|
Murasira's Story of Hope 11 year-old Murasira and his brother cried because they knew they were now alone. Their mother and father were dead. With no family or friends to take them in, the young boys would have to take care of themselves and their home.
The years passed and the two brothers grew a few vegetables to feed themselves and found odd jobs to make a few cents. As they grew older the boys grew restless. Eventually, not knowing what else to do, Murasira’s older brother decided that he must leave the country to try to make better money. Murasira was now the head of his household. He was alone, but determined to carry on with his life. Armed only with a second grade education and maturity beyond his 15 years, he went to work doing odd jobs here and there to buy food. He vowed that he would survive to be an adult. Today, Murasira is 18 years old and thanks to ADRA he has survived. Although still a teenager, his eyes are those of a wise old soul who has seen more pain and suffering than many will see in a lifetime. He still lives, alone, in the same family house where he lived with his parents and brother many years ago. He still grows a few vegetables in his little garden, but for the growing teenager that was not enough. So he joined and ADRA program where he could work and receive food as payment. Murasira not only works in ADRA’s food-for-work program, he proudly tells us he also volunteers because he wants to help others. He works long days helping build roads in exchange for a monthly ration of cornmeal, beans, flour and vegetable oil. He’s a hard worker who also cultivates his own little garden to continue supplementing his diet with fresh vegetables. To make extra money he sometimes works as a laborer building bridges. He decided to give whatever free time he had to volunteer with ADRA helping during food distributions. “I wanted to help because many of those that ADRA helps have AIDS, like my mum, and I want to do something to help them out,” say Murasira, “I also want to get away from the isolation of my house. I still feel really lonely at times. But helping others makes me feel like I’m not alone.” Often times he is found hanging around after the food distribution talking to someone suffering from AIDS or giving advice to children who are orphans and heads of households. He offers them encouragement and tells them about his experiences. “Everything that I have received, I must give to others. I find that everything that I give to others, I will receive.” As he explains why he likes to give advice he again has the look of a wise old soul. Although he likes spending time helping others find a way to survive, he has dreams of his own. “My dream is to go to vocational school and train to be a mechanic,” says Murasira with a subtle smile on his lips. “I like building and fixing things and it would be ideal for me.” Will you help save others like Murasira? For now his dream is on hold. He simply cannot afford the fees required to attend vocational school. He will continue saving so that hopefully someday his dream will come true. Murasira says the he is very grateful to ADRA for the help he has received. Without the work and food he receives from ADRA he fears his life would be much worse. He says without ADRA he might not have hope. Suddenly he spots a visitor and quietly asks, “Do you work for ADRA?” He politely says he has a message for ADRA’s supporters and donors. “Thank you to the ADRA donors who help bring this food directly to us,” says Murasira, “It is good that this food comes to us because, you know, it helps develop the infrastructure of our country. It helps build roads, bridges, gives clean water to our villages and at the same time gives us something to eat. Thank you for giving us a future.” As Murasira smiles, he has the look of a wise young man. Help us create more stories like this one. Donate towards our food security programs. |
|
Their father died, brutally, at the hands of Rwandan friends and neighbors during the genocide of 1994. Their mother had just lost her battle with AIDS. The two brothers, like scores of children in Rwanda, were now orphans, left to raise themselves.
Email Signup
