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| Pastor Umar Mulinde |
Last week we
posted the story HERE of the cowardly acid attack on Pastor Umar Mulinde from Uganda. Yesterday, after many calls we were able to get permission to meet with Pastor Umar Mulinde and his lovely wife Evelyn to film an interview with them. This meeting touched us all in ways that are difficult to describe.
David is now working to edit and prepare the film, which we hope will be available here by Sunday. Meantime, we would like to share some of the message that we received and pictures of these amazing young people.
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| Speaking Out |
When we were escorted to the wing where Pastor Mulinde was, his wife came out to greet us. A gentle, soft-spoken young woman, she assured us that her husband wanted to speak with us, but that he wanted to come out to the room across the hall as there was another patient sharing his room and they did not want to disturb him. I read that she is a beautiful singer, and as she spoke it is easy to believe.
She told us of their six children (including 3 year old twins!) and how she was so very worried about them so far away without their parents to comfort them. This is a young woman who has watched her husband undergo a vicious attack, and over the past weeks stood beside him in his battle with indescribable pain. Now, they are in a strange country, separated from their children, not knowing what the future will bring.
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| Evelyn, David, Jay, Meridel, Umar |
And yet, there were no tears, no wringing of hands, no complaints and most importantly, no hatred or calls for revenge. What we experienced was a quiet acceptance of what was happening and a deep strength of spirit.
To be sure, we were very concerned. Pastor Umar seemed to be in pain (not one word of complaint came from him!) and it was obvious that he was in a more fragile state since the attack. His face and mouth have not healed, so he speaks softly, and carefully.
Pastor Mulinde was determined to tell his story, not to extract revenge or sympathy~but I will touch on that later. Through his tightly bandaged face his focus was directly on us, as he spoke frankly, to our hearts, while Evelyn stood quietly by his side~we could almost feel her "holding him up". It really was one of those situations that one says "you had to be there to understand".
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| David and Umar |
Pastor Mulinde's Story:
You will hear him speak when we post the film, but here are the highlights. Pastor Mulinde was born a Muslim, his father was an Imam and Umar himself was a Sheik, well versed in Islamic doctrine. I need to confirm this, but he said he was the 52nd child. Very openly he told us that as a young man he
hated Israel. By the age of twenty years, he had discovered Christianity and made a life-changing decision to convert.
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| Evelyn and Pastor Umar Mulinde |
As he began studying the Bible, he told us that he was always reading about the God of Israel, and Gods people and could not understand the hatred. This made him curious and he began his research to learn more. He told us of a trip he made to Israel in 2008 that transformed him as he found a love for Israel and her people. He took an online course called Israel Inside Out at
Jerusalem Online U. His perspective changed as his studies deepened. Soon he was using videos to teach in
his church in Uganda. He began bringing groups to Israel so they could also experience what he had found. The hate was replaced with love, and through him, many Muslims were converted and even becoming pastors.
Pastor Umar told us that every Monday, that about one hundred people from the
Gospel Life Church International, spend the entire day studying and praying for Israel
~Every Monday!
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| Meridel and Umar |
Evelyn told us she was very afraid after the attack because many of the doctors in Uganda were Muslim and there was a fear for his life. He was transported to New Delhi, where he contacted people at Jerusalem Online U and asked to be brought to Israel for treatment. In Kampala a visa for travel to Israel takes four days, but he said that the Israeli embassy in New Delhi had the visa in one day.
Of course we wanted to know if he was angry over what had happened to him. His reply? "I have no hatred, no anger for those who attacked him". He said that what he is angry at is the dark spirit within those people and he was concerned that it was a very dangerous spirit.
When asked what we could do and ask other to do for him to help he declared that there were three things he wanted (paraphrased from the interview):
1) I Need Prayer~I love those who attacked me and need prayer to overcome the dark spirit that has taken over them. He told us that after the attack, three letters were found in the washroom of the church. They said they were sorry that they did not succeed in their attack but they wanted him to know there was Plan A, Plan B and Plan C. It is clear these people are not finished and the danger is still there...
2) I Need Prayer~to do what I need to do to heal my wounds and deal with the constant pain
3) I Need Prayer~for my children. They are young and it is hard to know what they are thinking. Both he and his wife are concerned about what the kids would be inferring from all of this and the fact that in Uganda they might be in grave danger. He wanted Evelyn to return to their children to comfort and strengthen them.
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| Jay with Umar |
We all hugged and wished Evelyn as safe trip~she leaves on Saturday to return to their children. Pastor Umar took each of our hands in turn to say goodby, and we assured him that we would be back and that we would stay in touch. This gentle, soft spoken couple rocked our world.
Be sure to watch the film when it is posted and listen as Pastor Umar tells his story in his own words. Meanwhile, this family needs prayers, encouragement and support from everyone.
Please, as we enter into another Sabbath, Pray for Pastor Umar and Evelyn Mulinde and their children...
