Douglas sent the story of one of the ladies receiving help through Manna Ministry. I hope you will take the time to read it. This story captures why IMFC exist. This is our heart.
Here is Bulyaba Harriet, she has been in the program for 6 months and she talks of how we blessed her life. She is 34 years old and a mother of 8 children. She is currently living with HIV/AIDS.
She found out in 2002 that she had the virus that kills! But she lived in denial stage till 2008 when she got connected to other people who are living positively with the virus. We found her very sick at death point, and also having starved for three days! She was a sickly weak!
Here is what she says:
“I used to have a stall in Owino market, where daily I got to work and was never dependent on anyone for food or anything else until the sickness showed up and took away all my strength, money, dream and shattered my family! I lost weight daily!! My husband, being a traditional herbalist, tried to treat this virus with all kinds of herbs available, but all in vain!“I come to think of how I might have gotten the virus. I suspect my current husband, because his wife died of the virus and he did not tell me at all! In fact, he raped me. That’s how I ended up being hooked up with him this long, even to have 5 children with him.
“Being a Moslem man, he feels he has a right to go around getting other women. But I did not ever approve.. Now I am here stuck with a killer virus in my body!
“I used to be very bitter with him about this, until Manna came in and brought me people to counsel with me. Now we do stay together and now I do receive his acts of kindness done to me in times when I am totally down with sickness, with respect. Anyways I have gone through a lot with this man, he one time abandoned me for two years! Thus when I was caring for my first daughter when she broke her leg. He went away and got himself another life…but he did come back when things were improving in my life!
“The day Manna came with the food, I had already spent three days without food! Some neighbors came and gave me a pint of milk and that is how I got the strength to get out of bed, they thought I was dead! But here I am now!! Alive!! Alive!
“You people mean so much to me, more than any other people. You picked me up when I was very deep in life’s pit hole. Carried me through this time and you lifted me up to the point that I saw the hand of God!! I am so grateful for the food and every thing you have given me! Thanks so much, may God reward you all!
“I have never met people like you all; you are unique in what you do!! The other day, I was amongst the beneficiaries to BGR (Baptist Global Response) gift buckets. In it were super quality stuffs just like in the Manna food bag but only that in this one I found toothpaste and many other things to use!! I had spent one whole year without affording one. So in a way to brush my teeth, I used to use washing soap!! My mouth would feel very bad for weeks but because I did not want it to smell bad for other people around me, I used what I had and could afford and thus the soap!! But now I have tooth past!! Sometimes I even soiled my bed because I get some times very sick to the point I cannot help my self, but now I have a bed cover for that!! You people have given me back my dignity!!
“Am so glad you came!! Please keep me in your next shift of food distribution till I gain the strength to go back to my job!”
Over the past 5 years we have worked in 2 slums at a time. Today, as we begin year 6, I am praying and asking the Lord to enable us to open work in 3 slums simultaneously by February, 2011. Join me in this prayer. We need to touch more people. So many need help.
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Truly, God’s grace is for real without any shadow of a doubt.
God is at work in in Kampala , Uganda.
God thanks for changing the people of Uganda .
You are welcome at God’s work in Kampala.
Deo
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