Hope Springs from Compassion

"Do want to meet her?" Innocent asked us as we walked the open field high on a hill in Umutara. "She has HIV."

"Of course, yes, please tell her to come." Jen replied.

Margaret Mukakarangwa sat quietly in the sitting room with gentle folded hands. Her eyes soft. A 45-year old mother of five girls. She spoke in her native Kinyarwanda language as our friend Michel translated her story to us. A story that started with the tragic loss of her father and three siblings to the genocide and traversed through her journey as a refugee from Uganda to Rwanda, the loss of her husband to AIDS, the shame thrust upon her life with HIV, the vulnerability of depending on the goodwill of others to obtain food for her family and ended with the hope she finds rooted in her faith.

"What can we do for you?" Jen asked Margaret after she finished her story.

"You can pray for me," she said softly and then she offered us a blessing.

* * *

In support of Fair Content, we made a small monetary contribution to Margaret from our Picture Hope Name Your Dream Assignment fund to honor her audio story we intend to share with you.

Comments

[Kizz]

I love how Jen's fingers are gripping Margaret so firmly.

[leaca]

It is so sad how much they deal with on a daily basis, their memories alone are haunting.

[jag]

This - story AND image - brought tears to my eyes... Thank you. xox

[Toni | Daily Vignette]

I can't think of a better use of the Picture Hope / Dream Assignment fund (what a mouth full!). This is the kind of story and use of the monetary award that I was hoping to hear and see. I hope you are sharing hugs from all of us at home. =)

PS I'm at work and trying really hard not to cry!

[Alex]

Thank you for this beautiful post and photo- I feel so grounded in the relativity of my personal sorrows and joys. I am not a particularly religious person, but I canwillmust pray for Margret. Much love.

[elk]

there is power in this photo and prayer

[Lucy]

Thank you...just simply, Thank you

[Elaina]

This brought tears to my eyes. Thank you for sharing a bit of her story.

[Patty Reiser]

Looking t this photograph, you can feel the compassion. My heart goes out to this mother and she is indeed added to my prayers. As a step-mother of a child who was born with AIDS, I know her fight is not an easy one.

[renee @ FIMBY]

Wow.

[Shaundra]

Such beautiful work you do here and abroad. What a gift of love you gave Margaret and she's given us--thank you for connecting us to this precious life through words and image.

[Melissa]

Thats the best hug i have seen in a while. I can feel the emotion through the picture

[charlane]

i have no words - we never realize how blessed we are until we share a story such as this

[Heather]

breathtaking + inspiring

[Katrina Kennedy]

So well written and captured.

[Tracy]

Beautiful post. I'm sure that the compassion you have shown is so appreciated.

[jakki]

this captures beauty and compassion...i love it

[Tara Bradford]

So touching. The astonishing thing is that there are so many stories like hers; we must do what we can to help. Beautiful photo showing two beautiful bright spirits. xo

[product photographer singapore]

so touching~~~

[Kelly]

"What can we do for you?" Jen asked Margaret after she finished her story.

"You can pray for me," she said softly and then she offered us a blessing.

'...she offered us a blessing...' How blessed we are because of her.