Meet Jennifer.
Jennifer is 16 years old. She was abandoned by her father at a very young and once her mother remarried, she was forced to live with an Aunt in an unhappy situation. She was able to go to school and managed to complete P-6 before she was forced to quit school and take care of her aging grandmother.
I had the privilege of visiting Jennifer and meeting her grandmother, Rosaria, this past March. As we approached the house, we were greeted by Jennifer and then ushered into a small dark room to find Rose (as she was affectionately called) lying on a wood framed bed, her frail body covered by a thin quilt. She had been bedridden for quite some time.
As the light came through a small window, I knelt down beside Rose's bed and took her hand to greet her. Jennifer came in quietly behind us to wipe Rose's forehead with a damp cloth. As I knelt there, I couldn't help but notice Rose's extremely frail body, the thin mattress she lay on, the darkness of the room. Yet, it was obvious that Jennifer was taking good care of her.
Rose began speaking in Luganda to our translator. I wondered about the stories this woman must possess, what things she must have seen throughout the years, what hardship and heartache she must've known in her life, but also what joy.
I waited silently for her to finish and was then told that she had asked if I would pray for her. I was humbled by the request.
I took her hand and prayed for her, knowing that she could not understand my words, but our Heavenly Father did and that was all that mattered. I hope that she felt feel loved and valued in that moment. I don't remember exactly what I prayed, but I do remember feeling privileged to have been given the opportunity to pray for this precious Soul. As she looked up and smiled at me, it occurred to me that I might not see her again.
A few months later, Rose passed away.
When I returned to Suubi in July, I was told that Jennifer had gone to visit her other family members after the death of Rosaria, but no one wanted to take care of her or provide a place for her to live. She had no place to go.
She had spent the past three years lovingly caring for Rose and had made sacrifices most of us can not comprehend. Understandably, she was afraid to return to her grandmother's house to live alone. Her situation broke my heart and I knew immediately that we needed to help her.
Thankfully, we were immediately able to provide a safe, loving, place for Jennifer to stay until she is able to live on her own. We talked to her about her future and her dreams. It had been quite a while since she had dared dream, but she shyly admitted that she wanted to attend Beauty School.
This precious young woman, who has lovingly taken care of her grandmother for several years wants to attend Beauty School. That's her dream and I believe that, together, we can make that happen.
The total cost of the program is $800 which includes her room and board. If you are interested in donating towards Jennifer's dream of Beauty School, you can donate through our link HERE and add the comment "Jennifer". If you have any questions, please email info@thesuubiproject.org.
Each of one of us can make a difference, but together we change lives.