At first, my parents didn’t want to send me to school because they loved me so much. They were afraid that I would suffer hardship at a school far from home. But thanks to encouragement and advice from other people, they eventually let me go.
The first days staying away from home were scary for me. I had to help myself in everything, from eating and washing clothes to getting used to a new schedule. The most challenging task for me was to familiarize myself with the campus. At first, I felt sad and discouraged, but because my parents were there to comfort and encourage me, I have overcome all those challenges.
My parents have never talked with me about their finances, but I know they have a lot of difficulties. Many times, my father paid my food expenses at school after the due date.
Since I received the stipend from Samaritan’s Purse, my family has been happy. My parents were released from the anxiety of being late in paying my expenses at school. My mother said that the stipend would be used to pay for my food in the months that they couldn’t manage. But when they succeeded in paying it, they would send the stipend to my personal bank account for savings, or they would buy new clothes or other necessities for me. I was happy to hear that.
My father told me that he was invited to a parenting skills training course through Samaritan’s Purse. He said that the training helped him become more patient when teaching me new things instead of shouting at me when I couldn’t do it.
Sometimes I found it hard to walk, and I often fell. My father helped me. He doesn’t scold me anymore. He understood my life better when he used his hands to cover his eyes. He said he was doing so to understand and empathize with me more. He said he was very proud of me for my efforts in school and for thriving in life. I’m so encouraged by that.
All my joy comes from the support of Samaritan’s Purse. Thank you so much for setting my family free from the worry of my school expenses. And thank you for training my father, which helped him understand and sympathize with me more. Thank you for all that.
