.com