Uzamushaka Is God's Strength
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"What’s happening? I said urgently. What did you do? Who did this to you? The questions came out one after the other, hardly giving Antoine a chance to reply. His voice resumed its urgency. "Uzamushaka," he said, "you must get out of here--you and that boy." He pointed to Kamali. "You must get out of here now," he insisted, as he tried to get to his feet but fell. "The soldiers are on their way here for you; they think you have Kayibana’s grandson." I laughed uncomfortably, as my mind trailed back to the day I had found Kamali. I remembered how Kabia had flippantly said that Kamali could be related to the ex-president, and I had dismissed that idea. "But Antoine, you know that’s not true; what would give them that idea?" Wearily, he made one last desperate effort to convince me that I was in danger. Reaching into his pocket with bloodstained hands, he unfolded a picture poster of Kamali and his mother clad in royal dress and boasting the royal crest about their necks. "This," said Antoine, "and this." He had reached inside Kamali’s shirt and pulled out the crest, which he constantly wore. "Now, do you understand, Uzamushaka?" I drew a deep sigh, and shook my head, still puzzled. "I think so, but how?" I asked. "Frawasa," Antoine interrupted weakly. "Frawasa." Without further hesitation, I lifted Kamali onto my back, grabbed my brother Kabia firmly by the hand, and fled into the twilight. I looked back at the camp one last time, searching quickly for any sign that Claude might be nearby. My heart cried Claude’s name over and over again, but my lips were without word or diction, neither in French nor Swahili. Would I ever see him again? Would he ever understand why I had fled? I was left with no choice. I had to move, and move quickly. I made my way stealthily and steadfastly through the thick, new growth of forest. The October rains had started early, giving new life to the forest, which had been sheared almost to the ground. Now it sprang up with new vitality and lushness. I ran through the underbrush, which seemed to take hold of me, restraining my movements. The small shrubs and branches bruised my feet and legs, while sharp thorns tore into my soft and tender skin. Almost out of breath, I stopped for a moment to check on Kabia and Kamali. They were both alright, but Kabia was baffled as to why we had taken this sudden flight into the forest. Kamali had no questions. On the contrary, he seemed to enjoy the run. After all, he was now saddled across my back and with every movement, bounced up and down as if he were riding on horseback. Innocent and unaware of his danger, he burst into delighted bouts of laughter from time to time. From overhead came the buzzing of helicopters like locusts hovering over the land, casting their spotlights here and there in search of something or someone, Me!
The Zairian rain forest seemed to provide good cover with its dense vegetation to camouflage us, as we crept from one bush to the next, being very careful to avoid the beams of light cast about by the circling helicopters. Finally and by chance, I located an ideal spot where we could spend the night--large oak tree. Its bark was scooped out into a large cave-like hole, and it looked like a great hiding place. Several large and small vines hung from its branches that would help to provide greater concealment of the entrance than I had first suspected. "What a stroke of luck!" I thought, as I pulled away the overhanging leaves with a piece of stick. As the buzzing noises of the helicopters ceased, they were replaced by the buzzing of insects, the hooting of owls, the chattering of monkeys and the hiss of snakes . . . The hiss of snakes? The thought alarmed me. I turned around sharply to find Kabia transfixed to a spot on the ground, not daring to move except for the hand which tugged rhythmically at my pagne, as he tried to attract my attention. A snake hung from a branch not four feet from where we stood. It was not hard to discern, for apart from its distinctive hiss, its glazed eyes shone through the darkness like torchlights. "Do not move," I stuttered. "Stand really still." The snake raised its head, poised; its body recoiled and struck out towards Kabia. With the agility of a jaguar and the purposefulness of a guardian angel, I raised my stick and leapt. The snake sank its fangs deep into the fleshy bark of the stick in my outstretched hand, releasing thick, tenacious venom from its ugly jaws. We did not--could not run, but sat speechless, watching the venomous liquid drip from the snake’s open mouth and run down the side of the stick. The snake, defeated, slithered away into the same oak tree in which we had planned to spend the night. Providence had warned us that we should move on.
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About the Book
Uzamushaka is God’s Strength,
After her family witnesses the brutal murder of her father at the hands of political extremists, 15-year-old Uzamushaka is forced to flee for her life, along with thousands of her countrymen, in a days-long exodus across unforgiving terrain to the protection of French soldiers posted in camps in neighbouring Zaire. Her mother and baby brother soon succumb to the rigors of the perilous journey, and she is left on her own to face the squalor, filth, and confusion of the overcrowded refugee camp, where disease and death run rampant. Struggling to survive, she must also care for her eight-year-old brother, as well as the two-year-old baby boy whom she finds alone and crying beside the body of a dead woman. She lovingly adopts him as her own, hoping to one day find his family.
With this simple act of kindness, though, Uzamushaka unwittingly becomes a pawn embroiled in a dangerous game of political intrigue between the country’s two warring factions. Should the wrong persons discover the little boy’s true identity, it could not only cost him his life, but also have serious implications for the future of her homeland and its inhabitants. As a result, the determined heroine is inexorably drawn into an action-packed adventure that will lead her on an incredible journey from deep inside Africa’s tropical jungles to the airy mountains of France, before her ultimate destiny is realized.
Against the backdrop of Central Africa’s lush geography, this is the personal story of a family decimated and displaced by the latest conflict to arise from centuries of foreign-influenced political unrest and tribal warfare. The young heroine experiences first-hand the atrocities of war and genocide, and provides a vivid and chilling account of the documented sub-human conditions suffered by tens of thousands evacuated to refugee camps. As Uzamushaka struggles amid the turmoil, she clings to the hope that that the prejudice and hatred will one day end, bringing peace and prosperity to her people and a better life for the innocent children victimized and orphaned by war.
Hers is also the story of a young girl’s coming of age. Uzamushaka quickly embraces the responsibilities suddenly thrust upon her as mother, teacher, and protector, and learns to rely upon her wits in a quest to not only survive, but thrive under unimaginably hostile conditions. In spite of her plight, she courageously dares to pursue the unprecedented goal of making a very different life for herself; half-a-world away from the one she has known. And, as the compassionate peasant girl blossoms into womanhood, she will come to know both the joy and pain of a forbidden love.
Time and time again, the resourceful and resilient Uzamushaka must find "God’s strength" within herself, in order to adapt to and overcome the most desperate of circumstances, and protect the boy she finds from those who would harm him. Although her chances for security, love, and happiness seem threatened at every turn; each new danger, heartbreak, or challenge she faces will bring her that much closer to fulfilling what her father called God’s "great and noble purpose" for her life. Thus, the story of Uzamushaka is perhaps most of all, a universal tale of courage, faith, hope, and the eventual triumph of one girl’s spirit over the dark cruelty of man’s inhumanity to man. --Ed.
About the Author
The author of the book Uzamushaka is God's Strength was born in Jamaica West Indies. She lived there until 1985 when she relocated to the United States with her family. She has been interested in writing since she was a teenager and has written and published several poems and songs. She was awarded an "honorable mention" from The World of Poetry and Poetry.com for the poems, "Inspiration of My Life" and "Song of Melancholia" respectively. She has also published several articles in the Jamaican Observer newspaper. She resides in Florida with her four children and grandchildren. She also works as a registered nurse.