I’m sure you’ve heard that life is hard in Africa. That poverty, AIDS, and disease thrive here. It’s true. It is also a long way away from your nice, warm, safe, and comfortable home. Which makes it easier for you to ignore and forget about. But don’t. Please, remember that what you hear is real. Africa is a real place, full of real people. You might be able to live your life unaffected by these countries far away, but I don't have that choice. I live in Uganda.
How do you respond when there is a
great need, everywhere? The children that you see are all hungry. Many of them not
going to school or dropping out because they can’t afford to pay the fees. When
you hear the children's dreams to become pilots and doctors and teachers
and know that hardly any of them will ever get close to their dreams. There are broken
families, abused children, and poverty, everywhere. What do you do? Do you say “no”
to the child who asks you for food, or shoes, or help? And what if there is always
more than one child who really needs you?
I want to share a story with you.
Not to make you feel guilty about your life but to encourage you. Life is hard, but you are still blessed.
There is a girl who attends one of
the schools I visit each week. We have become good friends. This is her story,
just as she told it to me.
“One
day the police came to our home in the village. It was morning. The police beat
my father very badly and wouldn’t stop. But beating him wasn’t enough, so they
took him away. We don’t know what happened to him. Then one day they came back
to our house and told my grandmother and aunt that my father was dead. I will
never forget that day. I was only in Top Class, 5 years old. I was there and I
keep asking myself why did the police come and beat my father in such a bad
way. Why did they cause my father’s death? They made my mother suffer and she
left. We had no way to raise ourselves above being poor. So, she went to
Kampala to try and find a way to provide for us, but there is not enough money.
While I was in the village I didn’t not go to school for 4 years. My aunt did not
want me to go to school. When I was home working for them and taking care of
the children I was not allowed to study. They were afraid that I would become
smarter than them and they didn’t want me above them. No one could tell on them
because they didn’t know that I was abused, and no one could take me away from
their house. Who else would have taken care of their hens and pig? When my
mother came back from the city she didn’t like how I was being treated. She
told me I was going with her that day. When my aunt heard this she hurt my
mother, it was very painful to watch. I was still young. They tried to make me stay. But I told them
that my mother and I were leaving for the city. My brother was now living in
the city and we found him. This was in 2007. My mother started looking for a
school and found this one. I started in Primary One. That same year the old
house we were renting fell on me and broke my left hand. My mother wasn’t
around so the neighbors took me to the hospital. I had a hard term because I
couldn’t do well on my exams. It was a hard time for me but God helped me and
my hand healed. I repeated Primary One.
I met a girl in my class and we became best friends. I know that God
saved me, and even though we are poor I know that I am okay.”
I’ve known this girl for months
now. She is now in Primary Six. I see
her twice a week. We write to each other. She usually gives me at least two or
three letters every time I see her. Already, I love her dearly. I can help with her school fees. I can pray
with her. I can write to her and encourage her. I can make her smile and even
laugh sometimes. She is one of the reasons that I am so thankful to be in
Uganda. I have the chance to make a difference in her life. Not because I can change her life, but just by being a part of her life. I remind her of God’s love for her
and the great plans that He has just for her. I can share my story of how God
changed my life and all that I’ve seen Him do. I can laugh with her and show
her that there are people who care about her. I can simply love her as I know
Christ loves her.
She is just one girl that I know.
There are so many others. I see hundreds of children every week. Some of their
stories I know, many I don’t. I cannot help all of them. In fact, I can only
reach out to a few, but I know that God see each one of them. He has plans to help all of them So,
please, please, don’t forget about these children. Lift them up in your
prayers. Find a way to help. You can sponsor a child, send clothes, pay for
their food, you can write to a child. I get about 10-20 letters each week from children at one of the schools I go to. You can also support me so that I can give to the children around
me who are in need. I often take food or things like soap, shoes, and medicine to
those who I know are in desperate need. Feel free to email me with any
questions. My email is shannonlundberg@yahoo.com
You can make a difference in a
child’s life. You just have to choose do something.
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