The Gift of Food In The Lock-down
Stars caregivers returning home with food relief |
As we have come to learn through personal experiences, the COVID-19
Global Pandemic has ravaged the entire world. Uganda has been no exception. As
cases began to increase in the East African region in the month of March, a partial lockdown was declared on March 25th, followed by a total lockdown
with a twelve-hour curfew on April 1st, 2020.
The lockdown has impacted the country greatly. Some of the lockdown
effects will remain with us for a long time. To the Stars (children with
disabilities that are supported by Stars Ministry Uganda - SMU)’s caregivers, the
impact of the lockdown was almost immediate. Most of the caregivers do daily
jobs from which they earn a living to support their families; the very reason
they leave their children at the Stars Day Care and Learning Center, during
those critical working hours. To them, the lockdown meant no work, and more
critically, no or very limited food.
At the start of the lockdown, SMU leadership knew that the most critical
ministry need was going to be food for the Stars households. In the early weeks
of the lockdown, with support from some of our Ministry Partners, SMU
distributed food to twenty Stars’ families with critical food needs. In May, slightly
over a month after the declaration of the total lockdown, SMU received a consignment
of food from the Inter-Religious Council of Uganda (IRCU). This was the biggest
blessing to the Star families in the month of May, as this came in the middle
of the lockdown when Stars caregivers’ source of livelihood had been cut off.
All the forty-five families with a Star that is supported by SMU received
food packages to last them at least one month. The food consignment also
benefitted the sixteen Stars volunteers who were equally struggling to find
food during the lockdown. "I feel like this is a dream that is too good to be
true, I have all this food for my family?" said one of the star moms upon
receiving her food package. In appreciation, one of the volunteers said, “teacher
Sylvia [SMU’s ED], thanks so much for your efforts, love and care you have …
all the Stars ministry staff we really appreciate.”
As Government begins to ease the lockdown – private cars can
move between 6:30AM and 7:00PM with a maximum of three people, even though
churches, schools, and other large gatherings remain disallowed – concerns are
now shifting from the fear of the disease to the fear of its impact, especially
on livelihoods. This is the main concern among the caregivers of the Stars at
the moment.
God has been gracious to Uganda. The confirmed COVID-19 cases
stand at 413 as of March 30th, 2020. A good number of cases are of foreign
nationals from the neighboring countries of Kenya, Tanzania, Southern Sudan and
Rwanda who bring in goods. 72 people have recovered. No person has died of
COVID-19. Praise God!
SMU ED and a volunteer prepare food for distribution
Please pray for our Ministry Partners impacted by COVID-19, For SMU as we rethink programming in a COVID-19 environment, and for funding provision as the cost of doing ministry is projected to go up after the lockdown.
Get involved with SMU today by sponsoring a star. Visit our “Get Involved” page on this site for details on how to give or get in touch.
Get involved with SMU today by sponsoring a star. Visit our “Get Involved” page on this site for details on how to give or get in touch.
Comments
Post a Comment