“Teacher, can you please read this?” asked one of the students at the Center of Hope, as he handed me a brown envelope and an Amnesty International, human rights report book. I have seen him around the Center often, and have noticed that he is usually looking down and rarely speaks to anyone. I took the thick brown envelope and sat down to read the documents inside. I literally couldn’t finish reading them without taking a break because it was so horrible. He had put a bookmark in the human rights book, in a section describing torture reports-- and there, in the book, was this student’s name—listed as one of the victims of torture and human rights abuse in 2009, in a certain African country where many of our refugee students come from. There were additional medical reports and refugee asylum reports detailing the abuse this man had endured – for no other reason than his ethnic/racial background. I felt sick reading his story. Later he came to my office and we sat together and he cried as he told me what he had been through and how he has lost everything, for no other reason than his race and tribe. He is younger than me, but looks much older, and he has permanent damage to one of his arms and to his back from torture. As I listened to him talk I prayed for wisdom to know how to respond. I asked him if I could pray for him. He said he would like that very much and he also asked for a Bible. He is suffering from depression and physical pain, but he said he always feels better when he comes to the Center of Hope. He said being at the Center made him feel loved and happier than he has felt for many years. He is now enrolled as one of the Center’s full-time students in a new program we just started in January. This Valentine’s Day, would you consider making a recurring financial gift to show your love and support for refugees in Kampala, Uganda, such as this man?
For as little as $14.00 a month you can support a full-time student at the Center of Hope!
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