Crazy Story, Happy Ending

It has been a very very crazy few weeks. I have not been good about blogging about the situation. 

For the past three weeks Vickie and I have been caring for a lost deaf woman whom we gave the name Martha, and her sweet baby to whom we gave the name Rose.

She had been at Mulago Hospital where she delivered her baby and was then taken to a police station after sometime. They called my director, Joel, knowing he works with deaf children. Vickie went and offered to house her for a few days until we found a place for her. A few days turned into three weeks, three very stressful weeks of babysitting, for lack of better words. She came to us with no language, is illiterate, and well, very lost and confused. 

We tried our absolute best to make her comfortable, give her everything we could, help her with her baby, and teach her sign language. Everyday was a different day. Martha's mood swings were a constant and crazy thing. Could I blame her? No. She was far from home and wanted so badly to go back. Apart from her sometimes craziness, she is a very sweet young woman and we had many laughs together.

We tried so hard to find organisations that could take her. Every time, for one reason or another, we got turned down. Things continued to get worse. Last week on Thursday we were able, with the help of UDEWO, to get Martha and Rose on two different TV stations in the hope of someone knowing her and calling us. 

Saturday took a turn for the worse. Lots of yelling and screaming from Martha and crying from Vickie and I. We knew that this was enough, we could no longer keep her. Monday we would take them to the police station. She tried to run away again that morning, I lost count how many times she has tried that. It felt like we were kidnapping her in a way, but I knew that if she left she would be in an even worse situation on the streets. And for the sake of sweet baby Rose, I didn't want that to happen. 

I got hold of a man who works for Ugandan Catholic Worker Community, founded in 1933 by Dorthy Day and Peter Maurin, and he rushed over Saturday to help with the situation. He said he could possibly help house them, but by law Martha and Rose would have to be given to them by the government. That means two more days of housing Martha and Rose, which at the moment seemed impossible! 

Sunday was a perfect day, however, no problems at all. This made it harder for me, knowing that tomorrow I will 'dumping' them at the police station and possibly not knowing what would happen to them. After talking with my spiritual director, Fr. Patrick, and hearing his wisdom about this whole situation I knew that this was the right decision. Maybe I am too controlling and didn't want to let go of them? I was not putting my full trust in Our Lord, in knowing that He had a plan and He would take care of them, regardless of where they are. Talking with Fr. Patrick affirmed all of this and I was able to 'let go' and trust in God's plan. 

And boy, did God have a plan!

Part of me can't believe what has happened. But I think, on one hand, all of me can, because I know God is in control. Sunday night I was feeling very down about what was going to happen the next day. Same when I woke up. But Monday morning things took a turn for the worse and for the better at the same time. I came out of the shower and it seemed as though hell had broken loose. Martha was yelling like crazy and I couldn't calm her down, Vickie was crying because it was so awful. THE GOOD NEWS: someone from Martha's village saw her on TV and we got a text at the same moment this craziness is happening. No matter how hard I tried explaining that she was going home, because the lack of language, it just didn't register. Finally our director got there so we could take her to the police. (We had to have more documents from them for her transfer).

The whole thing was absolutely ridiculous, I am not sure how to even describe it. I said so many bad words, so many times, it is shameful, but I am only human. At the same time that can help elaborate the craziness. 

When we pulled up to the police station and our director got out to get an 'okay' for where we were parking. As soon as that happened Martha went absolutely nuts, I can't blame her I guess, she didn't want to stay at the police station. Safety locks on our van prevented her from getting out. She was banging and thrashing at the door. She then put her baby down and tried to climb in the front seat, where I was. I didn't let her. Things then got rather physical with the two of us. I hate violence so very much, and no matter how bad I might have felt like hitting her there was no way that could happen. I just continued pushing her back into her seat, no matter what she did. Joel finally came back and she imminently stopped and was able to walk into the police station.

Absolutely crazy.

Anyways, after a long time of being there we were able to make the official plans of taking her home Tuesday, escorted by an officer and Joel. Sadly, there was no way Martha could stay at our place considering what just happened. We left Martha and Rose at the police station locked up for the night. 

Vickie and I went out for some desperately needed food, and some breathing!! I didn't sleep much that night, though. I woke up at two, after a scary dream about the situation, and went to sleep a little after five. Vickie couldn't sleep either, so we sat outside and talked for a long time about everything.

The next morning Vickie was called by our director to come help calm Martha down because I guess things had been bad. Luckily Vickie was able to calm her down and then was asked to go with them to Martha's village, Pokongo.

Now Martha, or Samanya as we have found out, is with her Aunt whom she lives with and also has been reunited with her son. Turns out she ran away in March after an argument with her aunt about a chicken. Yes, a chicken. Martha, or Samanya, wanted to eat it. Her aunt said no. She then killed it and then after getting disciplined by her aunt she packed her things and left.

Martha was SO happy to be back home though!!

So there is the story. Crazy. Leaving out many details that are either to hard to explain or will take to long. I am very thankful that God truly turned everything for the better, I knew He would, but more so that He allowed us to see the better happen. My faith in Him has increased even more. I am also so thankful that God placed Samanya in my life, teaching me many things, and being able to come to know and love another one of His beautiful children. 

YAY FOR THE HAPPY ENDING. :)

                                                 Beautiful picture of Joel, Samanya, Rose, and Vickie.
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This whole three weeks, and story, really shows the impact that BDI has on the deaf. SO MANY problems could have been fixed and avoided if Martha had a language. First off, she could have told us where she lived. Even before that, maybe the miscommunication with her aunt would not have happened.

We have many children at school who, when they first got here, were very stubborn. But after learning sign language they are able to understand more, communicate, and express themselves. Being with BDI completely changes them for the better!!

God is so good, all the time.

Pray for sweet Samanya and her darling baby Rose. Please also pray for BDI, that we may have the strength and the means to expand to other deaf children out there without an education.

Holding a baby and eating on the floor is not the easiest thing.
Sweet, sweet Rose, I miss you already.

Sweet Samanya and Rose at the police station. Lost and confused for eight
months, I am so happy she is home safe. I hope to be able to visit them
and love on the both of them some more!

Samanya's brother in the orange, Samanya in the middle,
 and a relative in the white.