It was on the 15th of September. At about half past eight in
the evening, I was serving food to the people. As I passed behind Baba's
grass-thatched house, I found him seated there. He was dressed in a green
cassock adorned with white stripes.
When he saw me, he called out and said,
“Aruga, go and call the people, for I wish to speak to
them.”
I immediately went to summon the people, but they were still
occupied with serving food. Baba had also instructed me to call Pope Timotheo
and Romanus Ong'ombe. Therefore, I first went to Timotheo and then proceeded to
Ong'ombe.
When I told Ong'ombe what I had seen, he looked at me and
asked,
“Have you seen him? Is he truly there?”
I replied,
“Yes, it is truly Him. I have seen Him with my own eyes and
spoken with Him. Baba has risen from the dead.”
After this, I returned to the place where I had left him.
When I arrived, I found that Cardinal Lawrence Chiaji had
already come and was kneeling before Baba Messiah.
Baba Messiah was still there in his physical body, seated on
the same seat where I had first seen him. Yet now his entire being was
enveloped in a glorious and dazzling radiance. The light surrounding him was so
intense that no one could look directly upon him for long.
Chiaji remained on his knees, unable to raise his eyes
toward the Messiah because of the overwhelming brightness.
Mbalo, Oyier, and many other witnesses were also present.
They too could not face the brilliant light that shone from the risen Messiah.
The radiance was exceedingly great, and for this reason Oyier and Mbalo knelt
some distance away beside the seat, unable to look directly toward him.
The words that I heard the Messiah speak to Lawrence Chiaji
were these:
“Chiaji, son of Adera, this Ong'ombe whom you see, I have
entrusted with the leadership of this Legion. I have left the Legion in his
hands, and I have made a covenant with him. Therefore, honor him, and let none
among you disrespect or dishonor him.”
Then he turned and spoke to me, saying,
“Has Ong'ombe arrived?”
I answered,
“No.”
And he said,
“Very well. I shall speak with him later. I do not want
anyone to touch me. Neither do I desire that people should surround me with
many questions or come near me.”
Then, suddenly, he disappeared from our sight.
As we stood there in astonishment, word quickly reached us
that Baba Messiah had appeared at his gravesite and that people were rushing
there to see him. We immediately made our way there.
By this time, it was about nine o'clock in the evening, and
he was there again in his physical body. News of his appearance spread rapidly,
and a great multitude gathered to witness him.
The crowd became so large that some climbed trees in order
to catch a glimpse of him, while others stood at a distance and heard only his
voice. Because they could not see him clearly through the crowd, some thought
it was merely the Holy Spirit speaking in his voice through another person.
Yet he stood openly among the people and spoke to them for
many minutes.
After he had finished teaching, and after the people had
rejoiced greatly at his appearance, the time came for him to depart. He then
bade farewell to those who had gathered around him.
At that moment, Gombe said to him,
“I am going with you. You will not leave me behind.”
But the Messiah replied,
“Gombe, do not touch me. I no longer possess the same body
that you once touched. I am returning to my Father and your Father, and to the
place where you also shall come in due time.”
As he spoke these words, something like a flash of lightning
descended from the heavens, and a cloud appeared above him. Then he was taken
up from before our eyes, and the cloud received him and hid him from our sight.
These events were witnessed by many who were present on that extraordinary night, and their testimony remains a witness to what took place.