It's amazing how a little piggy can transform a family in Uganda
Check out another new letter from a precious family in Uganda to their American donor family!
"Hello my dear friends ANNE AND BOB,
It is with great pleasure that I write to you. To us you are not just friends but parents. So please accept us when we call you Mom and Dad. What can we say? We do not even have enough words to say thank you because it is wonderful that among all the families which needed a donor that you chose our family to help. Before our father (Edward Mitaawana) died he told us to express his gratitude to you just in case we ever see you. He was not even aware that we are going to write to you. So we are delivering his wishes to you. We hope one day you will come to Uganda so that we can see you and talk to you. You must be amazing!!!!
Edward (seated) shortly before he died
Our father and mother seemed to be happily married until 2007 when at the Hospital they told my father that he was HIV Positive. Prior to this knowledge, my father had been very sickly. He had malaria on and off all the time. He could not work anymore. He had to sell a piece of land every time he had an appointment to go to the Hospital. They had three of us as their children – myself Godfrey Yiga, my sister Night and Josephine (in the picture).
When the woes between Father and mother started it was the start of misery for us children. Our father had no money and our mother had no heart to work and provide for us. She did not care that we had no food or any other domestic basic items like soap. I cried a lot. I saw my father and mother tearing themselves apart. I did not know what to do. They could not listen to anyone especially my mother. She had changed and gotten kind of wild. I could see my father dying a miserable man.
When our mother threatened to abandon our father, friends, the Pastor and relatives counseled her not to leave him and the children at the time when he needed him most. She argued that he had spent all the money, sold all the land and was dying. What use was he in the world? She one day packed her things and all the house hold items and left. What she did not take were our clothes, including those for her husband. She did not go to her parents’ home. We do not know where she went. I felt hurt. I thought it was very heartless of her. But there she was, took her decision. I was left as the senior person to take care of my dying father.
Sometimes things would be very bad. We would have no food and no money. Then I could take my sisters to our grandmother (mother of our father). At least there we got something to eat. But father would soon send a message for me to return. I felt helpless and useless. I could see him getting weaker but I had limitations in every way. This made me sad. I think he was also sad. I could sometimes see tears in his eyes. If I saw the tears I moved outside. I did not want to cry in front of him. This would make him lose hope. When one is sick they thrive on hope and faith. I tried to encourage him.
Our hope had gone when our mother decided to leave our father when he was seriously sick. That was when schooling was no more for us because we had to go and dig in people’s gardens to get money for treatment for our father who was down. We did not have food; the money was not enough for transport and treatment. We suffered and became very miserable. I thought that God had forgotten me. Thank you very much for your help. He at least got treatment and some food to eat especially juice to drink. But his time came and he passed away. I am happy to say that he did not die in pain and he did not starve to death. We thank God for giving you to us as our parents. We ask you to accept to become our parents from today.
Thank you so much for our continued monthly help, it has improved our life. Thank you for loving even us the poor orphans. May God bless all the work of your hands? May He open many doors for you and may He pour amazing blessings over your family and work. Why! Because you have greatly helped us the poor orphans. Now we are back to school and we have got enough food to eat. Much as we are seen as orphans, at school we are now the first to pay school fees. Before your help came in, we never paid school fees until when we were sent home twice or thrice. We have uniform and books.
We have planted a lot of potatoes and beans. Even we have got a local piglet we are taking care of because we want to have a big piggery project in the future. Piggery can be a lucrative business if well taken care of. Through the savings from the monthly help received we plan to construct the piggery.
We would like to say thank you so much Dad and Mum. We desire to see you in the near future. God bless you."
Yours,
GODFREY
We have approximately 80 families like this one waiting desperately for help. Please email Melody Pahlow to find out more information.
