26 Apr In the Den of Lions – How Khadija and her sons Bashir and Mubarak were rescued through Master Cares
Capturing Grace on a three week journey through Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Uganda
In February 2022, my Capturing Grace assistant Dasha and I had the opportunity to travel the bush country of Uganda, interviewing families whose lives have been transformed by the ministry of Master Cares. Ever since photographing for Master Cares in 2017 and experiencing the 500 student school that has now grown to over 900 students I have longed to return and see what the students lives look like at home, to learn their families stories.
After about an hours drive from the Master Cares location in Kyotera, we entered the simple clay hut where students Mubarak and Bashir live with their mother Khadijah and seven siblings. Seeing these two students wearing their crisp Master Cares Christian School uniforms here at home underscored the striking difference between their life at home, versus life at school.
As Khadijah started telling her story, tears welled up in her eyes,“I am 44 years old, I have six boys and three girls, and my husband passed away when I was pregnant with my little girl here.”
“They were all young when it happened,” continued Khadija while looking at her children. “When my husband died, my youngest child, Shafiq, was only a year and a half old. Our lives became very difficult after my husband passed away.”
Khadija’s neighbors told her to advise witchcraft upon her husband’s sudden death. “They told me that we were bewitched and this is why he died,” she added. Like lions in the den, with hunger, fear, and poverty surrounding her from every side, she consulted a witch doctor who gave her herbs in return.
“When I came back home, a group of Christians visited me to support me in what my family was going through. They read scripture from the bible, they preached to me, and I immediately threw away from the window, into the bushes, whatever the doctor gave me earlier.” God shut the mouths of the lion and sent His people to rescue her.
“The following day, Pastor David from Master Cares came to visit us. He saw our house and how difficult life is for us. He asked to enroll two of my children in the Master Cares Christian School.”
With a heart full of gratitude, Khadija thanked God for what Master Cares has done for her children. “They have taken care of my children. Look, they are happier and have a bright future now.”
“I am a very poor woman. Sometimes, I spend days without eating. But… whenever I look at my children and see the smiles on their faces on their way to school, I praise God for rescuing me.”
Mubarak and Bashir love their mother so dearly. “I love her because she is beautiful and takes care of us,” said Mubarak. “I love her because she is always there when we need her,” followed Bashir after his older brother.
Although both Bashir and Mubarak (14 years old) are well taken care of, Khadijah works very hard but receives very little. She cooks for a family for 2000 shillings a day (less than one US dollar). Sometimes, when financial problems surface, she takes on a second job and works in someone’s garden for long hours to get a few dollars in return.
Both Mubarak and Bashir want to help their mother when they grow up. Mubarak wants to become a lawyer, and Bashir a doctor. What Master Cares has done for these two boys through education and the community discipleship program has transformed their present life from a den of poverty and hardships and provided hope for the future.
Khadija concluded before prayer, “God rescued Mubarak and Bashir and welcomed them into His family as His children. They now sing in church and pray with their fellow students at Master Cares.”
When I look at these two young through my camera lens and with my very own eyes, I see two God-fearing young men with hearts of gold.
“For he is the living God and he endures forever; his kingdom will not be destroyed, his dominion will never end. He rescues and he saves; he performs signs and wonders in the heavens and on the earth. He has rescued Daniel from the power of the lions.” (Daniel 6: 26 - 27)
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