The challenge of bearing witness to the risen Christ part one

Last week while clearing my study of old documents I came across a letter tucked away in a brown envelope which I last saw over a decade ago. The letter brought to mind a mixture of pleasant and unpleasant memories.
Sometime in April 2003, I decided to visit an inmate who was on death row at Luzira prison whom I last met in July 1985. I shared my wish with close friends who advised me against the idea. They argued that as a senior civil servant my motives, noble as they were, could easily be misunderstood by the powers-that-be and such a visit could land me in hot soup. I tried to drop the idea, but my conscience kept pricking me and telling me I must go.
One month later I made an appointment to see Mr Joseph Etima, then Commissioner General of Prisons with whom I had attended sessions of the UN Commission on Human Rights in Geneva, Switzerland. Mr Etima is, like me, a strong advocate of efforts to abolish the death penalty in Uganda.
The official purpose of our meeting was to discuss matters arising from the UN Human Rights Commission. Towards the end of the meeting I consulted Mr Etima about my wish to visit an inmate on death row at Luzira. Unlike my friends, he encouraged me to go ahead and even offered to designate an officer from prisons headquarters to accompany me to Luzira on July 3, 2003.
On that auspicious day, I prayed to the Lord for courage, guidance and protection. We drove to Luzira soon after lunch and on the way I stopped at a supermarket to buy a few items for the inmate. The OC of Upper Prison was expecting me and right from the main gate I was well received.
The officer who accompanied me escorted me to the OC who received me in his office. After some pleasantries the OC sent for the inmate. He told me that we could meet at his office which I appreciated.
Contrary to what I had imagined, the inmate soon came dressed in immaculate white shirt and white trousers. He was quite surprised to see me and on my part I was very happy to see him after 18 years! He looked calm and reasonably well, considering what he had gone through. The inmate was Mr Chris Rwakasisi whom I first met in 1970 soon after I joined Ministry of Foreign Affairs, but got to know better when he was minister of State in President’s Office during Obote II (1980-1985).
The OC gave us enough time to talk and have fellowship. It was an encounter I will never forget. I gave Rwakasisi the few items I had brought together with some small cash. Before I departed, Rwakasisi prayed for us and for Uganda. I left Luzira empowered and relieved to know that although he was physically in jail, Rwakasisi was born again and spiritually he was a free man!
A few weeks later during Sunday service at All Saints Cathedral, Nakasero, the Gospel reading for the day was Matthew 25 verses 31-46 (GNB) titled, “The final Judgement” which reminded me of my visit to Luzira, especially where the Son of Man says:
“I was hungry and you fed me, thirsty and you gave me a drink; I was a stranger and you received me in your homes, naked and you clothed me; I was sick and you took care of me, in prison and you visited me.”
“The righteous will then answer him: When, Lord, did we ever see you hungry and feed you or thirsty and give you a drink? When did we ever see you a stranger and welcome you in our homes or naked and clothe you? When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you? The King will reply: I tell you, whenever you did this for one of the least important of these brothers of mine, you did it for me!”
On July 10, 2003, I received a touching personal letter from Rwakasisi whose contents I would like to share, with his permission, in the spirit of Christian brotherhood.
You can imagine the joy which filled me on the day I learnt that Rwakasisi had been released from Luzira Prison.
To God be the glory!
To be continued