Victoria

On Monday Nic, Kathryn and I went to visit a lady who some of the volunteers have known for a long time. We jumped on two different taxis to get there and had to ask a few boda drivers and shop keepers where to go, before meeting up with Harriet, who cares for the lady we were visiting. She led us to their shared compound where we tried to prove to some of the little ones that we really weren’t as scary as we looked! Some of them accepted our high-five offers, but others preferred to keep their distance!

We went inside their home and sat down. From what I could see, their house was made up of about two or three rooms. We sat and spoke to Harriet and another lady before we noticed a face poking out through the curtain in between the two rooms. The curtain was pulled back to allow a little old lady to shuffle out towards us, her body bent double due to the small second-hand jerry can that she used as a walking stick. Her face was sunken and the lines on her face suggested years of struggle. This was Victoria. Despite everything, her determination prevailed as she headed straight for Kathryn and I. Now there’s something likeable about someone who goes straight in for a hug before the formal introductions. Victoria went in for the double, embracing both of us simultaneously. As I put my arm round her, I felt her shoulders beneath her dress and the brittleness of her bones as she tried to hold herself up. We took on her weight as she began to mutter something in Luganda and Nic later told us that she was crying. Happy tears, we hope! Nic helped Victoria to move round and sit down next to me on the sofa. She took my hand in hers and rested her head on my shoulder.

Harriet then pulled out a bag of handmade jewellery. I’ll buy a few things, I thought to myself. Next thing I knew, she was pushing a ring onto my finger and fastening a bracelet round Kathryn’s wrist. “They are a gift to you” she said, refusing to let us pay for them. Her generosity amazed me, she has many mouths to feed and lives to care for and yet she willingly gave away these beautiful pieces of jewellery to us.

Next to me, Victoria started to groan in pain. She placed my hand on her stomach and her family told me that she has stomach ulcers and cancer. Her family reckon that the ulcers in her stomach have been there for up to 50 years! Unfortunately, Victoria is now too old for them to perform surgery and palliative care is very limited here in Uganda. She has to live every day in constant pain and discomfort. 

One thing that stood out to me about Victoria was her piercing blue eyes. She picked up my hands and placed them over her eyes, and Nic told me that they were also causing her trouble. I felt so helpless but I knew that the one thing I could do was pray. We prayed for the Lord to comfort her and take way the pain that she is so bravely enduring.

We stepped outside with Harriet who told us that the centre of the compound was their church. She told us about their plans to build a big church with three floors: one for a car park, one for the church and one for church activities. It was inspiring to hear such big dreams and we promised to go back and visit one day.

After leaving, Nic told us that Victoria is in her nineties! He said she is a fighter and I couldn’t agree more. The pain she was going through did not stop her from joining in our conversations and making us feel ever so welcomed and loved.

It was a truly humbling experience that I’m sure I will never forget. Please remember this family in your prayers.