Emma
Hello everyone! I want to introduce you all to Musana's oldest kid. His name is Emmanuel, or Emma. Many people like to call him Big Emma despite his 5 foot 2 inch stature. Emma is the oldest boy at Musana, now eighteen, and has been a true blessing to everyone who knows him. When Musana opened, we took Emma on as Musana's only secondary kid because he won the heart of all of us with his charismatic outlook on life and his charming personable self, in which we couldn't turn away. Emma is THE big brother to all of our kids and a respectable one at that. We always say that if all of our kids are as great as Emma when they get older, Musana did a good job! He is hardworking, respectful, and really grateful for everything he has been given.Unfortunately, Emma has suffered from Perthes disease which had broken down the ball-joints of both his left and right hips, leaving him in extreme pain. Over the past three years, his pain became so great that he was incapable of walking or riding to school. After seeing many doctors, and finally having an Orthopedic surgeon in America look at his x-rays, it was determined that if Emma didn't get a double hip-replacement surgery, he would most likely spend the rest of his life in a wheelchair. This same orthopedic surgeon and his family worked hard in organizing a pro-bono surgery in the United States and on the Ugandan side we worked on getting him a passport and American visa! On July 6, Emma got on his very first plane, and made his way to America, a dream come true! He got to visit the cockpit and wear the pilot's hat before experiencing what he said was the most terrifying experience of his life… take off. Upon arriving in colorful Colorado, Emma got to try America's novelty…. fast food and was amazed at the clean and luxorious lives we live. Shortly after his arrival, Emma road tripped to Missoula, Montana where on July 11, Emma received a double hip replacement. With this surgery, for the first time in years, Emma will be pain-free and will regain full mobility with time, essentially saving his legs!
Lydia, Joyce, and Aboti
In November 2010, I was introduced to a woman, a little girl, and a screaming baby that were sitting on the side of the road in front of a 'hole in the wall' that they called home. When I first met them, I was overwhelmed by sadness as I noticed this woman's concaved cheeks and skeleton figure. The bags under her eyes and the empty look on her face told me one thing…. She was tired. The baby in her arms alternated between a piercing cry and a hacking cough. The little girl sitting on the ground timidly said hello then continued rolling around in her filthy, once pink, princess dress. I got a terrible feeling in the pit of my stomach as I realized that this woman was no older than me, and if we didn't help her, she would not survive.A week later, 21 year-old Lydia, came to Musana with 7 year-old, Joyce, and 3 year-old, Aboti. Lydia's husband had recently died of AIDS, leaving her with her two daughters with no means to provide for them or herself. Upon arriving at Musana, Lydia was HIV positive, and was suffering from extreme malnourishment on the verge of death. Our matrons took one look at her and made it their mission to fatten her up. The first week of living at Musana was full of hospital visits and medical tests. Aboti's terrible cough became worse and we soon discovered the problem. Besides malnourishment which caused her three-year old self to be stuck in a one year-old body, Aboti had a severe case of malaria and tuberculosis which had eaten away at one of her lungs. Needless to say, if they had waited any longer, Aboti probably wouldn't be with us today. They came to Musana at the right time.
After going home to Colorado for the holidays, I returned to Musana to find a complete transformation in Lydia, Joyce, and Aboti. The matrons successfully plumped up Lydia's face and put meat on her bones. She is now one of the first to greet you upon entering Musana, with a big hug and a gracious smile. The look on her face is no longer empty, but full of something that wasn't there before… hope. Joyce is also one of the first to run up and jump on you upon entering Musana. She has more energy than anyone knows how to deal with. She is always moving around and has the greatest laugh you can imagine. Aboti has also become everyone's favorite. She walks around Musana like she owns the place and is a huge source of entertainment with her wobbly dance moves and lip-curling smile.
I always tell our sponsors this but I think it is important to hear about the situations of the kids at Musana, like Joyce and Aboti, so as part of the Musana family, you can see the impact you are having on the kids lives and the people in Iganga's lives. All of our kids and staff members have difficult pasts full of suffering and pain, and without all of your help towards Musana, they would still be living life in pain… without hope. I can only imagine what would have happened to Lydia, Joyce, and Aboti if they never came to Musana. They may not even be alive today. With this, I just want to say thank you for being part of the Musana family, part of Lydia, Joyce, and Aboti's family, and really helping change their lives.
