Remember the missing Bibles?

In July 2009, I
told the story here of how someone stole the 300 Bibles and 600 Bible study materials
packed in 8 boxes I was carrying into South Sudan.  The transport company took responsibility only after I contacted my lawyers, Messrs Kasekende, Kyeyune & Lutaaya Advocates in Kampala, Uganda. This firm of young, vibrant and enterprising lawyers took this matter over and
promised I would not lose my consignment. We were all confident.

I sent them my Statement and they responded with a three page “Notice
of Intention to Sue”, which they sent to the transport company. I’ve never had
cause to exercise my legal rights until this time. I was impressed with the
composition of the Notice which was summarized thus:

TAKE NOTICE
that if the sum of Ug. Shs.1, 200,000/= (Uganda Shillings One Million Two
Hundred Thousand Only) plus legal fees so far incurred of Ug. Shs.500,000/=,
a total of Ug. Shs.1, 700,000/= (Uganda Shillings One Million Seven Hundred
Thousand Only) is not paid to us within 7 (seven) days from the date
hereof, our instructions are to;

i)         To enforce recovery of the said goods against
you and (Name withheld) Bus Services jointly and severally,

ii)        
To institute a civil suit to recover the said
money for breach of contract and damages from your, at your own cost and peril.

TAKE HEED.

Yours Faithfully,

On receiving this notice which had passed through the central
police station for stamping, the transport company immediately “took heed” and
began to make moves to pay for the goods. First, the store manager who acted
irresponsibly in giving the consignment to the wrong person sold his property
and brought the money. But it was not enough.

The time given for the payment elapsed and I gave more
time. When nothing was happening, the law firm pressed them again with threats.
Their pleas for leniency made me seem like a heartless, unforgiving, man who
claims to be a pastor from Nigeria. Finally on August 1^st,
they paid up.

We had bought the Bibles we used during that trip on
credit so we immediately paid back what we owed and bought more Bibles for the
students.

Since this unfortunate incident, I’d carefully avoided traveling
to Kampala with this transport company from Koboko. I needed to keep away from
those folks. Someone could be tempted to attack me because of this case. I had
to be careful.

But my plan was short-lived. The vehicle I boarded from
Yei on my last trip in October stopped at Koboko; right in front of this
transport company’s bus park. When some guys there saw me, I knew I had to go
and say hello else I’d have sent a wrong signal to them. I told them I had to
involve lawyers to get my goods back. I spoke gently but confidently and not one
person among them responded. I shook a few hands and walked away. I was
surprised to see the same Store Manager that gave away my goods still dressed as a staff there. I later heard he’s
related to the Managing Director of the company, so he cannot be fired.

Someone asked me what lessons I learnt from this
unfortunate event. I reflected on the question and felt that I’d sacrificed my
primary goal (getting the Bibles and study materials to the end users) on the
altar of ease. Traveling with 8 boxes was going to be a pain and I tried to avoid
that pain but got something worse. I also learnt that I should be ready to
suffer losses if I’m going to entrust my valuables to others. They will rarely
treat my treasures like I would. Lastly, I learnt to employ the service of professionals like lawyers.

I guess it would have been better if I asked the transport
company to provide the Bibles and the books and deliver then at their office in
Koboko, instead of the equivalent in cash. But that could take a longer time to
accomplish, seeing that those particular Bibles and the books were not common commercial products.

Our mission to put a Bible in the hand of every student
in Yei is still on course. It may not happen as quickly as we expect but
surely, we’ll see to it that every student in Yei has a copy of the Bible in
simple English.

A copy of the New King James Bible which is readily available
in Yei costs $2. But we wish to give other simpler translations like the New
Living Translation and Good News.

I greatly appreciate all those that have given towards
this project. Your sacrifice will not be in vain. We continue to covet your
support.

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