When our oldest daughter, Lori was 15 years old, she went to Africa for a month. She recently posted this blog and we wanted to share it.
WARNING: GRAPHIC POST OF MARTYRS AHEAD
While I was in Uganda, we visited the tomb of 3 young Christian boys who were martyred for Christ. As our guide was telling us the story, I remember not being able to hold back the tears. I was the exact age of the oldest boy that had given his life. Even after all these years, I never forgot their story...
In the morning Mackay heard that three of the boys who had been captured on the previous day were not only bound as prisoners, but that Mujasi was threatening to burn them to death. The boys were named Seruwanga, Kakumba, and Lugalama. The eldest was fifteen, the youngest twelve.
The boys were led out with a mob of howling men and boys around them. Mujasi shouted to them: "Oh, you know Isa Masiya (Jesus Christ). You believe you will rise from the dead. I shall burn you, and you will see if this is so." A hideous roar of laughter rose from the mob. The boys were led down the hill towards the edge of a marsh. Behind them was a plantation of banana trees. Some men who had carried bundles of firewood on their heads threw the wood into a heap; others laid hold of each of the boys and cut off their arms with hideous curved knives so that they should not struggle in the fire.
Seruwanga, the bravest, refused to utter a cry as he was cut to pieces, but Kakumba shouted to Mujasi, who was a Mohammedan, "You believe in Allah the Merciful. Be merciful!" But Mujasi had no mercy.
We are told that the men who were watching held their breath with awed amazement as they heard a boy's voice out of the flame and smoke singing,
"Daily, daily sing to Jesus,
Sing, my soul, His praises due."
As the executioners came towards the youngest and feeblest, Lugalama, he cried, "Oh, do not cut off my arms. I will not struggle, I will not fight--only throw me into the fire."
But they did their ghastly work, and threw the mutilated boy on a wooden framework above the slow fire where his cries went up, till at last there was silence. One other Christian stood by named Musali. Mujasi, with eyes bloodshot and inflamed with cruelty, came towards him and cried:
"Ah, you are here. I will burn you too and your household. You are a follower of Isa (Jesus)."
"Yes, I am," replied Musali, "and I am not ashamed of it."
The boys were led out with a mob of howling men and boys around them. Mujasi shouted to them: "Oh, you know Isa Masiya (Jesus Christ). You believe you will rise from the dead. I shall burn you, and you will see if this is so." A hideous roar of laughter rose from the mob. The boys were led down the hill towards the edge of a marsh. Behind them was a plantation of banana trees. Some men who had carried bundles of firewood on their heads threw the wood into a heap; others laid hold of each of the boys and cut off their arms with hideous curved knives so that they should not struggle in the fire.
Seruwanga, the bravest, refused to utter a cry as he was cut to pieces, but Kakumba shouted to Mujasi, who was a Mohammedan, "You believe in Allah the Merciful. Be merciful!" But Mujasi had no mercy.
We are told that the men who were watching held their breath with awed amazement as they heard a boy's voice out of the flame and smoke singing,
"Daily, daily sing to Jesus,
Sing, my soul, His praises due."
As the executioners came towards the youngest and feeblest, Lugalama, he cried, "Oh, do not cut off my arms. I will not struggle, I will not fight--only throw me into the fire."
But they did their ghastly work, and threw the mutilated boy on a wooden framework above the slow fire where his cries went up, till at last there was silence. One other Christian stood by named Musali. Mujasi, with eyes bloodshot and inflamed with cruelty, came towards him and cried:
"Ah, you are here. I will burn you too and your household. You are a follower of Isa (Jesus)."
"Yes, I am," replied Musali, "and I am not ashamed of it."
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