Breaking the Silence – from a Ugandan Passenger
On 9/8/2014 1:27 AM, BI wrote:
Glory be to the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Maybe the Mother Mary, Mother of God be on our side till the end of time. Through the works of FNUR who the Lord touched to be a blessings to our the marginalized I feel confident to state that am out of danger. I also bless —— which didn’t fail me and stood by my side till I arrived in Toronto ON Canada, though am still here at Seaton House Shelter. I know God will lead all through till am fully accepted and given a better status here in Canada. I find this country a darling, so welcoming and multiculture. People are friendly though am undergoing a lot of big cultural shocks. Am getting used to the food and Seaton House Shelter is so supportive when it comes to paper work. I have already gotten a legal aid lawyer, did my medicals and am yet to hear when I will be called to the immigration court.
When I joined the seminary, my dears were to serve the people at the pulpit, well all those dreams came to an end when we were outed, I had kept my orientation a top secret all my life but a mail I received from my ex boyfriend changed my life. My name was added on a long list of those suspected to be gay and we were closely watched.
When the Bishop opened his war on us the gay during the Easter Sunday message, the seminary directors didn’t take any chances we were suspended and police was called upon to investigate the matters.
It was time for us to run and hide, we are so blessed to have —— who came out to help us, I can’t really share so much details as I don’t have the authority to do so but we ended up in Kenya where we were welcomed and supported to leave.
Since it was hard to get asylum from Kenya, we used tricks and we were granted visitor’s visas to Canada, some of our friends were not so lucky because they were denied visas, miracles kept on happening and I was given a donated airticket (topped up with donated airmiles)
When I arrived at Pearson International Airport I declared my self and I was detained at a facility for processing, 2 days later I was accepted at Seaton House Shelter.
The process of getting a protected person status and later on a permanent residence status is long and painful but atleast I feel safer here.
I will keep on updating you with everything and am forever grateful to FNUR and ——, the Canadian Embassy in Nairobi and the Canadian Federal Government.
God Bless you all and Mother Mary Pray for us
+BI … (GoodSpeed)
Right now there are 11 expelled university students in hiding and waiting for FNUR to raise the funds to get them out of Uganda. At a cost of $185.00 each to transport them we need to raise $2035.00. Please donate to support the work of the brave Ugandan conductors who are hoping to aid these passengers soon!
Addendum:
On Easter Sunday 2014, the Bishop of Jinja Charles Wamika used his sermon, which was broadcast widely on the radio, to attack LGBT people living in Uganda. He called on Catholic hospitals and clinics to refuse to treat known or suspected homosexuals, commanded parents to publicly renounce their LGBT children, and ordered Catholic schools, colleges, and universities to expel known or suspected lesbian and gay students.
( See this April 20, 2014 article: “Ugandan Catholic Easter Message Calls for Genocide of Gays” by Melanie Nathan for more background on the Bishop’s sermon.)
On that very day, the director of the seminary in Jinja expelled 22 seminarians, alerted their parents, and sent their names to the police chief in the area for further action. (Friends New Underground Railroad has copies of the order of expulsion, and a copy of a letter from the Police Chief to the director, with a copy to the Bishop, assuring them he would take action.)
The seminarians immediately went into hiding for fear of mob attack, and, with the courageous action of one of the Railroad’s conductors, made their way out of the country, eventually finding their way to several countries in Europe, and to Canada. IB was one of these seminarians.
