In March, we took in a young 16-year-old mother with her 6-week-old baby. Our local Police Officer in charge of Family and Child Welfare contacted us regarding Judith and her newborn baby girl, Hope. Judith had run away from Northern Uganda with a young man that she was in love with the previous year. This man promised Judith that he would care for her and take her to the city. This is how she ended up being in Kampala. Judith got pregnant and had the baby. The man was caught stealing shortly after the baby’s birth and sentenced to prison. With the man being in prison, Judith could not pay rent in the apartment that they were living in. The landlord kicked her and the baby out. This is how she ended up at the Police station.
When we went to the Police station, Joseph and I saw that Judith and baby Hope needed immediate medical attention. The baby had not received a medical check-up since being born. The mother as well had not received a check-up since having a C-section. The C-section was done at one of the poorest hospitals in Uganda. I personally have seen babies delivered there and would not wish any women to have her baby there. The hospital is a teaching hospital…but not like one that you would think of in the western world. The doctors and nurses receive little training before starting hands-on training. The doctor that performed the C-section on Judith was still in school and had no knowledge of how to do it properly. She was cut horizontally (up and down incision). This type of incision is not recommended and is dangerous. It is also much harder to heal from this type of incision. Due to this, Judith’s scar was extremely infected and she was having a hard time walking (6 weeks after).
Thankfully, we were able to get Judith the medical care that she needed and she stayed with us at the Children’s Home during the week. We were then able to work with the Police to connect her back to her family in Northern Uganda.
Although this was an extra expense and not in our normal operating budget, Joseph and I really felt that the Lord was telling us to help this young girl and even though we were worried about the financial aspect of it we knew that God always provides. This was our first official resettlement and we have been happy to hear from Judith. Her father, brothers, sisters, aunts and uncles were all so excited to see her. They had not known what had happened to Judith and did not know she was even alive. Pray for Judith as she adjusts to being back home with her family. Pray that her family will provide the support that she needs to raise her daughter.