By Stephen Banyikiza Wamara
It is one thing to know God cares about us, it is quite another to experience that in real life! Unfortunately when life comes crushing in on us we often forget the fact that God’s plan is still to prosper us.
This was true of Ericson, who was one of two surviving siblings of a police woman struggling to fight for her children. His mother brought men into the house that was only a single room divided by a curtain. He was confused which of these men to call “uncle” because each night it was a different man. I can’t even begin to imagine the amount of trauma that boy went through with his sickly HIV positive sister. How bad could things get?
Not long his mother passed on due to AIDS. He was taken to his grand father who had so many wives while his sister went with an uncle. One thing his grand pa could not do is provide for his children. He loved Ericson so much that he called him “my son.” Since he was hungry for love, he was excited finally someone gave him an identity. Soon he would discover something very strange…
His late mother was the favorite daughter of his grandfather, who for the love of his grandson began faking sickness to his sons and daughters just to get money for school fees.(Remember he paid fees for no one, and this attracted more hatred towards this little boy). The will had his name and he found out he was the real son of his grand father… How was he supposed to react to this “new found love?”
Disappointed beyond words can describe, he pursued his studies and finally found Jesus Christ at a Christian school. That was only for school because he was warned sternly “the day you become born again, you will leave my house!” He would act like a Catholic when home. His grandfather fell sick and died in his arms during his first year at Campus. He was studying to become a counselor so he could deal with the pain inside his heart. Now his only hope gone? God moved the heart of someone else who paid for him until he finished his course but that did not come easy.
This person reminded him of how tough it is to pay for orphans while you have your own children in need of school fees. He could no longer live there and he left to join a friend and before long he was sleeping at Watoto Church downtown-homeless, and hopeless? He cried to God asking for help. As a graduate from university he became a hawker selling roasted ground nuts. When God seemed to delay, he never knew God was working behind the scenes…
Ericson applied for many jobs but at last he applied for the post of Counselor for Watoto Schools. When I met him in the interview room he looked like he had it all together. On January 26 he shared with 217 young people at Suubi around the fire, he said before going for that interview he said a payer “God you know I do not have a father, you are my father, you know I have no connections, you are my connection. May I find favor before my interviewers.” He was shortlisted and to cut the long story short, he is changing lives of children at Laminadera.
He said you may be here and feel like there is no one in the world who cares, you are not defined by your past! Your life is in God’s hands and if you run into his loving arms, he will use you for his glory. As we prayed 37 of these responded to finding healing they so desperately need.
You are such an inspiration. God is writing a beautiful story using your life as a book. A story of God’s redeeming grace!
The author serves as a pastor at Watoto Church, Suubi.
