Uganda-Christian witness-There is hope for every situation

 By Charlotte Muhwezi

She became pregnant when she was in grade six, but the father of the child left due to Ayebare’s crippling physical disability. She then married a man with whom she had two children. Unfortunately, he had mental problems and she started living alone with her three children and providing for them. Later, she became pregnant again, but the father of her fourth child also left because of her disability. It was then that she and her children really started to suffer, with no food and no home. She lived in a shell of a house and always went to sleep hungry, as did her children.

But there’s a gleam of hope in her eyes now despite her difficulties. When it seemed all was lost, Consolate – who was Muslim at the time – started attending the Nyeramya Church, which is about a mile away from where she lived. It was at this Christian church that she came in contact with people trained in World Vision’s Channels of Hope. Team members started praying for her and encouraging her. Hope team members built her a house and purchased items such as salt, soap and other staples. World Vision learned about her through the Hope team members and bought mattresses, bedding and food for the family. “I thank World Vision for all the things they give me … and for always checking on me and encouraging me,” said Consulate, whose school-age children are now attending classes.

Consulate, 30, gave her life freely and willingly to Christ, and became isolated in the Muslim community because of her transformation. But she strongly believes God will provide and protect her and her children. Every day, Consulate cleans her tiny compound, cooks for her children, digs and weeds her garden, collects water from the nearby well and ensures that her children won’t go hungry from the food she gets both from World Vision and the Hope team. To Consulate, all is possible with God, and her disability is not inability. “I am still hopeful for a brighter future,” she said.

The Hope team, which is comprised of volunteers from the community, was trained by World Vision in the Channels of Hope, an initiative by World Vision whose purpose is to mobilize and assist faith communities to gain the appropriate attitudes, knowledge and skills to be able to defeat stigma and respond to the care, support and prevention needs in their communities. It

 is a ministry of loving people as Jesus did; being the body of Christ and being available when someone is experiencing pain.