When Ben and I read this update letter from Josephine, we wept. I know it will grab your heart! Special thanks to the Stecker family who willing stepped up to sponsor this precious family.
NAKAMANYA JOSEPHINE M044
Dear
Kathy Stecker
Praise
God. I would like to thank God who led me to meeting Ben and Melody. I would
like first of all to thank Ben and Melody for the great love they showed me
when they came to Uganda. You never left me even when you went back in America
It was
on the 5th July 2012, when our AFR case worker came looking for me in
the garden where I was working (making potato heaps). I started wondering why
she was looking for me but she told me I have good news for you; your family
has got a donor. I almost collapsed because of the great joy that I felt. I
shouted and laughed and cried at the same time. The next day the account was
open for me but unfortunately when we came back from Stanbic Bank, I found my
daughter very sick. I did not have any money to take her to the hospital. But I
had to get a debt of $4 (Uganda shillings 10,000/=) and take her to the nearest
Health Clinic where she was admitted but the sickness got worse. The next day
my daughter Nampewo died. When my child died her father was not at home. He
came for the burial but he left soon after leaving me alone and the children. I
cried.
Ben and I with Pastor Dan and Josephine's family
My
married life has been very stressful with my husband leaving home for many
months on end saying that he has gone to work for money. But he returns home
without any coin only to harass me and make me and the children very unhappy.
We do not have big land for me to cultivate enough food for the family. To earn
money I would go to the bush, collect some fire wood and sell it to some people at
the trading centre. I would then buy some food and other items like soap for
the family. It is usually very bad for us whenever I am pregnant. I would then
be too weak to carry the fire food. That means that there would be no food at
home. We would have just one meal a day at about 3.00pm in the afternoon. At
night the children would demand for food which I did not have and then they
would cry. I would also cry. Thank you very much Kathy for wiping away our
tears!!!
Josephine's oldest when we first met him
Before
the regular support you are giving me I have never had regular income. I always
get very little money from manual work. I would spend it immediately on the
basic needs at home. It was from hand to mouth as they say. What is very
frustrating is that my husband never appreciates my hard work and my physical
weakness. He is not bothered. I suspect that he has another woman somewhere
whom he loves better and feeds.
But I
thank God who has strengthened me from all that distress and with your help
Kathy you have been of great help. Because now I am debt free, we have food to
eat and the older children are now back in school. They had dropped out of
school because I had no school fees, no uniform and other scholastic materials.
I bought a piglet both to cheer me up and as a project for future income
generation. The greatest joy that you have brought to me is that my children
are at school and have enough food to eat. We have new Sunday clothes. The joy
that we have now is unbelievable. When we are around the fire cooking we talk
about you. We just wonder how you can love us this much. We pray that God may
bless you more and more.
I send
you love and greetings in the name of Jesus.
Yours
who loves you very much
JOSEPHINE
If you would like to sponsor a family, we are desperately looking for sponsors for 80 families like this on our waiting list. Contact melody@africafamilyrescue.org and I can get you started immediately.
