"I almost collapsed"

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. You tried all your best to connect my family to the wonderful Kathy Stecker  who is  my friend and supporter. 

It was on the 5^th 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.