Faridah

Faridah’s story is a story of transformation, hope and ultimately of shared blessing.

When the child sponsorship programme began, we were very well aware that as outsiders we couldn’t possibly identify the families in most need of help.

Our UK Director asked the village leaders to show her who were the people in their communities in most desperate need – and so she was introduced to Faridah.

Faridah had suffered some kind of infection in early infancy – probably polio – which had left her seriously disabled.  In Uganda, disabled children are seen as an unfortunate occurrence at best and at worst, as a curse upon their family.

Faridah’s mother struggled to look after her – and one day when Faridah was left in the hut whilst her mother went out to work, the hut caught fire.  Faridah was rescued – although terribly burned.  The burns to her legs meant that she was now unable to walk at all – only crawl.

As she matured, Faridah drew the attention of young men, and one in particular.  Shall we say he regularly visited her even though she did not want his attention and so Faridah ended up with 4 children.

When we first met Faridah, she was surviving by crawling from hut to hut in the village – taking in washing to earn a few Ugandan shillings.  This was a highly vulnerable young lady in great need, with 4 young children to support.

We were able to arrange sponsorship for her children to attend school – and also for Faridah – to help her care for herself and her children.

Faridan was moved from her hut into a better rented home in a safer community.

She began to attend a local church in Bombo and eventually became a Christian – she had been brought up Muslim.  We took out a wheelchair for her so she no longer had to crawl.  Now some years on, Faridah’s 4 children are getting quite grown up, and she has her own business selling secondhand clothes.

Because of the land we now own, CRMI offered to build Faridah a new house there – however, she declined the offer and told us that she was trying to save money and buy her own house.

She has also taken an orphaned young boy into her home to look after him.  Her oldest daughter, Margaret, now helps us as a translator in our clinics and her son is doing and apprenticeship in carpentry.

Faridah’s previous sponsor ceased her support, but with a big family – and an additional child to care for – Faridah still needs some extra help and so she is now sponsored by my mother – also called Margaret – like Faridah’s daughter!  The earliest photographs that we have of Faridah show a thin and sad-faced young lady who looks rather overwhelmed by having her picture taken.

The photographs now show a beautiful woman, with a wide and generous smile, at ease with her environment and surrounded by friends.  You cannot be in Faridah’s presence very long before she tells you about all the good things God has done for her.  She is a blessing.

Faridah’s story shows that as we bless and support these communities, in time they go on to look outward and bless those around them.  When we empower them to provide, they help their own who have need.

Sew the seed of love and provision and then there is a harvest of transformation.

God takes our small offerings of a few loaves of fish and then multiplies them and through this we see people become empowered to help others – the ripples of blessing to spread to those around them.

 

Written By: Dr Simon Kaye

Date: June 5, 2020