Founder's Life  Story

My Name is Jessica Kirabo Namawejje I am the founder of Children’s Feast Orphanage. I was born out of wedlock on April 21 1990 in the heart of Wakiso a District in Uganda. By the time of my birth my father was married for 10 years. Unfortunately God had not blessed my father with a gift of a child since the woman he was married to was not able to conceive, so that made me his first child. During my early years I grew up with a single mother and my existence was kept away from the public to protect my father’s reputation in the community him being one of the village elders. At the age of 3 my mother wanted my existence as my father’s child to be revealed. She suggested to introduce me to my father’s family since she was struggling with finances as a single mother and she had other 4 children to look after from her late husband. At the age of 4 my father accepted to recognize me and he took me to permanently live with him and my step mother.

 

LIFE AT MY FATHER’S PLACE

 

A different life begun for me as a young child, I missed my mother love and I was not allowed to go back to see her at any single occasion. The hospitality at my father’s place was not welcoming. I started suffering the wrath of a step mother who had struggled so much to have a child and she could not. My priorities as a child were not important instead I became a house helper by cleaning, washing, cooking, grazing the cattle and farming. My education was not important to my stepmother because she could send me to school when she did not have work for me to do at home and sometimes she could tell me to first finish up all the work then I go to school. At that time my father could not say anything nor save me because he could leave very early in the morning while I was asleep and could come back late at night while I was sleeping and he trusted his wife so much.

 

A DAY I WAS SAVED

 

It was a Friday and it was a day we were getting holidays at school so my father sent me to school to get my report card. Along the way as I was coming back from school I met my cousin who was very older than me and she was aware of what I was going through. She called me and told me to escort her somewhere, little did I know that she was taking me to go and see my mother. On reaching my mother’s place I saw her break down and she started crying due to the fact that I was malnourished and I was looking bad, wearing torn clothes. I remember her telling my cousin “you are not taking back my daughter” I started staying with her in all hard ships as a single mother and in overwhelming poverty, with my father trying to get me back she had to protect me with all her life. My father disowned me and swore that he will never give me any of his help since I was no longer one of his own. We struggled together with my mother that at times we could even fail to get a meal for a day but with peace and love among us we were happy. Above all she was a Christian and she taught me the importance of prayer. After 5 years of staying together she started battling HIV/AIDS. Due to lack of proper medical care and financial support she lost the battle and I was left as an orphan .My father never looked back on his word to take me back or support me through school.

 

GODS MERCY FOR ME HIS LOVE AND HIS CALLING.

 

God was so good to me that He did not leave me in the time of need. Among the people who had come for the burial there came along a Good Samaritan that God had sent to rescue me. He took me in his home gave me everything that I ever needed and lacked in life. He took me to the best schools and I had the best education that was available in Uganda. My life as a youth was so promising for me. While at Makerere University I started doing community based research engineered by the course I was doing of Social works and Social services and it was there that my eyes were opened about the everyday life struggles of community members especially the young children who are orphaned and vulnerable. In April 2013, I made the decision to embark on my next dream: to care for orphans full-time. I prayerfully considered this decision, and felt like this is what God was calling me to do and it became one of the most rewarding jobs I could ever imagine. God led me to a home outside of Kampala Uganda that was right across the road from Wakiso which was available for rent. After much prayer, I decided to rent the house and I opened up Children’s Feast Ministry there. I began visiting some children that I had heard needed care and nourishment. I visited villages, homes, streets etc to see their situations of different children in the community. I am clinging to the promise that He will provide. And now we have seen the land that we are interested in to buy and build our permanent home there with God on our side and our dear friends we will make a difference…. Praise Jesus!