When you walk down a red dirt road in the village of Buziika and up one of the many footpaths through the grass, you will find the newly built home of Aboyo Sauda. She bought this plot of land a long time ago, always hoping she could save enough to build a house there.
But for many years and until very recently, the reality for Aboyo has been that she could barely pay her rent for the home she and her family lived in. She makes a living by tending to gardens and if she earns enough, she is able to plant in her own garden to feed her family. Three of her children have a scholarship with Amazima, and that is how the CED mentors were able to begin a relationship with this family.
When Aboyo tells the story, she says there are many times she had lost all hope. She couldn’t come up with the 20,000 shillings (less than $6) to pay her landlord and provide for her children. She considered selling her little plot of land but she knew that money wouldn’t take her very far and then she would be left with even less. She was dejected. It was during these times that one of Amazima’s CED mentors visited and encouraged her to not give up, to remember her value to her family and her value to God. They reminded her that God has not forgotten her, she is loved by Him, and she is never alone.
As Amazima mentors got to know Aboyo more and became aware of the details of her situation, they planned to help her with her dream of having a home built on her plot of land.
This month, the building was completed and Aboyo and her family got to move out of their rented home and into their new and fully-paid-for-home of their own.
On the day they moved in and celebrated the home being completed with the family and CED mentors, Aboyo told her story. There was hardly a dry eye in the room as she testified to God’s faithfulness and thanked Him for his provision of what she never could have provided for herself. The passionate joy and deep gratitude moved everyone that was there to celebrate.
Her new house has a total of two rooms, with no water or electricity. And for Aboyo, it is the greatest blessing she could have ever dreamt up. The extent of her gratitude is humbling. Thankfulness is beaming from her smile, and it is contagious. She has a sturdy home that can lock at night and won’t be damaged by the rainy season’s storms. And it is hers. Thank you for the generosity of your partnership that continues to help make life changing projects like this possible.
For the past few years I have been overwhelmed with the process of attempting to own and refurbish a house into my home as a senior citizen. Today when I read Oboyo’s story of faith, endurance, and hope, I was so encouraged by her. The joy filled (evidenced in their glowing eyes and beautiful smiles) pictures of Onoyo and her children encouraged to renew my faith in our God. You know, the Lord God Almighty and the God and Father of our Lord Jesus, that ‘there is nothing too hard for Him’ and ‘the He is the God of the impossible’.
But it amazes me that I am in the middle of Indiana, USA and God sent His encouragement to me from Uganda, Africa!!!
God bless Amazima abundantly