Behind the Faces of Masaka (continued)
Since Lily helped our team by providing translating services in the village we work in every summer, she received a small monetary gift. The gift was exactly the amount she needed to pay for her school application at KIU. She said she was going to take a big step of faith and trust that if she was accepted, God would provide the money for her to attend school. Two weeks later, Lily was notified she was accepted! She was ecstatic and immediately sent me a message through Facebook to let me know. As she told me, she also asked if I would be willing to sponsor her studies. I wasn’t sure what to say. All I could think of was how I was trying to pay my own way through my degree as well. But as I prayed about it, God reminded me that to whom much is given, much is expected. I decided to sponsor her. I did it with an agreement though. I told Lily I needed her to do three things for me: One, she needed to always do her best to make the highest grades by always working hard and doing it all with excellence; two, to always give glory to God and not to tell anyone I was the one sponsoring her; and, three, For her to pay it forward. I told her I wanted her to sponsor one of her own people once she starts making money as an accountant and is stable financially. She happily agreed to the terms. Every semester, she sends me an official transcript for me to see her grades. She is doing very well!
You would think this young woman would stop there but she hasn’t. She told me she wanted to contribute to her studies somehow. We started a small business (she’s such an entrepreneur) and every evening, Lily sells food outside the university to help with her room and board expenses. Lily has inspired me to work harder than ever. Regardless of the obstacles she has faced and continues to face, Lily continues to persevere and endure through all of it. She works harder than anyone I know and never gives up. I always tell her she keeps me grounded. She even calls me “mum” because she says I am like a mother to her. What an amazing gift she is to me!