READ ABOUT KENETH'S LIFE

I was born into a family of seven children with five brothers and two sisters. I am the youngest child. My mother also adopted two more children which makes our family a total of nine. When I was an infant I was severely sick and then when I was three years old, I was diagnosed with a caridal cordal defect. My mother was so shocked to hear this sad news, especially because the doctors told her that I needed surgery in a country such as South Africa, India, the United States, or Britain. We also found out that the minimal costs for the surgery were $18,000 dollars; this was another problem because all her resources together did not even reach $200 dollars.
My father separated me from my siblings because he knew that I was ill and identified me as not being a help. He just called me a “dead body” and was waiting for the day of burial. My mother did not lose hope but continued to suffer, taking care of me daily. My father disregarded me completely and tried to have my mother do the same. She refused and being the wonderful mother that she is, continued to take care of me like the other children.
Time had passed and my life was dependent on God and my mother. My condition was becoming worse but she never lost hope because she believed that one day God would create a miracle for me to have a healthy heart.
Living in the extreme poverty with my family and having poor health were the two most horrible conditions a human can have. But God kept me alive as well as my prayers and my mother. I was able to finish High School. The doctors told me that I would be unable to work because of the high risk it would create. I did not listen to them because I knew that studying was the only way that my future would be bright. I studied all the time. The environment did not help me because sometimes I would study on an empty stomach and I only had two notebooks for the nine classes that I was taking. Also, during this time, my father died of AIDS.
I finished my high school and was fortunate to be one of the top five students in my class. This was a huge achievement in my life. Additionally, I was admitted to one of the top universities in Africa, Makerere University. I started studying there to get my Bachelors Degree in tourism and completed one year. However, the costs were high and I struggled to maintain tuition payments. Also, the doctor told me that I had to stop working because of my health condition and my life was in danger.
A friend of mine named James came to Uganda. I met him because we attended the same church together. I hid my condition from him but as my friend, I told him to pray for me. When James found out about my story he told the small, community church of Mill Valley about me because he wanted to see if there was something he could do to help. The community church accepted to pay for my tuition and living expenses ay my Ugandan University. They also worked hand in hand to fulfill God’s plan to see that I come to the United States to have a healthy heart. Receiving this news was the best day of my life because I knew if I had surgery, I would be able to be healthy.