(written by I Live Again Uganda staff)
When he was just 5 years old, Joshua’s father was killed. Joshua’s Uncle brought soldiers to their home. He did this to save his own life. By bringing the soldiers to another home, the soldiers promised not to kill him. Joshua’s Father was brutally killed in front of him, his siblings and his mother. The soldiers wanted to kill him, his mother and his siblings as well but his Uncle spoke out, “I brought you here, you have already killed their father. Leave the rest of them alone.”
Joshua is now a teenager. He fled from his home of South Sudan. He now lives in a refugee settlement in northern Uganda where I Live Again Uganda is providing mental health programs for men, women and children. After so many years of holding the pain, Joshua is finally able to share what happened to him in South Sudan.
There are over 900,000 child refugees in Uganda. They have come from South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo and other nations affected by war. Thanks to you, I Live Again Uganda is on the ground ready to meet the mental health needs of children like Joshua.
Joshua tells us, “The programs have changed my life. I am facing life with confidence. I used to really hate being around other people because of my past. I used to think that no one understood or wanted to help me in my suffering. Coming to the program every day showed me that so many others around me are struggling just like me. It also showed me that there are people who do care about me and what I have gone through and what I am facing today.” Since coming to the I Live Again Uganda counselling program, he told us that he has found “peace within myself that I have never felt before.”
Joshua’s dream is to become a teacher.
We think he will be a great one! Joshua’s past was consumed by war and pain. His past doesn’t have to dictate his future. It can be used to help others who have faced unimaginable circumstances just like him. We know that Joshua’s future is bright.
Thank you for being a part of Joshua’s story of receiving healing,
renewed hope and knowing who he is and can be.
Your role in helping him rediscover hope and realize his true potential is truly invaluable.
