Can you imagine being 7-years-old and not knowing the day you were born? Or that at 7-years-old you have already been through the loss of both parents and been abandoned by the last known relative near the police station to be found? This is far too common of a story in Uganda and it is the story of our sweet, loving, strong, kind, hard-working, compassionate orphaned boy, Gift. Maybe you read about how he came to us before, because we recently mentioned it after we reached our one-year mark here with us at Hope for Orphans Organization-Luuka (HOOL). Well, after so much grief and pain in the past, we have been through a wonderful year. With sponsorship from his overseas heart-mom and friend, Gift has been able to go to school and begin catching up on all of his studies, received clothing, shelter, and a family with us at HOOL. Due to how he came to us and his young age, we had no way of knowing the day of his birth. Together with his sponsor we chose a birth date of August 11th and were so blessed and honored to be able to celebrate it with him this past Sunday! There was cake, an amazing dinner, a brand new bicycle as a gift for Gift, but best of all a letter with his new birthday written, like a promise, for a future of celebrations of this amazing boy who will grow with us into manhood! We all have come to love and adore Gift with all our hearts.

He was so overjoyed by the end of his birthday celebration, that he said he wished he could rewind it and relive it over and over. We love you, Gift! Thank you for being the amazing you!

As a sweet little side note, Eddy Tumbya, one of our wonderful directors (he’s always working hard on some project with us or helping with the children it seems) is having a birthday on August 18th! Our friend and Gift’s sponsor included him in our wonderful Sunday birthday celebration by sending the funding and asking us to get him a surprise gift. Just watch his surprise when he received the first bicycle he has ever owned himself!