douglas

Douglas, lower left corner (photo by Ann)

One of the young people who grabbed the attention of all seven of us when we were at St. Mary Kevin’s in December is a twenty-one year old named Douglas. He is handsome and has a dazzling smile. Douglas represents those children at the orphanage who are neither “true” orphans or even “half” orphans. As far as he knows, both his mom and dad are alive. They are just not in his life, and they haven’t been for many years. He has fought hard to survive and has managed to emerge from his harsh circumstances with a warm, gentle personality, a generous nature, a fabulous talent on the drums, as well as a kind and nurturing attitude toward the young ones at the orphanage. He helped Ann in the play therapy sessions most days we were there. He was her translator; he also quickly became a shoulder for the broken young orphans to lean on and cry on.

Basically, we all fell in love with this kid.

I have received a request from Douglas. He will soon be graduating from [the equivalent of] high school and wants to become a nurse. Given his sweet nature, this does not surprise me.

He has asked Change the Truth to help him with the fees necessary for nursing school. He does have a sponsor currently, but the fees being paid only cover secondary school, which is much less expensive. I told him I would try to gather more sponsors for him so we could make up the difference.

This would clearly be a home run for both Change the Truth and for Douglas. As I look down the road and imagine this dear young man going to work each day at a hospital or clinic, having fulfilled his dreams in spite of some horrible odds, I get a pretty big smile on my face. Think about what you may be able to do to help achieve his goal. If you’d like to make a donation and earmark it for Douglas’ nursing education, please contact me. If you have someone in mind who may want to help, please pass along this blog post.

Here is Douglas’s story, in his own words:

"I was born in November, 1986 in the western part of Uganda, a district known as Mubende.

Mainly my story at times makes me sad and weep whenever I am trying to testify to people. My mum left me at my home when I was only 2 yrs old. The best I can remember is that she was chocolate skinned. Dad found the situation difficult to raise me alone so he got me a step mum, believe it was not only one step mum but more than one. This was like from fire to the sauce pan (made matters worse) cause my step mums mistreated me to the extent of burning me during my childhood.

I was forced to run away from home because my dad did nothing about my situation yet my life was in danger. A friend of mine took me to his home and the parents welcomed me. However after some time the parents could not take it any more because I was growing and my needs increasing. But I thank God my friend new about Rose Mary and St. Mary Kevin through rumors, so he took me there.

That was 1998 when I was 12 yrs. Mama Rose Mary welcomed me so much and gave me a place to stay even if she had not enough money. I studied up to this level of school and now my results are back soon.

I am so happy to be at St. Mary Kevin because I am more comfortable than ever before. Thanks Mama Gloria, Friends of Change the Truth, Mama Rose Mary and families.

More to that. Mama Gloria, everybody at St. Mary Kevin has a story to tell even I my self. It has not been easy. Rose Mary and Joseph and family have done alot in people's lifes despite of their little earnings. Now that we have you we have hope, we feel loved and comfortable because you are our angles straight from heaven. Thanks alot to all our friends of Change the Truth. We have a family to belong to.”

And this added piece, from Rosemary:

“During 2007, Douglas sat for his Senior 4 examinations. He is currently waiting for his results.

After completion of Senior 4, one has two options:

a) Continue to Senior 5 and eventually to University, or

b) Join vocational skills training, i.e. nursing, teaching, hotel management, etc.

Douglas has opted for vocational training and is interested in taking a course in nursing. This course takes two and a half years, equivalent to five semesters. The cost per semester is one million and two hundred thousand shillings per semester. This means the total cost of the course is US $3,550 spread over two and a half years. (There are extra costs including uniforms and some medical equipment.)

The course will start November, 2008 and can be undertaken at a number of institutions in and around Kampala.”