As I reflect back on the trip Pam and I took this summer to Kampala, the foremost thing that stands out to me is Life Change. I hear a lot about Life Change and I think the term has become jaded. But in this case, it is the best fit to describe what I saw and experienced. Life Change.
Here are some real stories given to me by real people whose life’s have been changed. These are first hand accounts. Notes that I took in the field as I visited in their homes. I have a few pictures. Should have more, wished I had more, but I do have these.
Thanks for your prayers and financial support. The Lord is touching many lives. Thank you. May God bless you as you read these stories.
Florence
(Florence is the first in my list. Not the first person I visited. She was the third Manna recipient Deo and I visited, but she is the first person God used to really grab my heart and inspire me to take notes on what I was hearing so I would not forget. (I really hate to write and take notes! But I did! There was a certain hopelessness that I felt in Florence that I did not feel in the others. After meeting her, I really began to see what God was doing in the lives of the people who are being ministered to through Manna.)
Florence is 19 years old.
She has 4 children. All boys.
Her husband left two weeks before we arrived. She has not heard from him since.
She is alone.
She doesn’t know where she was born or who her family is.
She is HIV positive and takes the ARV treatment.
She does some work cleaning clothes, but the people fail to pay her.
Three years ago, 2006, she was saved when IMFC and Manna Ministry was first in Katanga. Today she receives food through Manna Ministry.
She attends the small house church that meets just outside her door.
She ask that we pray that her husband will come home and find a job. She ask for the money to pay the school fees for her kids and for a financial breakthrough so they can pay the rent: 40,000 shillings (about $20) per month.
Aisha
Aisha was a Moslem before coming to faith in Jesus Christ through the witness of the IMFC team when Manna came to Katanga in February 09.
She saw the believers singing and praising Jesus.
In Islam she could not sing and praise God. She decided to give her life to Christ and become a Christian.
Her husband is dead. He was killed in an accident about one year ago.
She is 37 years old and has 4 children.
Aisha feeds Matoke peelings to goats to earn enough money to pay for her rent.
She faithfully attends the house church in Katanga.
She asks for prayers as Manna Ministry leaves Katanga that she will have enough money for rent and school fees (37,000 per child for 3 month term).
Doreen
(Just a word about Doreen. Deo was not taking me to see her. She is not currently in the Manna program; she was in 2006, but not now. Doreen saw us and stopped us. She wanted us to come to her house. What a joy to meet someone who was in the program and now three years later is still doing well. I have a couple of these stories.)
Doreen is 48 years old.
Her husband died in 2003 leaving her with 3 children. The oldest is now 14.
Doreen is HIV positive and takes the ARV treatment.
Doreen was a part of the first Manna Ministry in Katanga in 2006.
When she was enrolled in Manna, her health was very bad and she describes the food as “medicine” to her. (The IMFC team is amazed at her health now. They really thought she was close to death when they first started working with her in 2006.)
Now she has good health and faithfully attends the House Church.
Doreen is very grateful for the help she received through Manna Ministry.
Grace
Grace is 28 years old.
She has 5 children. 4 now live back in the village with a grandparent. 1 child lives with her.
Her husband died of Malaria. Most of her relatives have died of Malaria.
Grace became a follower of Jesus Christ in February when Manna returned to Katanga.
Grace eats 1/2 of the food she receives from Manna, and sends 1/2 back to the village for her family.
As a result of Manna, she has been able to save money. The money that she would have spent on food she has saved and started a small business.
Grace makes table cloths, place mats, and curtains. 1 curtain sells for 500 shillings. A whole set sells for 6,000.
I bought a set from her.
Helen
Helen is not a Manna Recipient, but she has friends who are in the Manna program and who share with her.
She is almost 40 and has 6 children.
Her husband was killed fighting Joseph Koney in Northern Ugandan.
Helen gave her life to Christ when Manna came to the area.
Before becoming a Christian she considered hanging herself; now she no longer thinks about hanging herself as she worships in the small House Church in Katanga.
Helen sales big yellow bananas to get money.
Her main goal for the day is to have something to eat. If she gets something to eat it has been a good day.
Christian Akout
Christian is from Eastern Uganda.
Her husband was killed fighting Joseph Koney.
She has 4 children. At the present time 2 live in the village and 2 live with her.
Christian was a part of the 2006 Manna program in Katanga.
At that time was paralyzed from the waist down and the IMFC team was concern that she would die during the time they ministered to her.
She committed her life to Christ then and is still a part of the house church in Katanga.
She is once again in the food program, but she is now doing much better.
She is no longer paralyzed; she is saving money, buying clothing in the market place cheaply and going door to door selling them in Katanga.
She is one of the huge success stories from Manna Ministry.
Beatrice
Beatrice is a widow who is taking care of 7 of her grandchildren ages 4 thru 14.
The parents died of HIV/AIDs.
All 7 children have tested positive for HIV/AIDs.
Beatrice is thankful that Manna came to Katanga in February when the first child was beginning ARV treatment.
The doctors told her that the ARV treatment needed to go hand in hand with food. Without food her grandchild would die!
Her grandchildren have a chance at life because Manna came at the right time to her home.
She is also able to save a little money as a result of the food that she is receiving free. She is using this money to pay for school fees.
Only God could do this!
Annett Ayebale
Annett was a food recipient in the 2006 food distribution.
She is also a part of the current Manna Ministry in Katanga.
Her health was very bad in 2006 but has improved greatly thanks to the food she received through Manna Ministry.
Annett now leads the praise for the local House Church.
Her husband is not a born again Christian.
She ask for prayer that he will come to faith in Jesus Christ.
There are other stories. Many more. But maybe these will help you understand how powerfully God can use a bag of food to bless people physically and spiritually. To God be the glory.
