More than I can Do....

After thinking through my options and then realising how much I wanted to work with children and how much I really wanted to do something in order to put a smile on children's faces, I realised that embarking on the journey to Norway in pursuit of the career that God willing will help change some children's lives. But again when I think about it till now, I usually ask myself whether I will be able to do something about children's situations that are so heartbreaking today.

For example, the violence against children and the molestation that has really embedded our societies today. Talk about stepmothers burning children every day, relatives involving young girls into early domestic work, talk about the defilement that is on a rise today, children are not only defiled by strangers but also their own fathers.  Children as young as two months are defiled by their fathers. The list is endless and when you think about all this you might think its all made up, but do you ever at any time ask yourself how many cases of defilement or violence against children reach media? I ask myself that question every day and I have a feeling the cases that do not reach media, are more than those that do. When they are reported, a few of them that reach the police, corruption gets in the way. Then you wonder, how and where should the children run when in danger if even the keepers of law and order in a society cannot help them.

For example, at the beginning of last year in Buikwe district, a two-month-old baby was defiled by her own father when the mother had gone to collect water. When the mother found a young daughter crying like hell, carried her and she was bleeding like crazy, she looked at the father and he had blood all over him. She managed to report the case to the Police, but he was released on the same day. Whenever I think about such scenarios, I wonder how God's loving hand can be extended through me to help such victims :(.

So Help me God. See you in my next post, where I will tell you about my Journey to Norway from day one till now. See you the :)

More than Myself.....

Have you ever had this strong urge to help someone but you have no means to do so? I mean nothing at all that every day you look at this person your heart bleeds inside, just to know that there is nothing you can do to help him. In my last blog, I promised to share what really motivated my passion for children. Despite the fact that I had the passion, I needed something to remind me how much passionate I am towards the career I wanted to choose for myself.

This is when I remembered that time in my first year at Makerere Univesity. I used to find this young boy about 10 or 12 years old on my way to the University. The first time I found him seated next to an entrance of a certain house, I asked him why he wasn't at school. He told me he was waiting for his Primary seven results, then the next day he told me he was sent away from school due to school financial fees. After this I realised he wasn't a normal child, I don't know why, but I really felt so attached to this boy. I continued meeting him every day on my way to school and each time I could spend some time with him, sometimes when I had coins I could give him some.

I could think about him more than I thought about myself. It hurt me so much that I had a chance to go to school and he never got that chance. I wished I could do something about his situation, but I couldn't. Then after like a year, he started begging especially on taxis from Entebbe to Kampala. One day I found him with his mom at around 14:00 hours, he had collected some money. I found him giving money to his mother, after he told his mother how hungry he was. What broke my heart is his own mother told him to go fetch firewood and then go back and beg. My heart broke into pieces tears rolled down my face. I felt so angry about the fact that I couldn't do anything to help this young boy.

I realised his mom had given up on him, but only interested in the money he brings home. I hadn't given up on him, but I did know how to help him. Helplessness killed me softly each day I met him. I made a pledge to myself that one day God willing, I will be able to help such children. If I can't at least I would help at least a child one day. When I was given Childhood Studies, I knew God was making a way for me to help such children. Giving up this chance meant I was disappointing my friend who I met every day on my way to school. I pray that God willing I am able to make a change in the lives of children. I know I can't help every child, but I can help a fraction and to me that fractions will mean a world to me. A chance to bring a smile on a child's face, so help me God.

See you next time.