Marian Apparition Part 2.

On the morning of October 18, I had breakfast and got ready for the challenge. Truth be told, I was excited about the hike and being part of the history, to be a witness. As a tour operator, I saw an opportunity—a full cultural and religious site. I wanted firsthand information. I went to a motorcycle stage where I met an interesting young man who usually rides me when I’m in the area. I explained where we were going, and he was excited as well. Although he had been there before, he hadn’t climbed the hill. He had only taken a customer there who also hadn’t climbed it. As we rode, he told me about the massive turnout of people going to pray at the hill. He was ready to hike with me, which made the journey even more exciting. He believed Maria would appear to us too.

It was about a 20–25 minute ride from the main town to the village. I was sure of two things: a hike and witnessing the impact of this apparition on the community around the famous hill. Indeed, we were welcomed by a lady selling rosaries and small Marian statues at the base of the hill. Next to her was a small house with an old man in his 60s and his grandson, who managed security for motorcycles, cars, and bicycles. They charged a fee for parking, starting from 1,000 UGX (less than a dollar).

I interacted with the lady selling rosaries and asked how business was going. She said I had come at a time when people had started retreating to their homes. She mentioned that thousands had visited earlier and that business had been much better then. She was the only one selling merchandise at the entry, so she likely made good sales during peak times. The influx of visitors had even prompted the creation of a road wide enough for trucks, as the original path was just a walking trail.

I also spoke with the old man managing parking, who told me about the challenges posed by the large crowds. Plantations were destroyed to pave the way to the hill. One neighbor was even forced to fence off his land, where he had just planted beans, to protect it. However, there were no visible amenities like washrooms to accommodate the huge crowds. Clearly, no one had planned for this. Was anyone taking records of the numbers visiting? Unfortunately, no. I wished someone had documented this unique event.

There we started our hike. Immediately, I felt the steepness just 100 meters in. I realized I was unfit, but a hiker is always a hiker, and we proceeded. Little did I know that we hadn’t even started the real hike—the actual base of the hill was further up, at around 800 meters above sea level. There, we encountered many people selling their merchandise, from rosaries, water, and sodas to fast food, snacks, and even soap—whatever they thought might be useful during people’s stay. I was amazed at how things had turned out! On my left was a forested hill teeming with people, mostly women, who seemed to have camped there for days.

We spoke to some of the merchants, and they shared their experiences, saying business was booming. My companion joked with one of the ladies selling fast food, saying, “You go wherever you think you’ll make money!” He couldn’t believe she was at the hill too. We decided to support these businesses, buying water for the steep climb ahead. Though the weather wasn’t particularly hot, the water was refreshing.

As we continued, we came across a group praying in the pine forest. They claimed to have seen a cross appear before them and were waiting for the apparition. Many of them said they had seen Maria multiple times but continued to pray for more of their heart’s desires. This energized me further.