Henry is from Kome Island in Central Uganda. There are many hardships living on the island, one of which is that there is a high percentage of people with AIDS. There is also a lack of food, schools meet outside, medical facilities lack medicine, and there is no electricity or source of water (other than Lake Victoria).
When Henry reached 3 years old his father (who had several wives) passed away due to AIDS, and soon after Henry’s mother would discover she too was infected with AIDS. His father’s family chose to abandon his mother and siblings. To survive, his mother began selling smoked fish. God used this opportunity by allowing his mother to meet friends who informed her about the Royal School & Orphanage. Previously his mother had been able to scrap together enough school fees for kindergarten and first grade. God provided Henry with a sponsor, so he enrolled in the 3rd grade at the Royal School & Orphanage. Upon his enrollment, I met him in the Fall of 2007. While attending school he became a Christian through the teaching of various people visiting the school. During the holidays he would earn some money by digging and fishing, and this additional money helped the family continue to survive the hardships of the island.
Before the age of 8, Henry suffered a soccer injury. He had great pain in his legs that caused him to have difficulty walking. There was no money to receive quality treatment for him and his leg pain became progressively worse. His mom resorted to carrying him when needed. Through help from others, Henry eventually received good medical attention, and he was diagnosed with chronic osteomyelitis, which became another hardship for his mom due to her diagnosis. She received government treatment, but she was responsible for a portion of the expense. Henry continued to put his faith and hope in the Lord.
At this point, Henry was the only believer in his family. He continued to pray for his mother and his siblings’ salvation. Seven years later, after the initial accident, Henry was healed and no longer experienced any leg pain. His mother became a believer as a result of Henry being healed. It is a blessing to watch Henry continue to teach his mother more and more about the promises of God and His continued love for HIS children.
Henry is currently in his last year at Seroma Secondary School. He will be the first in his extended family to graduate from high school. We are so excited that he has been a part of Grace for Education since it was formed. His desire to study and memorize God’s word is a testimony to how the Lord continues to work in his life. He is diligent in both his school work and in helping around the house with various tasks. It is a blessing to watch Henry sow seeds for Christ. Currently, he serves at his school as the secretary of the Scripture Union, where he is responsible for recording minutes at the meetings as well as acting as the liaison between visiting pastors and the administrators.
Please continue to pray for Henry. You can find some of his prayer requests listed below:
- Pray for his siblings to come to faith
- Pray for the people of Kome Island
- Pray for his good results in his final year (desire to attend Uganda Christian University)
- Pray that he will continue to grow in Christ and increase his memorization of Scripture
