Last week, our team had a different year-end letter ready to send to you, talking about the change and transformation we’ve seen as people find emotional healing. But at the last minute, we changed direction.
I was in Uganda visiting our staff and programs, and while there, I sat down with Issa. He was so appreciative of all Tutapona has done for him and others, and to YOU for making all this possible through your partnership. His enthusiasm was contagious! Below is the letter I received, straight from his heart. In this Christmas season, please take a moment to read Issa’s below letter of sincere gratitude, and learn more about why he is passionate about spreading a message of hope and peace.
- Carl Gaede, CEO, Tutapona
Dear Friend,
My name is Issa, and I am a South Sudanese refugee living in Adjumani District, Uganda. I would like to take this opportunity - as a staff member and as a beneficiary of Tutapona’s programs - to express my heartfelt gratitude to all who have made our work possible. Thank you for your generosity! These services have enhanced the lives of many refugees, including mine. I am a living testimony of Tutapona’s work!
I became a refugee for the first time in 1989, when my father was killed during the war. We fled, but soon after I was abducted by the Lord’s Resistance Army to become a child soldier. In 2003, I escaped and went back to South Sudan, but war broke out again. I was shot, and the bullet lodged in my lung. At that time, I thought I would die, but my life was saved. War came again in 2016, and again I became a refugee, settling in Pagrininya Refugee Settlement.
Even though I was safe in Uganda, I continued to be negatively impacted by those past events. I became aggressive and had terrors at night. I abused drugs and alcohol, and I lost my faith in God. I thought about ending my life, so that everything would stop. I had no peace, and no hope for my future.
One afternoon, a community leader asked if I would like to be enrolled in Tutapona’s program. I agreed. The first two days, I was withdrawn - I didn’t want to participate. BUT then, something changed inside of me. We were taught about the power of forgiveness. It was hard to forgive the people who had killed my father and my sister. It was hard to forgive the LRA rebels who had abducted me and forced me into being a child soldier. It was hard to forgive the people who had shot me and nearly ended my life. It was hard to forgive everything that had happened to make my family end up as refugees. BUT I did! That forgiveness released something heavy inside of me, and at that moment I began moving forward with my life again. I began healing.
From that moment, I became a changed person - physically, emotionally, spiritually, and socially with the people around me! I went to the Tutapona office and requested to be further involved with bringing this same transformation to others. I started working as an interpreter for Tutapona, translating the lessons into many local languages, and after a year I became a full-time program facilitator. Now I know, God saved my life all those years ago so I can help bring this message of hope and peace to other lives.
My transformation was possible because people around the world believe in the work of Tutapona. I would like to assure you that your support has great impact on the lives of many - I am one of them! Because of my emotional healing, thousands of other lives have been impacted as well. I pray that God will continue to bless our work and bless all of you who support us, and I pray for continued emotional healing and lives transformed in 2024.
I wish all of you a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from Uganda,
- Issa Justine Joseph, Program Facilitator, Tutapona Uganda
