Dear Friends,
Can you imagine the devastation of a wife and mother whose husband abandons her because he feels she is no longer useful to him? Now imagine what her children must feel when their father chooses another woman over their mother—over them, as well.
This devastation is true anywhere, but especially so for mothers in countries like Uganda, where poverty is extreme and abandonment is commonplace.
This was the case for Lilian. She and her four children were forced out of their own home when her husband abandoned them for another woman.
In many developing countries, the key to breaking the cycle of generational poverty goes beyond providing resources. It starts with the critical mindset shift that every woman has value.
When Pastor Jedidiah Ddobozilye of Prayer Tower Community Church first met her, Lilian had no source of income, and her children were already showing signs of malnutrition. Without any skills and limited education, Lilian began taking on casual jobs when she could find them.
Thankfully, one of Lilian’s relatives provided her and the children with a house. Members of the church began visiting Lilian and her children once a month with Food Paks. Lilian was overwhelmed with hope and gratitude, knowing that there were people who cared for her and her children.
Pastor Jedidiah described Lilian as determined, focused, and self-motivated, saying she “does not despise small beginnings.”
Lilian was one of several Food Pak recipients who the church trained in urban farming. The church wanted to give Lilian a way to provide for her family beyond relying on the church to provide her with Food Paks on a regular basis.
The pastor even shared that Lilian’s vegetable garden is “one of the best” and that she has begun harvesting what she has grown. She sells what she and her children don’t eat to meet her basic needs.
Lilian no longer worries about how she will feed her children. For the first time in her life, she can put money aside for the future.
What is so beautiful about Lilian’s story is the confidence she has gained.
This is a significant shift in perception for a woman whose husband has cast her aside. She can see herself as more than collateral. Additionally, her children have started to see themselves the same way. Their lives no longer feel cheap.
Your gift today can radically change a life. Because you’re giving so much more than a meal. A gift allows a family to hear the message of the gospel, which has the power to transform lives and restore dignity. Your gift grants families the freedom to make a choice about their situation instead of having a decision made for them.
For Lilian and her children, a gift provided them with a fresh start. More importantly, Lilian and her children were able to hear the hope of the gospel. They now regularly attend Prayer Tower Community Church. Lilian and her three oldest children have all accepted Christ as their personal Lord and Savior.
Dave and I recently had the opportunity to visit our partners in Uganda and see some of these urban gardens for ourselves. Prayer Tower Community Church is one of five locations in Uganda where Children’s Hunger Fund has assisted with setting up the garden projects. These projects equip families in need with the materials to start their own vegetable gardens and training to harvest the food and keep the gardens flourishing. Lilian’s is one of over 40 individual gardens, and that number continues to grow.
It was exciting to see what the local church is doing in the lives of the women and children in Uganda and how they are learning to see themselves in the eyes of the Father who knows them and loves them. The Father who has plans to give them a hope and a future. (Jeremiah 29:11)
Thank you for your generosity. Your gift is giving them something more precious than food. You are helping give them the chance to dream. Will you give today?
Sincerely,
Lynn Phillips
Co-Founder
Note: Recipients’ names have been changed to protect their privacy.
