Hope Springs from Compassion

"Do want to meet her?" Innocent asked us as we walked the open field high on a hill in Umutara. "She has HIV."

"Of course, yes, please tell her to come." Jen replied.

Margaret Mukakarangwa sat quietly in the sitting room with gentle folded hands. Her eyes soft. A 45-year old mother of five girls. She spoke in her native Kinyarwanda language as our friend Michel translated her story to us. A story that started with the tragic loss of her father and three siblings to the genocide and traversed through her journey as a refugee from Uganda to Rwanda, the loss of her husband to AIDS, the shame thrust upon her life with HIV, the vulnerability of depending on the goodwill of others to obtain food for her family and ended with the hope she finds rooted in her faith.

"What can we do for you?" Jen asked Margaret after she finished her story.

"You can pray for me," she said softly and then she offered us a blessing.

* * *

In support of Fair Content, we made a small monetary contribution to Margaret from our Picture Hope Name Your Dream Assignment fund to honor her audio story we intend to share with you.

Comments

[HeidiRenee]

praying. thank you.

[Ali]

Thank you for sharing Margaret's story. I met Jen at BlogHer in the Shutter Sisters' suite and she gives the best hugs.

[Wanda]

My prayers are up for Margaret and her family...and you as you spread HOPE.

[Monica]

I love that photo. It tells a story all on it's own. Beautiful.