The Missing Bibles

There’s a special joy that accompanies that last suitcase as it rolls around the corner at the airport. If it contains your gifts for friends and other valuables, you could almost embrace it when it rolls within reach. But then imagine the agony of loosing that one bag that had everything you needed for your trip. You begin by waiting for it, waiting, your eyes fixed at the bag-hole hoping it’s the next one. You are hardly blinking now. The crowd begins to thin out and you are still there hoping, wondering when you should start praying, when faith should kick in and arrest your fears and calm the storm that’s beginning to gather momentum somewhere inside you. I’ve been there several times and it’s never funny. You never get use to it. But nothing could prepare me for the shock I got on Sunday morning when I arrived Koboko, a small village bordering northern Uganda and Southern Sudan.

I’d passed through Nairobi, Kenya, on my way to Sudan, hoping to connect with people that could help us with Bibles for Sudan. I made a few contacts but no help with Bibles. I arrived Kampala from Nairobi with my wife Sola, who’d been in Nairobi on official assignment from her office in Lagos and was to continue to Kampala, Uganda. We worked together for a few days and my dear friend Bishop Jeremy Gichuru in Kampala successfully pleaded our case with the leadership of Bible League Kenya and their office in Uganda was willing to help. The meeting with Rev Sam Kabwana the National Director of Bible League Uganda was positive so I purchased 300 copies of the New Living Translation Bible from Bible League Uganda  with two different Discipleship materials, 300 apiece. I packed them in 8 boxes and headed for the bus park where I paid for them to be sent ahead of me to Koboko, hoping to pick them up when I arrive the next day. I felt so good and relieved when I was assured the boxes will leave that evening for Koboko.

The next day, we departed Kampala by bus at 9.30pm and arrived Koboko at 5.23am. It was a good ride. I slept a bit but spent more time reflecting on this trip. Someone had asked me why I should be going back to Sudan so soon. I was chewing on their views with a prayer in my heart as I tossed my hurting butt from corner to corner in search of comfort. Let me spare you the description of the various smells and odors that invaded my air space from time to time on this long ride. I’m still amazed at what could escape from a human being’s rear-end when duty calls. I was sure we were not carrying a corpse.

On arriving Koboko, most of the passengers waited in the bus for dawn. The transport company opened for business at 7am. I headed for their store where all transit goods are kept and asked for my consignment. The store manager said, “…someone has come for them… 8 boxes of books right?” “Yes” I replied. “Who came for them?” He opens the record note book and shows me where one Geoffrey had signed for them. I never asked anyone to claim them for me. “Did he give you the Waybill or receipt for payment?” “No.” “Did he give you any identification?” “…was his name written on the boxes?”  “No”. “So why did you release the goods to him?” “Well… we do that sometimes for goods coming from Kampala without their owner.

My dream of providing Bibles to students in Yei seem to have suffered a major setback; but after handing my written statement to Mr. Jason Odiri, the General Manager in charge of the region, I departed for Yei, assured in my heart that God has other plans beyond the scope of prayers and expectations. He never seeks for permission from me or anyone to glorify Himself. He’s on course again with this case. We’ve not heard the last of it. I’m certain that in the end, we’d have cause to fall on our faces and cry like Paul, “Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unfathomable (inscrutable, unsearchable) are His judgments (His decisions)! And how untraceable (mysterious, undiscoverable) are His ways (His methods, His paths)! (Rom 11:33 AMP)

Halleluyah!!!

Author: Uche Izuora

I'm inspired by God’s passion for His name in every generation, which provokes global worship through Jesus Christ. Becoming an emotionally healthy and transformative disciple, I aim to mobilize the Church to engage in cross-cultural missions and raise other like-minded disciples who discover themselves in Christ and seek to present and represent Him as Savior and Lord among the nations northward of Uganda. View all posts by Uche Izuora