I have stopped and started this blog several times. I have been so stunned at what I have seen that I can barely look at the photos. I will be brief because the photos speak for themselves. A few days ago I went into the village with a team from the United Kingdom and met some of the families that were nominated for sponsorship. All of them are on the edge... a precipice. In two of these situations the people hid out of shame. They either ran away or literally hunkered down in their mud hut and hoped we would just ignore them even though we had life saving food. I can't imagine the shame of living in such poor conditions that you don't even want to be seen in society. It crushes me to know people hurt that way.
Gertrude and her husband live in a shell of a home. Most of it collapsed 2 days ago when the rainy season hit. Gertrude's husband ran from us and left her standing in a smoke filled collapsed room with the smallest malnourished children I have ever seen. They were filthy and their youngest is the size of a 3 month old but he is said to be 1 year and 3 months. Their oldest, Gloria is 9 and she is barely the size of a 5 year old.
At first Gertrude seemed very upset to have visitors. I asked her what she had for breakfast and she told me potatoes. I asked her what was for dinner and again she said shyly, "potatoes". I asked her the last time they had eaten anything other than potatoes and she wouldn't answer.
Gertrude is barely surviving in a smoke filled and collapsed house and her children sleep on soaking wet pieces of foam.
It is unimaginable how this family has survived. The house has absolutely nothing of substance and the walls are literally falling down around them.
When I started giving Gertrude food like beans, beef, rice and tea... she smiled and wouldn't stop. I know even now she is thinking that a miracle had happened.
But this food will only last 2 weeks at most. This family needs serious intervention. Please consider sponsoring Gertrude and her family or any family in our program. Uganda is facing a crisis of famine and anything you give will go directly to save lives, but most of all you can restore dignity to someone who doesn't even know what it is like to face society with confidence.
Another home we came to was locked and we stood nearby and took the picture above. We couldn't believe how small the mud and stick house was. We saw the rain water leaking through the roof. All of us tried to imagine how terrible it must be to have 4 people living in a shelter that is about to collapse. Just then, a neighbor came over and insisted that the head of the family, David, was inside. We knocked again and again and begged him to open the door so that we could give him some food supplies. Slowly the door cracked open and David crouched down in the back corner afraid to be seen.
I kept thinking that this family lives like animals. They hide and try to just survive in the dark crevices of the earth because they have nothing else to do but to just LIVE. I barely heard David breath a word. He quietly accepted the food and I backed out of the house carefully. He was so ashamed it broke my heart.
I also met a family of orphans that had their mother die 2 years ago, their father die 1 year ago and then the lovely grandmother caring for them died 3 months ago. I asked one of the boys what they were going to eat that night and he shut his eyes and looked away from me while whispering... "we have nothing to eat". I gave them all they needed for 2 weeks. These boys have been so desperate for food and school fees that they have learned how to make bricks. They are desperately trying to provide for all 7 of them. I admire their courage and strength in the face of so much loss.
I even had a chance to pray for an 85 year old man. I asked him what he wanted and he said, "MORE LIFE". Isn't that what all of these families want and deserve? A full life: a life full of joy and full stomachs, an opportunity to work and provide for their family, a shelter from the rain and dignity.
If you want to sponsor a family with our organization, please don't hesitate. The cost per month is $70 and you can give online at
http://www.africafamilyrescue.org/
