Instilling hope in Ugandan children who don’t know when the morning will come.

By Lorna Katagara, Assistant Manager of the Life Skills Education and Counseling Program

As part of our Life Skills Education and Counseling program, I work with a lot of students who are in tragic, desperate situations. Too often, these situations look hopeless, and the students feel hopeless, too. I love these students so much, and I try so hard to help them feel hopeful, so that they can use the life skills we teach them to change their lives.

When I look at my students from the front of the classroom, I remember David crying out to God:

I will exalt you, Lord, for you lifted me out of the depths and did not let my enemies gloat over me. Lord my God, I called to you for help, and you healed me. You, Lord, brought me up from the realm of the dead; you spared me from going down to the pit. Sing the praises of the Lord, you his faithful people; praise his holy name. For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime; weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.

Psalm 30:1-5 (NIV)

But for little kids who don’t know anything except for “the night,” it can be difficult to convince them that hope is worth it, that God is still working in their lives and that they are not powerless over their lives and their futures.

The best way to teach them is by modeling hope, just like we strive to model the fruits of the Spirit to them. Without showing them what patient, loving, active hope looks like, it would be impossible for them to experience the transformative power of hope. We cannot pour out to them what Christ did not first pour into us.

Thankfully, it’s not very hard for me to model hope. I have seen God work in incredible ways in my own life and in many of our students’ lives.

One school we work with in particular instills so much hope in me. Bukhana Primary School is one of the only rural schools in the Busoga region of Uganda that has special education accommodations for students with hearing impairments. Without Bukhana Primary School, these kids would not have access to the resources they need to thrive in the classroom. Their situation would have been absolutely hopeless.

But here’s the most amazing part. Because Bukhana Primary School is geared toward students with hearing impairments, it has a special emphasis on diversity. Students with albinism, deformities, or injuries often don’t have any special educational needs, but rampant bullying and isolation at other schools would hinder their educational opportunities. Not at Bukhana Primary School, which makes room for all students by making difference a good thing.

Inclusion begets inclusion. Compassion begets compassion. Opportunity begets opportunity. Love begets love. Joy begets joy. Unity begets unity. And hope always begets hope.

This article was also published here by The Journey Church.