Becky at home, Chekalini rscj community, Kenya

Visiting the family of a handicapped child.

These children participate in sports events.

Becky at L’Arche, Kampala.

Workshop for Sudanese refugee teachers in Northern Uganda.

The dream becoming reality: construction of the hostel for handicapped children near Koromaiti Primary School, Chekalini.

I was born in Moroto town in Karamoja, Uganda, where my father worked as a teacher. Later he changed his profession, becoming a prison warder. Because of this job, he was transferred to other districts.  My primary education took place in other provinces and in other languages – experiences which remain very much a part of my life. For instance, I was delighted to go back to Adjumani as a young professed in 1995. I was invited to give a seminar to refugee teachers, and many memories and words in Madi came back to me.

When my dad was transferred to the capital, Kampala, I was sent to Kangole primary boarding school. I was old enough to be away from my parents, and yet I would attend school in my home district. I joined Kangole Senior Secondary School in 1984 at a time of insecurity, when everything seemed impossible. There I first met the sisters who were so loving, caring and understanding. This interested me in getting to know  them more.  After I completed Form 4 I joined Moroto Teachers’ College. I went to college for 2 years and in 1990 I became an aspirant, eventually jioned the novitiate, and made my first profession in 1995.

As a Young Professed I taught as a primary school teacher in Gaba, Kampala. Our school had a unit for persons with disabilities. One day I was sent to assist in their class because their teacher was absent. I did not know what to do! The children just looked at me, so I had to think how to communicate with them. I went back to the community and shared the experience with Doreen Boland, who explained to me about children with disabilities. It was the planting of a seed in me, a seed that I have continued to nurture.  Later on I was asked to study for a Diploma in Primary Education, instead I requested to go for a Diploma in Special Education.

It is now 9 years since I started walking with persons with disabilities.  It began at L'Arche in Kampala, where I was first introduced to intellectually challenged children. Since then it has been a special call for me to see the Lord in the broken: those without eyes, ears, arms, legs, and to be for them all that they should be.  It's a challenge and at the same time a blessing to truly experience the power of God at work in them.

I deal with children with different disabilities:
the intellectually challenged
the hearing impaired
the visually impaired
the physically handicapped
those with cerebral palsy ....

We have many of these children in the area of Chekalini, Kenya, where I am at present.  I help children with disabilities to go to different schools, colleges and polytechnics all over the country.  An important part of my ministry is to reach out to the children in school or at home and see with the help of their teachers, parents, or relatives that they are all looked after with love and care. Sometimes they are, but other times they are rejected, and this is where I see Jesus rejected too by his own, even to crucifixion.

In all this I have discovered how my presence is important. Words can mean little sometimes but action is needed.

This year I have concentrated a lot on how to help persons with disabilities who are in their teens and are not just ready to sit in class but want to be creative and earn a living for themselves. It is not easy to find a person who is intellectually challenged in an office, so career guidance has been one of the things I do, to see clearly what each of these young people can do. At this moment two are in St. Charles Lwanga Polytechnic doing knitting and dress making. The hearing impaired teenagers are training in different polytechnics, five girls taking a tailoring course, two boys doing carpentry and one training as an electrician. Two who are visually impaired are being trained in agriculture and two brothers are training as teachers. One physically disabled girl is training as an accountant and she also did computer studies.  I have several in primary schools and others in home based programmes.

With the dream of putting up a home for the disabled now accomplished, the poor severely handicapped children will soon be able to learn too. If they are able to smile, laugh and make a little sound, it is a great achievement, it is like passing any other exam.

In all this I feel the love of Christ has been touched and felt through all the listening to their pain when they are not well, or mistreated or in sorrow because they have lost their  beloved ones or joyful because they are cared for with love.  I also listen to their parents and relatives who are confused by what they have received in their disabled children. For me, I find the children warm hearted and free. There are those who have severe problems, like any of us, but life has to continue.

In conclusion, "When the Holy Spirit takes over a heart, its first action is to disarm it.  Interior spirit allows a soul to breathe, live and respond truly in God. To live, to breathe, to act: that is the whole person; but it can only come about through Jesus.” (Conference of Madeleine Sophie 1844)

I had been afraid of disabled children at first, when I was in school myself, especially of those who were intellectually challenged.  Now the Lord has given me a new spirit and the will to freely give life to his little ones so that they too can have life to the full.

Rebecca  Loukae  rscj
province of Uganda - Kenya