We received this from Kutete. It is the life story of a girl we
know very well indeed:
A girl is born out of wedlock. Her
mother discovers the child is mental and abandons it with its grandparents who
are old and do not not know what to do with a mentally challenged grand
daughter who is also thoroughly epileptic. The child's father is told of the
birth and he would have no piece of such a child, a bad omen and probably a
curse. The child grows up with its grandparents, epileptic and unloved. She
discovers the local market at a tender age and starts going there everyday
because she discovers she could beg for food there and occasionally chance on a
kindly soul who would actually show her some kindness, sit her down and buy her
food. Sometime another kind person could give her some work to do-hard work,
but at least give her food or just sugarcane at the end of the day. Meanwhile
she is growing up. She lives hard and rough. Hardly has enough to eat at home.
Tattered clothes...sickly..constant epileptic seizures because no one takes her
to hospital...Sleeps real rough...One day while making a meal at the fireside,
she gets a seizure and falls into the fire. Fortunately, hands first. She is
badly scalded. No one takes her to hospital. Burns that could have been
medically arrested end up deforming her palm. Her fingers are twisted and
cannot move anymore-probably permanently.
Along the way comes a modest school that offers her an education and guaranteed food daily and some clothes to cover her nakedness.. She eagerly starts school. Meantime she is growing up and society is watching her blossom into a young woman. One day when she is fetching firewood not far from her home, a man sneaks on her and defiles her. Yes, sexually molests and abuses her! People get to know about it and no one is willing to go to the authorities to report the heinous deed. And yes, the offender is known, but no one will tell. After all, she is mentally challenged. After all no one cares about the offended girl...Meantime we take it up, and the authorities and sitting and listening. She complains of bruised privates and has trouble passing urine and stool. The elderly grandparents are not really bothered, as long as the girl turns up home with something to eat....I get really angry and rave and rant at no one in particular.
Along the way comes a modest school that offers her an education and guaranteed food daily and some clothes to cover her nakedness.. She eagerly starts school. Meantime she is growing up and society is watching her blossom into a young woman. One day when she is fetching firewood not far from her home, a man sneaks on her and defiles her. Yes, sexually molests and abuses her! People get to know about it and no one is willing to go to the authorities to report the heinous deed. And yes, the offender is known, but no one will tell. After all, she is mentally challenged. After all no one cares about the offended girl...Meantime we take it up, and the authorities and sitting and listening. She complains of bruised privates and has trouble passing urine and stool. The elderly grandparents are not really bothered, as long as the girl turns up home with something to eat....I get really angry and rave and rant at no one in particular.
This is our Nancy, and yes, she was
raped 2 two weeks ago (featured in the USA calendars in April). This really
highlights the need for the dormitory and soon enough, by God’s grace, we’ll
have enough money to begin construction. Nancy and many others like her, needs
to be given a way out. We all long to see the day when these destitute, ‘down-and-outs’
become the backbone of communities that once had people who abused them in such
a way. We long to see the ones who were considered hopeless be the ones that
carry the one true hope of their Saviour. I know that God is in the business of
taking the hopeless and giving them the hope for others to see. A light were
many thought there should be none. Strength where many said there will never
be. Through the world’s eyes our God’s kingdom is up-side-down and we pray that
this up-side-down-ness flows through West Special School for all of East Africa
and beyond to see.
