Often circumstances are pregnant with opportunity. Sometimes a lack of preparation results in missing those opportunities.
As a result of growing relationships with many of the staff at International Hospital Kampala, a doctor volunteered to come from Kampala to Jinja on a Saturday and conduct a FREE clinic. He had become aware of the help Next Generation Ministries (NGM) has provided people with health needs and he wanted to contribute without any recognition or compensation.
A date was set and word got out that my compound would be a site for free consultations, diagnosis, and treatment for children and teenagers. The day came and so did the kids! It was exciting to partner with someone who is as gifted as this surgeon ... motivated simply by love and the health welfare of children.
I may have known a few of those who sought our help that day, but for the most part they came because they heard of the opportunity and not because of relationship. However, out of those circumstance an opportunity presented itself and three years later we are applauding what it has yielded.
This blog is about the individual that came for medical attention but stayed for a relationship.
A teenage daughter fell sick. Her mother took her to the local clinic. The clinic gave the girl an injection and sent her home. But the injection was given in the wrong location on her hip. For whatever reason, the injection became infected and the mother took her daughter to a local "hospital."
This girl had been in that hospital for nearly a week, but the infection had only been growing and a large wound had developed on her hip.
The mother is a single mother caring for eight children by selling used clothing on the streets of Jinja and in the central market. Three of those children are biological, but the others came to live with her because their mother had passed away. Auntie became Mama. This is an important detail because caring for eight children was stretching the mother just in providing shelter, food, and school fees. As the bills began mounting at the "hospital" and the condition only worsened, the mother was beginning to fear for the life of her second born.
When some friends of Tendo (meaning Praise) visited and saw the bad condition she was in, and the fear her mother had, they brought her to the free clinic on that providential Saturday. When the doctor began to examine the wound he was disgusted with the miserable care that his colleagues were giving this poor girl.
The long story short is that Next Generation Ministries assumed medical care for Tendo. She was removed from that hospital and taken to a quality medical facility where she would receive competent care. The infection was treated and it disappeared. The wound healed and the mother and daughter thanked God together.
NGM made a home visit and found that the mother and her eight children had no food in the house and some were sleeping on the floor. Food was purchased and delivered. Encouraging words were given to the mother. I visited the primary school the third born daughter attended.
There are, of course, many people living in poverty here in Uganda. It is so encouraging to see a woman who works so hard for the benefit of her children. NGM decided that this was and is a family that we wanted to help. Not only did we take food there on a couple of occasions, but we also provided love, encouragement, and prayer for the family.
NGM also began to sponsor Tendo at the Makerere University extension school in Jinja that majors on business education. Tendo has performed well in her classes and we are excited to see her receive her diploma the end of May.
When Tendo was informed that her major donor was going to terminate their contribution with the achievement of her diploma, she choked up and shed tears. When asked, "Why are you crying?" she replied, "Because it was my dream to get a degree and earn a living as an accountant."
As some of the staff sought to encourage Esther, she began to realized that she didn't need to surrender to those circumstances, but that she could participate in the fight for her dream. She agreed to make a short video with her story and allow NGM to see if they could find a replacement donor for her continuing education. The video is at the end of this blog post.
Tendo needs a donor who will donate $40 a month so that she can continue her university education over the next two years. This is a circumstance for someone that is loaded with opportunity for both the donor and student.
The newly formed NGM Educational Sponsorship Program will handle the donations, pay the fees, monitor Tendo's progress, communicate regularly with the donor, and help a relationship grow between the student and the donor.
Tendo is also concerned for her younger sister, Precious, who is currently studying at the Primary 6 level ... equivalent to Grade 6 in America. For $50 a month, Precious can be enrolled in Fountain of Hope Primary School and receive a superior education. This is another opportunity for you.
Please communicate with Next Generation Ministries if you would like to start supporting either Tendo or Precious on a monthly basis. You can either begin your donation now by clicking on the DONATE NOW button in the upper right hand corner of this blog or send your check to NGM, 29940 South Dhooghe Rd., Colton, OR 97017.
You should be a part of the process of changing Uganda one person at a time.
A date was set and word got out that my compound would be a site for free consultations, diagnosis, and treatment for children and teenagers. The day came and so did the kids! It was exciting to partner with someone who is as gifted as this surgeon ... motivated simply by love and the health welfare of children.
I may have known a few of those who sought our help that day, but for the most part they came because they heard of the opportunity and not because of relationship. However, out of those circumstance an opportunity presented itself and three years later we are applauding what it has yielded.
This blog is about the individual that came for medical attention but stayed for a relationship.
A teenage daughter fell sick. Her mother took her to the local clinic. The clinic gave the girl an injection and sent her home. But the injection was given in the wrong location on her hip. For whatever reason, the injection became infected and the mother took her daughter to a local "hospital."
This girl had been in that hospital for nearly a week, but the infection had only been growing and a large wound had developed on her hip.
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| Tendo Esther ... alive & attending University |
When some friends of Tendo (meaning Praise) visited and saw the bad condition she was in, and the fear her mother had, they brought her to the free clinic on that providential Saturday. When the doctor began to examine the wound he was disgusted with the miserable care that his colleagues were giving this poor girl.
The long story short is that Next Generation Ministries assumed medical care for Tendo. She was removed from that hospital and taken to a quality medical facility where she would receive competent care. The infection was treated and it disappeared. The wound healed and the mother and daughter thanked God together.
 |
| Make an impact in Tendo's life |
There are, of course, many people living in poverty here in Uganda. It is so encouraging to see a woman who works so hard for the benefit of her children. NGM decided that this was and is a family that we wanted to help. Not only did we take food there on a couple of occasions, but we also provided love, encouragement, and prayer for the family.
 |
| Tendo with her previous sponsor (the Hunters) |
As some of the staff sought to encourage Esther, she began to realized that she didn't need to surrender to those circumstances, but that she could participate in the fight for her dream. She agreed to make a short video with her story and allow NGM to see if they could find a replacement donor for her continuing education. The video is at the end of this blog post.
Tendo needs a donor who will donate $40 a month so that she can continue her university education over the next two years. This is a circumstance for someone that is loaded with opportunity for both the donor and student.
The newly formed NGM Educational Sponsorship Program will handle the donations, pay the fees, monitor Tendo's progress, communicate regularly with the donor, and help a relationship grow between the student and the donor.
Tendo is also concerned for her younger sister, Precious, who is currently studying at the Primary 6 level ... equivalent to Grade 6 in America. For $50 a month, Precious can be enrolled in Fountain of Hope Primary School and receive a superior education. This is another opportunity for you.
Please communicate with Next Generation Ministries if you would like to start supporting either Tendo or Precious on a monthly basis. You can either begin your donation now by clicking on the DONATE NOW button in the upper right hand corner of this blog or send your check to NGM, 29940 South Dhooghe Rd., Colton, OR 97017.
You should be a part of the process of changing Uganda one person at a time.
I love hearing stories of the people you are impacting, one at a time in Uganda. And marvel at how God brings the ones He has fingered for you to work with on behalf of building His Kingdom for His glory. Praying the new sponsors will know and identify themselves immediately. Thank you Paul and Pam for all you are doing.
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