Godfrey lives in a remote town in the mountains of Uganda, seven hours away from the capital city, Kampala. He was born with a disability.
Our distribution partner, Father’s Heart Mobility Ministry, met him when he made his way to a wheelchair distribution at a local church. Without a mobility aid, Godfrey would scoot himself along sideways, with one leg wrapped in plastic bags to protect his many wounds.
Through sign language, Godfrey communicated that he was born with cerebral palsy, which affects his speech as well as his mobility.
Disability is seen as a curse by some communities in Uganda due to lingering superstitions and misconceptions about disability. Consequently, Godfrey’s own father would beat him while his stepmother would burn him.
The abuse was so severe that his limbs were broken. Without proper medical attention, his bones fused back together out of alignment, further robbing Godfrey of mobility.
Godfrey later fathered two children, whose mother abandoned them and left them to fend for themselves. They moved in with Godfrey, who had a hard time caring for them on his own, with no steady source of income.
Yet, despite these painful circumstances, Godfrey remains “very jolly,” in the words of our local distribution partner.
When Godfrey received a new GEN_2 from our distribution partner, his big, infectious grin widened even more.
With his new wheelchair, Godfrey can now help his two children go to school and he can venture out to get food for the family each day. He also looks forward to simply going outside to visit with people since he is so outgoing and friendly.
Although his body was broken and he has suffered through so much, Godfrey lives with a hope and a joy that no one can steal.
Godfrey’s story reminds us that after the darkness, there is always hope.
PS: There are still an estimated 75 million people worldwide waiting for a wheelchair but cannot get one on their own. Give someone the gift of mobility today.
