When Children are on Their Own

“A Father to the Fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in His holy dwelling.” Psalm 68:5

What does a fifteen year-old do when she is left alone to care for her four younger siblings? It may be difficult for us to imagine, but Shamira has chosen hope. Shamira’s father passed away because of HIV, leaving his wife to care for 5 young children while fighting the disease herself. Thankfully, Shamira has been sponsored by a generous family and has been able to attend school through Secondary 1. However, her situation became desperate when her mother’s health quickly deteriorated. Shamira and her twelve year-old sister were struggling to go to school while caring for their mother until she passed away in April 2015. This fifteen year-old girl then had to figure out how she was going to feed her four siblings, manage a two year-old and a child with special needs, and go to school. When our office in Kapchorwa heard of what was happening, their hearts were heavy and they knew that we needed to do something to help the family. Within a week, God provided sponsors for Idaya (12 years) and Anisha (6 years) before we even asked! Then, an older cousin stepped in to help provide food and assistance to the children in addition to what Hope Africa’s special child needs fund is providing. When I saw these beautiful photos of the children yesterday, I was humbled that we get the incredible opportunity to be involved in their lives, even in this small way. Although the circumstances are tragic, Shamira has found hope in God, knowing that He is a Father to the fatherless.