My First Deadly Night, Friday, 26th May 2017: God’s angel rescued me-My dear wife!

My Wife with mom and dad in 2016 in our village, Kisoro

As I staggered out of the hooks of the killer that awful night, somehow I remembered I would be collapsing in the few moments. And so if I was to ever survive that night, maybe visit a hospital, I needed to make an emergent call before I could collapse on the deadly Gayaza road!

Who did I call?

Blood was oozing out of my life like a river, and yes, my head had been hit hard and, given my medical experience, I knew how vulnerable a person in shock looks like.

And so I snatched myself out of the “sympathetic” Ugandan onlookers who had actually stood motionless as the murderous robber quenched out my little life and I crossed to the nearest place my mind could synchronize with my then (call it current) situation; Shell, Kalerwe.

The guard was not harsh, not at all. He reached out to me as I fell down on the feet of the vehicle that was parked there, and was patient enough to pay attention to my inaudible words as I struggled to utter the words, “I need to call my wife before I completely collapse. Help me dear”.

Why my wife, Winnie Nemeyimana?

Seriously, I have memorized at least 5 phone numbers in my head; My wife’s 2 numbers, my friend Edson Muhawe John, my sister Stella, and Police’s 999. Yes, I suggest we subtract the police’s number since I don’t know any person in Uganda who ever called 999 and got assistance in the real time. That is debatable anyway!

For some reasons, I forgot all numbers and all other people who could help in such a situation and my God only allowed me to instinctively remember only my wife and her MTN number. Yes, only my wife came into my mind while everything else looked cloudy not from outside only but even from within.

Yes, the guard allowed me press my call on his phone while he held for me (yes, I had failed to speak the numbers and so typing them myself on his phone was the option), and when Winnie picked, I felt something like “now, I can peacefully rest my head for she surely is coming for me).

I don’t know if you get it!

Winnie picked the call, and the man said, “come and pick your husband at Shell Kalerwe. He had been beaten by thieves”. And somehow remembering that Winnie needs a confirmation that it was real, I screamed with all my strength, “Honey, come and take me to hospital”. Those were the only words, no explanations.

As my wife later narrated, she felt liked a knife go through her life when she heard my voice. She rushed to her bag (yes, Winnie was on night shift at the hospital the night I was attacked) and never thought of any other thing to herself except to come or to go for me, her husband, who was apparently dying.

Few minutes later as I peacefully rested from the struggles of my life and giving out my freedom to God’s mighty grace and that night’s peaceful nature forces to treat me to their wish, some security men came and dragged me to Kalerwe Police station.

With my little strength, I tried to explain to them that I was waiting for my wife and moving me away would further confuse her when she arrived, none of them heard me or paid attention to my worst fears; the collapsing that was soon coming when I would not even utter a word or walk. So I let them drag me!

Luckily enough, when Winnie appeared on a bodaboda at the Shell, she was redirected to the police by the shell guard. And so Winnie, my dear wife finally found me. And you know what! I had not yet collapsed unconscious since I eagerly wanted to see her, to meet her while I was still alive.

What happened when she saw me?

I had bled, I mean I was profusely bleeding (the shirt and trouser I was in that night could not be washed again, I threw them away) but Winnie just hugged me and we both cried. I heard her say something like “honey, thank you Jesus, he still alive. Let me take care of you my husband”. I didn’t say a word, maybe I said, “I am sorry”

Yes, we could not imagine losing each other. Thank God we survived that night.

Winnie put me on the motorcycle and the bodaboda man drove us to Mulago emergency unit. The hospital ward was full of bleeding patients, some had been shot at and one night doctor was struggling to resurrect us all.

The doctor did his best and gave me a pain injection and a bed in the resting room. My wife, being a health worker ran up and down and found some few cotton and gauze and tried to dress my bleeding wounds. The rest of what my wife went through for me the whole of that week is beyond narration.

As I rested my head on the hospital bed, looked at the more bleeding thieves and victims on that floor and then turned to my lovely wife looking after me, closing no eye anymore, I was grateful that she was there. Yes, for once I understood the actual reason I had called nobody else but her! She was 100% reliable.

So why did i only remember Winnie’s number?

For God’s sake, I was not attacked on my way from the church or the executive meeting that awkward night; It was one of those careless night walks and excitement. Yes, my wife knew I would go out by 9 pm for some small issue but when I did, I extended the time and night into what was not the original deal! Yes, I had for once mistaken the night for peaceful life.

Maybe to stop you from imagining the worst, I was not out into robbery, women, alcohol or any other unlawful thing, but like I said before, I was also neither at church nor business meeting. So wherever I was or whatever I was doing was not important or profitable to my life or any other individual’s life; a careless and worthless night walk!

With the above, I knew from instincts that Winnie, my wife is the only one who can respond in minutes, ask no questions, judge not, have no single excuse, and loved me that very much.

NB: The other person who I think would exactly do what Winnie did is my mother. Yes, my mom only needs to hear that I am in trouble and she will show up irrespective of the risks she has to undertake. Sadly, this scenario was far too incompatible; I could not even let her know what I was going through just to save her and her heart or life.

I have friends, many great and reliable friends, but I don’t think it would be easy for anyone to just wake up, ask no questions, have no second thoughts, and risk all he is and has for me that night in minutes (mark my words here). Besides, sometimes you feel that your friends don’t owe you that much to be inconvenienced that much! Friends can help, actually they did, but that night only Winnie could rescue it, at least she was the best first choice.

She is 100% reliable, and yes, besides duty and responsibility, she loves me so much and I love her. My mind, in those dark times only thought about her.

Do you have such a friend? Do you have one phone number you memorized for emergent times?

Why the story now?

My story is too long, I can’t finish it. I just hope it inspires at least one soul out there. First, I wanted to openly thank my wife, Winnie; she is the true definition of a good wife, the one the Bible talks of in Proverbs 18:22 and 19:14. She is there always, loving and taking care of me. I pray to God that I treasure her love and love her faithfully even more.

And I know there are so many other heroic women out there who have stood in for your men and families and I wanna say thank you. Kudos.

Secondly, I wanted you who is reading this to seriously consider if you really have someone who is 100% reliable and if you know his or her phone number and possibly email. Yeah, sometimes we tend to think we have reliable friends and families but when the actual emergency that needs quick intervention and some serious risking happens, people tend to delay or simply have excuses (valid excuses by the way!). Think about it.

Lastly, I know I specifically thanked our friends few days ago, but I wanna thank you gain for being there for us. As we always say, we value so much whatever you have always been to us and for us. God bless you.

May God’s name be praised and may I forever be that man that deserves Winnie. Amen