A team from Lutheran Church of Hope in Des Moines, Iowa, visited the Lukome Center in Uganda in September. While there, they were able to get a glimpse of what life at the center is like for our students, including how they are healing and learning during their 20-month programs as well as how great the need is for our programs. One of these visitors, Dina Remington, took time to reflect and share her thoughts with us.
A transcript of Dina’s comments follows:
Hi, my name is Dina Remington and I just got back from an amazing mission trip to Child Voice International [sic] in Uganda, Africa. I was there a few weeks ago and it took me a while to process some of the questions that I was asked to respond to. One of them was, what did I learn? And I think what I learned was just how great the need is, how great the need is that Child Voice is serving.
I learned that abuse does not discriminate, that it happens whether you are old or young, rich or poor, no matter what your skin color is or what geographic area you live in. Unfortunately, sexual abuse is prevalent across all of those. And when ChildVoice told me that when they do interviews for their program for the next class of 15 to 20 girls that they might have 800 to 1,000 girls show up, it really showed me how great the need is.
So I learned that on my trip there. And as far as what am I taking back with me, I'm definitely taking back memories of the time that I spent with the girls and just their beautiful faces and how much they mean to me. I'll be taking those memories back in my heart and will continue praying for each of the girls back here in the States.
And I can't wait until the next time I get to go and visit them. It was truly an amazing experience.