Here's Eddy

Eddy is another boy that just joined the home.  We weren’t planning to add him either, but when it came to creating a new street kid or letting him stay with us, I chose letting him stay with us.

Eddy lived in the same community as us.  He was always around the house because he was friends with many of the boys.  He is a quiet guy and always respectful.  He was making chapatti(yummy tortilla like things that are worth visiting Uganda in themselves), but when his stand wasn’t as successful as his boss wanted, he fired him.  When he got fired, he couldn’t make rent.  So he became homeless.

Unemployment is so high in Uganda.  I have seen estimates that put it at 85%.  There aren’t a lot of “real” jobs, like at a company or established businesses, so many people create their own in whatever way they can.  It is really difficult to get any of the “real” jobs because it is all about whom you know and what tribe you are from.  The city is full of people walking the streets selling everything you can imagine from thread to rat poison, to clothes or soap.  However, it isn’t so easy to even do that anymore.  There is a government division that is dedicated to making Kampala a better city.  One of their ways to do that is to keep unauthorized vendors from selling.  If these people are caught, all of their things will be confiscated and they can even be arrested or forced to pay a huge fine.  Losing all of their things is probably the worst thing.  Without the capital to start over, they are again in a mess and unable to provide for themselves or their families.  People are so desperate and jobs are so scarce, that it is worth the risk to them, so they keep doing it.

All of that to say, we couldn’t just tell Eddy to go and get another job.  He says he finished his primary education but never went to secondary school.  His English is weak and doesn’t have any real skills.  With a complete lack of jobs available, paired with him having almost no employable skills, it wasn’t going to happen.  So, he is home with us.

He wants to be a DJ and is studying computer repair at vocational training school now.  He has a gentle heart and spirit.  His hair is out of control and completely contradicts his kind personality.  When I tease him about cutting it, he tells me “If you want me to, I will.”  He can help to do anything around the house, and always wants to make sure I am fine.  After school, the first thing he does when he gets home is to find me to say hi.  He doesn’t like to argue or fight.  Had he went to the streets, his spirit would have been broken and his kindness lost.  That is why I said yes, even though we weren’t in a position to take another boy.  I trusted that God would show up and provide for him too.

****If you would like to sponsor Eddy, let me know.  He needs 3 sponsors, each at $50 a month.  That will pay for his vocational school, food, counseling, medical care, and everything else he needs.  He will write you letters and send photos and I guarantee you will fall in love with his out of control hair too!  All donations made to LOT2545 are tax deductible.  He is also in need of a laptop for school.  If you have an old one you would be willing to part with to donate to him, we would both be forever grateful.  It doesn’t need to be perfect, just working.