Vivien, Home of Hope and Edith's Story

I love sharing our adoption story (here here and here). I’ve barely begun and have so much more, but I am going to deviate from it and share a little bit about Viv and our connection Edith and invite you to participate with us at an event coming up.

If you have read our blog at all, you know that we have so much love for Viv and so much joy in her. We have often reflected on the medical benefits we have for Viv here in America and think about the “what if’s” of her being born in another country.

Edith Lukabwe grew up in Uganda. When she gave birth to her son Derrick he was healthy but contracted a disease shortly after birth that left him severely disabled. As they realized the extent of his disabilities those from her community began to reject her. They called her cursed. Family members believed that she had brought a curse to their family. They believed her son Derek was cursed. Many in Uganda see disabled people as cursed or even demon posessed and reject them, hide them or abandon them.

Not only was it difficult for him to get the medical support that he needed, she was shunned by many. She was just a mom who loved her son and she was often rejected. Her husband was supportive but it was still very difficult.

The story is much longer than this with many more details, but at one point God spoke to her and asked her if she would have room in her heart and home for some other children she knew of who had disabilities and were not being cared for. At that time, she thought she’d take in the few that God had told her to take in. She thought that was going to be it. But God had a different plan. One that seems incredible when you look at where she is today. Many people thought she was crazy to take in these children that no one wanted.

Soon other children started showing up, often abandoned with no sign of parents. Again, the story is much longer and more complicated and I am abbreviating , but Edith and her family and some staff now run a home of 55 children with special needs. She also reaches out to the community, teaching parents with children with special needs therapies, and how to care for their children.  They have been faithful to what God called them to and they are running out of room.

Embrace Kulture sponsored Edith to come earlier this year and we all– with a lot of your help, were able to raise the funds to buy the land adjacent to Home of Hope. It was amazing to watch this happen. Now they have started to actuall build on this land and need more funds for this home.  We have put together a US board and a new organization with a 501c3 that is dedicated to helping children with special needs in Uganda.

We are hosting a fundraiser for Home of Hope. We’re so excited to invite you.  Invitation HERE.  There will be a delicious sit down dinner provided by Richard's Good Food , and you can meet this amazing woman and hear her whole story. I have left out a lot of details and it is worth hearing.

In thinking about Viv and the joy she is, we want each of these children at her home to be cared for well, loved and provided for. We would love for you to make this your goal also. As we continue on in our adoption story, you will find out more about our connection to Home of Hope and Joseph.

Even if you cannot make it to the event you can GIVE HERE. And whether you can make it or not, would you be willing to share this post or the facebook invite and spread the word? Please pray that many will come and give generously to bless these precious kids!