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| Brian (age 15) within a month of arriving at Missionaries of the Poor. |
I am writing Brian's story here but it is important to know he is only one of thousands of children who have been through experiences we cannot fathom living here in Uganda as well as all over the world.
Brian Mumbere was born Sept 17, 1997 in Kasese district in western Uganda. He was born the only child of his parents who divorced shortly after his birth. He was raised by his step mother and biological father who was very busy and not always available given the need to support the family. He reports his skin condition started at about age 5.
The condition starts as blisters which are pre-ceeded by severe pain. The blisters pop and the deep wounds become infected and spread all over his arms, legs, face and trunk.
Though strict, his step mother took him to hospitals, herbalists, church for laying of hands and prayers and at last resort a witchdoctor. Nothing helped. Even his biological mother tried taking Brian to various clinics for various medications and treatments but to no avail. She even tried a witch doctor as well. Brian tells of days of nightmares after being left in a shrine of a witch doctor all night. Despite all attempts, still nothing worked.
Brian suffered 2 years of this skin condition. His biological father took Brian to his paternal grandmother who took Brian in and cared for him. She bathed and dressed his wounds and used herbal compresses and poultices. Brian stayed with her for 5 months and felt loved and cared for. He was taken to Mulgao Hospital and given a long term medication which started to help but soon after his grandmother fell ill. She died of intestinal cancer at Mulago Hospital 2 months later. Brian was devastated.
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| Brian showing what an outbreak looks like (this one brought on by the stress of starting school for the first time since arriving) |
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| He describes the skin as "very much paining!" |
Brian returned to his stepmother and biological father and was well enough to start school. He was teased relentlessly for his skin so ran away. He was taken to his aunt's where he stayed a year. He tried another school there but the same teasing and isolation occurred. He managed to stay for 4 years making it up to 1/2 of P2. He ran away several times because of the toughness and caning from his aunt. He found he was able to make his way to the border of Congo and beg for money on the streets and became "street wise". He would often make enough money to get transport back to visit his father.
Brian's aunt became upset, caned him and took him to his maternal grandmother's home. Brian was able to escape to the streets more often which was a relief from his home environment. Brian talks of being beaten by his step sisters who also lived with the grandmother. His life became unbearable at home so he escaped to the streets of Kasese at the age of 8 where his skin condition became worse.
Brian managed to make enough money from begging that he bought a bus ticket and headed to Kampala to admit himself to Mulago Hospital. Remember, this is a boy of 8 years old who is managing his own life on the streets. He did not have enough money for the whole way to Kamapala but when some people on the bus heard his story, they dropped him off in Mubende and took him to the local radio station. There, the local people raised enough money for Brian to make his way all the way to Kampala. He spent 1 week on the streets until he was assisted by a non profit and admitted to Mulago Hospital.
Once Brian's skin condition was stabilized, one of the heads of the organization took Brian back to Kasese and paid his school fees and re-admitted him to P3. Brian says he ran away after a month though he is not sure why. He used the rest of the money to get a bus ticket back to Kampala and his parents were no longer able to find him.
Brian was able to beg for money given his skin condition and was able to go to the local clinics himself to buy his own medication. Between 2009 and 2011, Brian (now 12-14) lived on the streets of Kampala earning his living through begging and periodically going home to visit his family. Brian's father told Brian he was a man and did not mind Brian living on the streets as his father started a new family. Brian managed to buy a phone and was able to manage fairly well despite his lonely life.
Brian speaks of a white man who picked him off the streets in 2011 named Michael. He was put in a boarding school and attended 1 term of P2. He was allowed to go home to visit during Easter. Brian speaks of burying his money in a hole where the goats were kept as he did not trust anyone. He returned back to school but soon felt that same pull to run away and again did so at the beginning of the next school term.
Brian spent about a month on the streets before being picked up again by a white woman named Naomi. He was taken to a home for street kids. Brian was upset as his phone was taken from him on arrival. They were not funded to go to school so Brian took his phone and left. He made friends with the other street kids and returned for gatherings. Brian speaks of new troubles for the kids on the street who were being picked up by police and taken to Kampiringisa, a children's detention center (prison). Brian says he was lucky not to be taken as he had made friends with many of the city counsel men.
In December of 2011, Brian was picked up yet again by another woman who took Brian in for the holidays. She contacted Brian's father who did not mind Brian's present lifestyle. She put him in school in P3 level in early 2012. Brian proudly speaks of being a part of a debate team that won. Despite this, he again ran away to the streets. He went home to visit his parents and returned 2 weeks later.
Brian's skin condition deteriorated over this time. He was found by a local Ugandan man named Julius. I had the opportunity to meet Julius who remains a big part of Brian's life. Julius tells the following story from his perspective.
Julius was driving home one evening when he spotted Brian sitting on the curb in downtown Kampala. He tells of driving past but being so disturbed by the sight of Brian's skin nearly "falling off his body" that he stopped the car and drove back. He spoke with Brian and was taken by Brian's intelligence and kindness. Julius remembered a brochure he had just picked up at a local stand for Missionaries of the Poor.
He returned home and called Brother Augustine right away. Brother Augustine said they usually do not take in street kids because of many issues but agreed to come and meet Brian. Brother Augustine agreed to take this boy in for a trial period to get him the medical care he needed and then set him up with an organization that worked with street kids. The secretary at Busega tells of the day Brian was dropped off by Julius. Brian's skin was so badly infected that the smell from the car when Brian exited was horrible.
I met Brian the very next day. He seemed to be isolated from the other kids who were afraid to come near him for fear of "catching" what Brian had. I decided to make a point of speaking to Brian whenever I could. Initially, Brian was not very talkative but soon began to stay nearby while I worked with the kids. Brian was taken for treatments and in the meantime stayed near my watching closely.
Brian started to interpret for me when he heard me giving instructions to the kids. He spoke 4 languages fluently...Swahili, English, Luganda and his own native tongue. He started anticipating what equipment I needed and began to bring the kids to and from PT for me without me even asking. I would spend many evening hours washing dishes at supper so the kids could focus on studies. I would often turn and find Brian having climbed up on a bench helping me, again with no prompting or need for praise (though I did)...just quietly working alongside of me. Brian also became Douglass's assistant as well helping managed the kids and assisting Douglass in treatments.
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| Douglass and I took Brian out for BIG FISH for being first for the 3rd term in a row. |
I realized Brian was extremely smart as did Douglass. We spoke with the head Brother about keeping him as he was such a good child, helpful and with much potential. The brothers did decided to take Brian in and by the next term, sent him to school. Brian spent one term in the top 3 and since then, has been at the top of his class!
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| I dared him that he could not eat a whole "Extra Large Fish" He won the bet! |
Douglass began changing Brian's medications and playing with combinations until he was able to control the outbreaks. Brian now only has periodic outbreaks when he forgets to take his medications or when he gets very stressed. Brian has had his struggles emotionally trying to fit in to community life. He spent 1/2 his life on the streets and is now trying to learn how to be friends and bond. This makes it very difficult for him knowing I am leaving as is Douglass (for med school). Brian was the first of the children to call me "Mom". I feel like he has become my son and he has taught me what it means to LOVE. He looks to Douglass as a father figure and is learning from Douglass and the Brothers what it means to be responsible and part of a family.
Brian's own words:
" Life with Missionaries of the Poor has been very wonderful and more of a dream come true. I now made good friends both young and old. I am grateful for having met friends such as my dear mother Carol and Dr Douglass and the Brothers. I now have a best friend, Sabil and others....I have lost the voice in my head that always told me to escape and now I am not thinking of running away.
Last but not least, I am very very very heartfully grateful for Father Raymond who is now my new Dad. He has always taken very good care of the children and provided all we needed. I thank God for having brought friends like these."
People are asking me if I am adopting Brian. The answer is no, I am not able to. First of all, the laws in Uganda are strict and do not allow a single woman to adopt a boy. Secondly, Brian is nearly 16. He is nearly an adult. I can never replace his own Mother, Grandmother, Step-Mother and will not try to. He knows I love him and will support him in any way I can. I do plan to bring him to the USA for treatment of his skin condition which remains undiagnosed.
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| Brian my "Son" and I |
Presently, the Brothers, Douglass and I are working on trying to get a birth certificate so that we can get a passport. This is now difficult as Brian's contact information for his family is no longer accurate. We will need to go through the LLC and the police as well as various other agencies to get what we need. If all fails, we will travel to Kasese to find his family. God willing, we will manage this before I go.
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| YES he is 15...he is short because his tribe in Kasese do not grow much more than 5 feet tall |
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| Our little club...the 3 of us that arrived together at Busega at the same time. |
I LOVE ALL of the boys...ALL of them. It is hard not to. They have been through so much...so much more than any of us in the first world. Most of us do not know the meaning of hardship or loneliness. We have no idea what is feels like to be abandoned at such a young age. We have no idea how we can touch the face of God through helping children like these. Brian was one of the lucky ones...there are many children with horror stories of being beaten, naked and starving for years on the streets of Kampala. We cannot judge these kids if they end up having behaviors such as stealing or lying...after all...it is us who made them that way. It takes a village after all....
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