Portraits of Courage: A Brave Child
Here's a brand new "Portrait of Courage", true stories of people who step out in faith, and God meets them. This time, out story comes from East Africa.
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Where were you in 1987? Can you imagine the Uganda post Idi Amin? War torn, poverty stricken, AIDS pandemic spinning out of control. A nation trying to find peace and security after 15 years of turmoil. It was in this climate that the seeds of New Hope Uganda were planted in an effort to care for and reach the hearts of some of the thousands of children left orphaned by war.
Fast forward to January 2001, a little girl named Keera leaves her village where she lives with her two siblings and her grandmother. Seemingly a normal girl for her age and culture though very different from how you and I understand a kindergartener. Living with grandma is quite normal for Ugandan children, especially those who have lost their parents. Like many other African nations, the ’80’s and ’90’s saw a terrible fallout from HIV/AIDS as well as war and post colonial trouble. Uganda was no different and had been ravaged by war and disease, leaving thousands of orphans in it’s wake.
Keera was one of the blessed children from her remote village because she was being provided with education by a thriving children’s ministry called New Hope Uganda. As she walked the 2 miles to school she really had no idea what the future held for her.
Over the years to come, Keera was able to experience the love God had for her through various missionaries from both Uganda and abroad, all sharing the truth that God had a plan for her life. Bright like her parents, they were both teachers before their deaths, she excelled in school and was promoted year after year. Her school was staffed by faithful teachers and other missionaries who presented the gospel as the hope for her life and her future.
It wasn’t until her early teen years that she fully understood the gift Christ had offered her and even then it was only through a tumultuous season of rebellion and hardship. After a few years of resisting the love that so many people offered her she finally allowed Christ, His love and His forgiveness, to penetrate her wounded heart. That year brought radical change to her life.
People began to take notice of her, not because of physical beauty, or academic success but because the clear change that was taking place in her life. Her commitment to Christ began to shine bright as she cared for younger children, studied her bible and became very involved in her local church and outreach. The boldness she felt due to her faith led her to sharing he gospel where ever she went. On one occasion she visited the local witchdoctor to share Christ and offer to pray for him. He invited her in to his shrine, knowing it would scare her away, and she took him up on his offer, entered and shared with him how Jesus had transformed her life. What a change! Over the years Keera became an example for the younger children in her village and school and as she participated in ministry and youth outreach, her faith continued to soar.
Though many young people in Uganda never receive the opportunity to go to high school, let alone University, God had different plans for Keera. Thanks to the efforts of donors and the faithful staff of New Hope Uganda Keera went through high school and into university studying criminal justice with hopes to impact the justice system and work with the oppressed. During her years at university she was able to intern for various humanitarian organizations both in the church and out which led to a full time position right after finishing school. She began working with women who had been taken up by human trafficking, both locally and abroad.
Clearly the work that God did in her teenage years was incredible. Recently her employer, the Executive Director of a international NGO recognized her potential and offered her a full ride scholarship for her Masters Degree of Law in International Social Justice. God clearly is going before her and showing Himself faithful to complete that which he began.
Keera’s story is one of many that could be told about the work New Hope Uganda Ministries has done in the lives of orphan children in Uganda. Over the 35 years of ministry, countless children have been exposed to the life changing gospel of Jesus Christ and have experienced the hope and freedom that Jesus offers.
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Where were you in 1987? Can you imagine the Uganda post Idi Amin? War torn, poverty stricken, AIDS pandemic spinning out of control. A nation trying to find peace and security after 15 years of turmoil. It was in this climate that the seeds of New Hope Uganda were planted in an effort to care for and reach the hearts of some of the thousands of children left orphaned by war.
Fast forward to January 2001, a little girl named Keera leaves her village where she lives with her two siblings and her grandmother. Seemingly a normal girl for her age and culture though very different from how you and I understand a kindergartener. Living with grandma is quite normal for Ugandan children, especially those who have lost their parents. Like many other African nations, the ’80’s and ’90’s saw a terrible fallout from HIV/AIDS as well as war and post colonial trouble. Uganda was no different and had been ravaged by war and disease, leaving thousands of orphans in it’s wake.
Keera was one of the blessed children from her remote village because she was being provided with education by a thriving children’s ministry called New Hope Uganda. As she walked the 2 miles to school she really had no idea what the future held for her.
Over the years to come, Keera was able to experience the love God had for her through various missionaries from both Uganda and abroad, all sharing the truth that God had a plan for her life. Bright like her parents, they were both teachers before their deaths, she excelled in school and was promoted year after year. Her school was staffed by faithful teachers and other missionaries who presented the gospel as the hope for her life and her future.
It wasn’t until her early teen years that she fully understood the gift Christ had offered her and even then it was only through a tumultuous season of rebellion and hardship. After a few years of resisting the love that so many people offered her she finally allowed Christ, His love and His forgiveness, to penetrate her wounded heart. That year brought radical change to her life.
People began to take notice of her, not because of physical beauty, or academic success but because the clear change that was taking place in her life. Her commitment to Christ began to shine bright as she cared for younger children, studied her bible and became very involved in her local church and outreach. The boldness she felt due to her faith led her to sharing he gospel where ever she went. On one occasion she visited the local witchdoctor to share Christ and offer to pray for him. He invited her in to his shrine, knowing it would scare her away, and she took him up on his offer, entered and shared with him how Jesus had transformed her life. What a change! Over the years Keera became an example for the younger children in her village and school and as she participated in ministry and youth outreach, her faith continued to soar.
Though many young people in Uganda never receive the opportunity to go to high school, let alone University, God had different plans for Keera. Thanks to the efforts of donors and the faithful staff of New Hope Uganda Keera went through high school and into university studying criminal justice with hopes to impact the justice system and work with the oppressed. During her years at university she was able to intern for various humanitarian organizations both in the church and out which led to a full time position right after finishing school. She began working with women who had been taken up by human trafficking, both locally and abroad.
Clearly the work that God did in her teenage years was incredible. Recently her employer, the Executive Director of a international NGO recognized her potential and offered her a full ride scholarship for her Masters Degree of Law in International Social Justice. God clearly is going before her and showing Himself faithful to complete that which he began.
Keera’s story is one of many that could be told about the work New Hope Uganda Ministries has done in the lives of orphan children in Uganda. Over the 35 years of ministry, countless children have been exposed to the life changing gospel of Jesus Christ and have experienced the hope and freedom that Jesus offers.
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