*Andrew will introduce the story,
Tanzania, became UCE Club member, now Morogoro coordinator*
My name is Herman Nguki, I was born in rural
Tanzania near Iringa, on August 22nd, 1989. My mother and my father
were not married. During my mother’s pregnancy, my father refused to take care
of my mother by saying that the pregnancy was not his. But, after my birth, my
face revealed that he is my father. Still, he was not accepting of me, and
refused to give anything to his born baby boy. I entered primary school,
without the help of my father. When I was in grade six, in 2004, my father was still
refusing to provide me with some basic requirements, although he was more able
than my mother. He was also now married to another woman.
One day I was chased away from my school
because I was the only one who didn’t pay my school fees. I turned back home
hopelessly. After reaching my father’s house, I met with my stepmother who
showed me the location where my father was. We met and he looked at me angrily
because he knew I was going to ask for contributions. After our greetings, he
took out a big bundle of money from his right-hand side pocket. I thanked God,
because I knew my problems would be over. Amazing! But then, he put all the
money inside his left-hand side pocket, and his hand entered again in his right-hand
side pocket where he came out with 500 shillings which is approximately, $0.25.
This money was like 2.5% of my total requirement. He gave it to me and said, ‘the
rest you will be given by your mom.’ Oh, my heart burned and I felt
like a fire of flame was passing through my throat, tears mixed with sweat came
out, and I was shivering. It was like a dream, but he disappeared out of my
sight at that moment. I went home to my mom. When my mother saw me, she asked from
afar “Son, has he given you something?” I answered, “Mom I feel like dying.” She cried, “Oh,
why are you saying so? What happened, talk to me please, son.” I showed
her the 500 shillings, and told her what my father had said. My mother started
crying with me and she said, “You can’t
die my son, please you can’t! God knows our pains and one day he will answer,
just struggle to finish at least this primary level of school.” So, I
turned back to school with nothing.
Although
I was allowed to stay at the primary school, several times the teacher who was
dealing with fees, lamented in front of all the school, ‘these people who do not bring
cooking oil they have to eat un-spiced
food, if they do not bring sugar, they have to take sugarless porridge
because this is an exploitation of those who have paid.’ I felt so bad.
That ma’dam used the second person plural just to hide her words, but I was the
subject. I continued to pray, and studied hard. My grades were excellent all
the time. Before my final exam in September of 2004, my mother and I attended a
special Mass to pray for exams, and to pray that I might get someone to pay for
my high school fees.
After completing my primary education, I
had no one to pay for my school fees and associated costs. I spent the whole
year at home, and I was left at behind by my school fellows. Still, I invested
in prayers to get someone who could help me. In August 2005, my aunt, my mom’s
younger sister who was living in Iringa town, asked me to go to town so that I
could find work. I went there and joined her in selling loaves of bread. Her
husband promised to send me to school, but the problem was that he was
drunkard. One day when he was drunk, he said that the idea of sending me to
school had been cancelled officially. I cried a lot, but still I had a hope. I
remember at the Christmas’s Vigil on the 24th of December 2005, I
went to the Church. During the supplication I gave out a single statement, “Lord,
find for me someone to send me to school.” The New Year started with no
answers to my prayers. Remember, my school fellows were now 2 years ahead of me.
Yet, I continued to pray.
One day in February 2006, around 10:00
am, the husband of another woman who was baking breads and selling them in the
marketplace with me, asked me if I wished to continue school. I answered, “YES!” He then told his wife on the spot,
‘Please
give 12,000 shillings to this boy. He has to go now to the secondary school
where he was supposed to attend last year, to ask for a transfer so that he can
start grade 7 here in town as soon as possible.’ Oh, it was like a day
time dream. I started the journey to the village, and met my mother. When she asked
about me, I told her that I have got someone to pay for my school fees and
everything. I did everything to get a transfer permit from the school, and
hence on the 1st of March 2006, Ash Wednesday, I started grade 7 at
Mlamke Secondary School in Iringa town. That man called, Philimin Malekela,
paid for everything, he bought for me uniforms, exercise books, and everything.
Then,
because of being a drunkard, my aunt’s husband chased me away from his home. My
aunt cried a lot, but I told her that everything occurs for a reason. The man
who sent me to school told me to come and live with him as a family member. I
did. He started taking care of me like his own son, and the whole family loved
me like a blood-family member.
On
November 11th, 2009 the Universal Chastity Education team
visited my school, Mlamke Secondary School. After the seminar, I was so taken
by the message the team brought that I immediately signed a chastity card.
Chastity brought me respect, responsibility, and has helped me to concentrate
on my studies. In fact, it is why I have been so successful at school. Chastity
has transformed my heart.
I
chose to accept the message of chastity for several reasons. The human body
comprises many things, including a heart. If that heart is harmed emotionally,
then love disappears in society. I knew that chastity was the only way that I
could guarantee a healthy life, respect, and peace and that it could heal my
heart.
God
is good. I did well in class, and I passed the final exam in 2009. Then I joined
Njombe high school, and I passed again and joined Sokoine University of Agriculture,
where I am studying to be an Irrigation & Water Resources Engineer. This
academic year of 2015/16 is my 4th year and the last of my bachelors.
From grade 7 up to now I still live with the family that took me as their son. God
is good, and I see his grace daily through the power of prayer!
ANDREW
*Let
us remember to never cease praying. Christ Himself modeled this for us by
taking much time for prayer, and teaching us how to pray. Sometimes we might be
discouraged that our prayers are not being answered. Let us trust in God. He
will answer our prayers. Is there a situation in our lives, a person we know,
or something in the world that we can pray for? How can we improve our daily,
personal prayer lives?*
