As it was late evening, the Goza people decided to take the dead people’s bodies to lie in the prayer room so that they could be buried at first light tomorrow. As they took them in, that was when they realised that Grandpa Kakupython had not moved an inch from where they had left him, and on touching him, he was stone cold and they realised he was dead. When everyone was told of his demise, they all wept for a dear old man who was well loved by everyone. They lay him next to the rest of the dead to be given an honorary burial tomorrow. Shula was particularly distressed about his death as she was very fond of him and always listened to his folklore tales with enthusiasm.
The men lit a huge fire in the compound and most people sat around it talking about what had happened and they thanked God for protection and felt they had received great mercies from God today and were grateful. They sang songs of worship and comforted those who had lost their loved ones. Early the next morning, everyone rose up early, and it seemed as though they had not slept at all. Among the dead were a few people from the neighbouring villages and word was sent out for their loved ones to come and collect them, but news came back that most villagers had perished in yesterday’s attacks.
This meant that they had to bury these strangers as it would be futile to find people who would come and claim their dead for burial and the bodies would start to smell. Mara was heartbroken that not many of the neighbours had taken her warning seriously and the need to pray. Mama Haga was sure the people of Huru were safe as the evil spirits did not get a chance to get that far, so she hoped and prayed. However, nobody knew which village the evil spirits had started their destruction from. News would soon spread. Mara hoped and prayed that Goza would have been the first place that was attacked, for the sake of the other villages.
All the men agreed that they would go to all the villages to check if there were any victims and that they would ensure if there were, they would take it upon themselves to bury them to avoid wild animals coming to feast on the rotting carcasses. They would also go as far as Huru to ensure people they were safe, for Mama Haga’s sake. Tamura sought permission from the king to bury his uncle in Goza as it was too far to take a dead body to Nengara or to Huru for that matter, the king allowed him to, his uncle’s wives and his cousins conceded.
Grandpa Kakupython was given a hero’s burial and people had a lot of good things to say about him. The other men who had died were buried in the outskirts of Goza as the people felt it would ensure their spirits would not contaminate theirs, for if they buried them within their graveyard reserved for the Goza people, it would mingle their spirits with those of strangers.
After the burials, the Goza people went back to their homes to ponder on their demise. Tamura’s relations stayed for a few more days hosted by Mara and Baka, to come to terms with their loss before going back home to Nengara without their husband and father. Tamura decided to take Leona away for a few weeks’ honeymoon on a cruise. He had saved up for that as well, but the latest events had proved to him how short life was and that he had to live for today and enjoy himself with his new wife. The king and queen were happy for them and gave them their blessing as they bade everyone goodbye.
Everyone felt the newlyweds needed to get away as their wedding reception was ruined by yesterday’s events. Leona could barely force a smile but was just grateful that all her family was in one piece and that greater calamity was averted, thanks to prayer and the divine intervention of the army of angels. She decided to be happy and make her marriage work. Who knows, maybe one day she would have something to look back on and tell her children and her grandchildren what happened on her wedding day.
Mara went into the prayer room and fell to her knees and gave God all the praise and glory and honour for prevailing over evil. She said, looking up to the ceiling, “Lord, I thank you for showing those evil spirits who is boss. Thank you so much for saving us and protecting us. Now I know beyond a shadow of doubt that there is no one like our God. All powerful, Almighty God, the One who rules in the affairs of men. I worship You. Life is but vapour without you, you are our Shield and strong Defence. I praise You, Lord, now and forevermore. Amen and Amen.”
Mara vowed to go all over the villages around and beyond to share the good news of God’s protection and power and to try as much as possible to turn people away from worshipping idols who cannot save. She made it her lifetime ambition to tell everyone she met about this Jesus whose name and Blood cause evil to flee.
