Unfortunately, children and adults with special needs in some countries are seen as curses and, at best, outcasts. Many individuals with disabilities have little to no access to health care, education, and equipment to aid them in living a fulfilled life. We seek to break down cultural stigmas around special needs, helping communities recognize and value all people. We want to speak love, hope, and healing to those who have perpetually been neglected and cast off due to their unique needs. We do this through individual intervention and supporting other local special needs organizations. Unfortunately, we do not have the means or opportunity to help the masses or start centers, but we can help those we contact personally and can follow up with. Whether it’s assisting a family in enrolling their child in a special education center or making custom appliances and equipment, we do it all in Jesus’ name.
Sharon Noel's Story
As we toured through one of the world’s largest refugee camps in Uganda, an unfortunate little girl named Sharon Noel was brought to us. Sharon was born in Sudan with no hands and no feet. She has lived her life being ridiculed, teased, and outcasted. Locals believe she is cursed.
In 2016, after her father was killed during the civil war, Sharon’s mother was forced to flee to Camp Bidi Bidi with her five children. Sharon’s uncle came to pick up the children in the refugee camp but rejected Sharon saying she was worthless. After losing her husband and four children, her dejected mother lost all hope and no longer wanted to care for Sharon as she had become a burden. We assured Sharon and her family of God’s love and expressed to Sharon that she was perfectly formed and created in her mother’s womb. We gave the family a Proclaimer (audio Bible) in their heart language and assured them that they would be built up and encouraged if they listened to God’s Word. It was beautiful to see Sharon’s mom with a touch of joy from the simple act of receiving this gift. Sharon wanted to be like other children who could attend school and help with chores. She has now been accepted into the Promise Child program and a particular school for disabled children that will meet all of her needs. Now that she has hope for the future and knows that she is loved and valued, she can’t stop smiling! Sharon’s mother has a newfound love for her daughter and realizes that Sharon is a gift from God and part of His creation.
Our hope for the future of this beautiful school that has taken in Sharon and many other severely disabled children is to provide Proclaimers in their heart language. We want to start our Read, Listen, Watch, and Discuss program. This program involves reading God’s Word through the Faith Comes by Hearing Gospel films, discussing what they have seen, heard, and watched together with a lead facilitator. Because of viewers like you and the John Ankerberg Show, we can do this great work of Christ. If you would like to be a part of this program or help with Sharon’s ongoing care and school fees, please click the button above to sponsor Sharon Noel.
Little Wings Project
In 2014, Promise Child met a family with five children in Yumbe, Uganda, facing a dire situation. After the three youngest children were born with short limbs, their father deserted the family due to the stigma of having deformed children. He left them with no support, in a rented tukul, on someone else’s land. In Uganda and many other nations globally, children with physical and mental disabilities are viewed as curses and often left outcasts by their societies and families. Camdiru Zulaika’s mother makes money through the kids by having them beg in front of a mosque, in the marketplace, and on the roadside. They made $3 to $4 US dollars by the end of the day. The two children without disabilities, an 11-year-old girl and a nine-year-old boy, are in school. But the short-limbed girls, eight-year-old Samia Hikima, six-year-old Amali Shifa, and four-year-old Misila Suraya, were not attending school when we met them. None of the children got consistent food, skimpy clothing, and slept on papyrus mats without bed sheets, blankets, or malaria nets.
Due to the support given by many Promise Child supporters, we are delighted to share that the lives of these children have been drastically improved. Samia Hikima (age 8) and Amali Shifa (age 6) are now attending a particular school in Kampala that is specifically geared for children with disabilities. They have completed their first term, and the children performed exceedingly well. Their teachers are hopeful that these girls will now have a better future. We were also able to build this family a home of their own with beds, a kitchen, bathroom, and electricity, something that would not have been possible without the generosity of many Promise Child supporters. The improved living conditions and educational opportunities that have now been provided will ensure that these children will never have to beg on the streets, struggle with malnutrition, or suffer from sickness due to unsanitary conditions.
These little girls are receiving a quality education and thriving. They are role models for the other children and class leaders because of their sweet spirits and desire to learn. Your support has made all the difference – thank you! We praise God for answering our prayers and providing abundantly above all we could have asked or imagined for this family! Please continue to pray for our Little Wings family as our ministry workers continue to share the love of Christ with them. The ongoing need for support and schooling for these children will continue, so please consider sponsoring one or providing support for the family.
