The woman in the green dress, her name is Margaret. We met Margaret while walking home from the childrens’ home one evening. Margaret approached us with the biggest smile, both hands waving in the air and clear English. She was staying nearby, helping her sister, Lucy (in the pink polka dots) to take care of their mother. Their mother, Justina (in the blue), had a stroke about two months ago and her body was paralyzed on the right side. She has been experiencing a lot of pain and often cried at night. We offered to pray with Justina. Margaret led the way, along a dirt path to where they were staying.
Justina was laying on the mattress outside, covered in flies and looked very weak. She did not speak English, so Margaret woke her up and told her in Luo (the local language) that we were Americans, here to pray. The joy and gratitude in Margaret’s eyes and words were apparent. Our friendship began that day and we offered to keep coming back. The faith of these women is strong and their willingness to allow us in their home each day was humbling. We were strangers, but they welcomed us as family.
Over the next couple weeks, as we continued to visit, Justina looked stronger and would sit up when we came. Her pain lessened and she stopped crying in the night. Margaret and Lucy had been able to rest well because their mother was doing better. Margaret had to go back to her home before we left, so we said our goodbyes. On that same day Sarah (beige shirt in the middle) joined us. Sarah is a house mom in the childrens’ home. When she learned that we were praying for Justina everyday, she decided that she would continue to come and pray for Justina, even after we left Uganda.
God is so good! He not only gave Justina strength and healing, but allowed us to develop an unexpected friendship with a 70 year woman and her 90 year old mother and provided a support for them, beyond our teams’ stay.
This reminds me that all Christ followers are united as one body. “One body” does not just apply to your your church, but we are in partnership with believers around the world. My role and yours is part of a greater work that God has already put in motion. By having the courage to say, “YES” and being willing, we have an opportunity to be part of something bigger than ourselves.
Margaret decided that our American names were too difficult to pronounce so she gave us African names. My name is Dora 🙂
