Morris Mogga’s story exemplifies the profound human ability to endure and persevere in the face of unimaginable hardship. As His middle son accompanied him on his journey through the dense foliage, guiding his makeshift wheelchair along the winding path that led to the mission clinic, I couldn’t help but feel as though we were entering a different realm altogether. The small, improvised community is getting some medical help today as our team sets up clinic in the abandoned school building. The visitors here today served as a beacon of hope amidst a landscape of suffering and adversity. Morris, as he preferred to be known, greeted us with a warm and welcoming smile, despite the pain that was evident on his face. He was a gentle and genial man, but one who had been subjected to unspeakable violence at the hands of his own children. His eldest son had inflicted upon him a severe and gruesome fracture of the leg, in which the bone had broken through the flesh. Despite the severity of his injury, Morris had managed to straighten the bone and stabilize it with a makeshift splint. He had spent three years in the hospital, undergoing multiple manipulations, but the healing had been incomplete and crooked, leaving him permanently disabled. A year later, his youngest child had inflicted upon him a similar injury to his arm, confining him to his wheelchair for the remainder of his days. Despite this, Morris maintained a positive and optimistic outlook, expressing his gratitude for being alive. He found solace and purpose in the music he crafted on his homemade instrument, the Lokembe, the melodies of which filled his days with meaning and joy.

As I examined him, he related to us his ongoing struggles with pain, both in his knee joint and his chest, lingering remnants of the injuries inflicted upon him by his children under the influence of alcohol. He had even requested that the doctors amputate his leg, so as to alleviate the discomfort and inconvenience of his injury. However, in that moment, as I gazed into his kind and compassionate eyes and listened to the music he played, I was reminded that some individuals may endure unimaginable hardship, yet still find within themselves the capacity for forgiveness and the determination to discover meaning and purpose in their lives.

Morris Mogga’s story is a powerful testament to the indomitable human spirit and the transformative power of forgiveness. Despite the temporary relief provided by the injection in his knee and the donated medication, Morris finds his true strength in his love for family, community, and above all, his faith in God.

In His service

Joe Dumba