I asked her for the story of how she got the child, and she told me she had been touched by what she saw in one of the shrines of the witch doctor, an albino child, who was referred to as an Omunyamagoye, or evil spirit. She then began to suspect child sacrifice/ killings – a sign she described as an agent of Satan!!!!! She then went back there another time but with a different mission to find out more about what she had seen. She said it was late and thus took advantage and untied the rope binding the girl and hid the child behind the shrine in the shrubs near the pit latrine and told her she would pick her after bidding farewell to the family she was visiting. This was a perfect time because the witch doctor had gone to work elsewhere to assist a family which was under the attack of evil spirits.
She then sneaked back to the shrine picked the helpless girl and they went away, back to her home and hid her in her respected birth place Izaariro.
She is truly a Good Samaritan!
Shanitah could hardly eat and the old lady suspected she sometimes went without food and was starving. She began serving her with water, applied local medicine on the wounds and started on her healing process. Shanitah’s hair was already shaved but bathed her and hid her in the shrine. She said that the girl was in shock and could hardly recall anything, but she remembered her face being covered and her head being cut with a knife. The old lady feared going public with this information as she would risk her life as the witch doctors would plan to have her killed or do permanent harm to her in retribution. That she then remembered hearing me on the radio as a Human Rights activist and behind a campaign to save albinos from ritual deaths etc. She looked for my cell phone recorded at that time on a piece of paper from a local radio.
Because of the Marburg outbreak in this area, I was quite worried about getting into any physical contact but because of Shanitah’s touching story, I did get closer to her and hugged her.
It was time for Shanitah and us to go.
Shanita wanted to see the other albino children, and she asked to have my iPad and see the photos of the children that I told her were at school. We then traveled and arrived very late at night. But the glory is back to God for this successful mission trip.
Shanitah is now in safe hands and she will go to school soon if accorded all that she needs to be in school after getting the medical care she deserves. She will also be receiving psychosocial support with the help from the dedicated SCOSP staff.
My deep Gratitude to everyone who sent their prayers for our safety during the rescue and for Shanitah’s healing. Thank you also to the Compassionate Souls who have stepped forward to help sponsor these children through our partners at Humanity Healing International.
