Last Monday was the Empower the Future graduation for the 6-9 month program for rehabilitating parents of street children and getting the children themselves (back) into school. There were speeches and soft drinks, fancy cakes and dancing. Among the speeches was a compelling story told by one of the mothers/ beneficiaries of the program.
First, this little boy sat quietly on the edge of the raised dais, watching the graduation festivities for his father. His mother graduated from Empower the Future last year. All the children here are darling, but this little fellow is in a league by himself. His mother learned to sew at Empower the Future and made his clothes.
The beautiful woman in the foreground, (green dress, with black, red and white trim,) lighting the candle on the cake has a story that most will find remarkable.
Here she is later in the ceremony. Her name is Assoumpta Nyirambarushimana. She has six children, and their father left her with no job and no way to feed her children. She had no where to turn and struggled to keep her children fed. Desperate, two of her children went on the street to fend for themselves.
"I was very sad about that," Assoumpta, recalled. "My friends told me that when your children go on the street, they are arrested and go to jail. They said I would never see them again.
"But Empower the Future found my children and brought them to the (facility). They cleaned them and fed them and gave them clothes to wear. When they brought them back to me, I was very happy to see my children again and learn that they were not in jail. Then Empower the Future brought me to their place and told me that I could learn a craft to support myself and buy food for my children."
Assoumpta chose to do two crafts, first sewing and then woodworking. For graduating with a double certificate, she received both a treadle sewing machine, (no electricity required,) and the hard hat, goggles, and gloves, she is wearing over her graduation gown and a set of chisels and a saw. As a single parent, she's hedging her bet.
"Now I have a way to support myself and to feed my children. I never could have imagined that I could put on a dress like this, (meaning the green dress under her graduation gown.)
"My children go to school and they will learn to work and take care of themselves and when they have families, they will have a way to take care of them, because they have learned.
Take just a second and scroll up to the cake cutting photo. Don't you agree that Assoumpta is a strikingly beautiful woman? She's magazine cover material. Yet she is apparently utterly unaware of her beauty and had no qualms in dressing in her hardhat, work gloves and goggles to give her speech.
The man standing next to her is translating for her, but even listening to her speak in Kinyarwanda, she was poised and dignified.
She concluded by saying, "I never knew that there were people in the world that cared so much about other people that they would help me and my children. My life has changed because of them, of some of you who are here, and I am thankful."
It's impossible, I think, not to pause and consider all the blessings that Americans and others from Western society take for granted, that would each be life changing for these disadvantaged people.
As a missionary, it's hard not to feel overwhelmed by all the need. These sons and daughters, of our Heavenly Father are just as important to Him as I am. He wants me to help them. I pray every night and morning to know how to best spend my time, energy and resources to do the most far-reaching good.
I learned that this little miss is sister to the boy in the first picture. Someone handed her a piece of cake, and she's not sure what to do with it. A cake is a BIG DEAL to both the children and the adults. The fact that it was not at all what Americans expect from a cake, seemed to make no difference to the happy guests and children. Don't you love the eagerness in the faces of those watching the cake cutting?
Emile, the Executive Director told me that a philanthropic group called "Operation Kids" has agreed to sponsor their funding for FREE. 100% of donations made and specified for Empower the Future will go to them. If you go to the website (operationkids.org) and they still don't have a way to specify "Empower the Future" if you want to donate, please wait a couple days and check back. We will even be able to set up a monthly automatic donation. Truly, a little goes a long way, and Empower the Future wastes nothing.
Next week, I think I really will be ready to write about a group called the Zion Foundation as promised two weeks ago. They are people that are gathering to learn skills from each other to hopefully start bringing in a dollar a day. That's the initial goal. . .just a dollar a day. I'll tell you our ideas (and initial efforts) for helping them find the unfilled niches and how to add and expand their reach . I'm hoping you readers will also share any ideas you may have to help. But that's next week.
Other stories are piling up, too. Inspecting Missionary Apartments, shopping at Kimironko market, buying fruit and vegetables from tiny roadside "stands", teaching Temple Preparation classes through a translator, teaching English. . .having fun!
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This is so cool Beth. Seems like a very worthy cause!