A Tribute and a Wish

Just before we left for Uganda, the St. Kizito family was struck by the tragic and unexpected death of the mother of one of our original students. Usuman Ssempa was actually the young man that planted the seeds in the heart of Fr. Donald Dunson that eventually grew to be St. Kizito Foundation. He is currently studying for a Masters degree, and remains one of our scholars – and a fine, bright, loving and joyful person. His mother, Hazidah Nakinyingi, recently suffered from a kidney ailment that claimed her life too soon.
Both Fr. Don and I were aquainted with Hazidah and had spent some happy and memorable times with her, including a wonderful dinner last summer. Although she spoke no English, we all communicated well and had many laughs. Hazidah was impressed that I was wearing “trousers” and announced her plans to follow suit. She also claimed that she was ready to be baptized just as her son was last summer.
But the most special thing we shared with her was a deep love for Usuman. She was so grateful for Fr. Don in her son’s life! And surprisingly, she was very happy that her son had a “second mother” to love him. Here in Uganda, everything is shared!!!
When we spoke to Stephen, our staff member and good friend to Usuman, he was also saddened – certainly by the loss, but equally by the fact that Hazidah could have been treated. His words to me were really an eye-opener. He said, “If we lived anywhere else in the world, she wouldn’t have died. But here in Uganda we don’t have proper medical care.” Although this is something many people in the world are aware of, it really changes things when we are talking about a friend rather than a statistic. How can it be that we can’t manage to provide basic and reasonable health care for everyone? How is it acceptable to allow such discrepancies and differences to exist? We can send men into space and make circuits and devices that cannot be seen by naked eye, but we can’t find a way to balance the world’s distribution of basic life necessities, and this is painful to realize – especially in such a personal way.
So I would like to offer a tribute to Hazidah Nakinyingi – kind woman, hard worker, and most of all amazing, loving mother. May she rest in peace in the kingdom of God.
I also express a wish – one that MUST come true. I wish and hope that the future brings balance and compassion to the way we as human beings care for each other and connect with each other, so that everyone has enough and no one suffers simply because of where they live.