Student Sponsorship: Oyella Gloria & the Deese Family
“We have had many relationships with many of our students over the years. Some come and go, and some live on with us forever. Oyella Gloria, whose parents have both passed, is one who still calls us Mom and Dad.”
Doug and Cindy Deese have been sponsoring Hope Alive! students since its founding in 2002. They have built a special connection with Oyella Gloria, among others. When visiting Uganda, Doug and Cindy recall the following of meeting Gloria: “She was so shy; she could barely look at us. That soon changed, and we became her mom and dad. Gloria has graduated from Hope Alive! but we still have a very close relationship.”
Gloria shares, “My sponsors did not just pay for my school fees and other needs, they also took a step to get to know me and loved me dearly. They never judged me and always believed in me, which meant a lot to me. They were more than sponsors, they became parents. They wrote me letters, sent me gifts, and I always addressed them as Mom and Dad instead of Doug and Cindy. I was told not all sponsors reply to letters for a number of reasons. My sponsors always replied, and I really felt special and fortunate to have found such wonderful sponsors. Mom and Dad visited me while they were in Uganda twice, including a visit to our home; they understood our living conditions.”
Hear from Gloria directly about her time with Hope Alive!:
Mentorship and Discipleship
“Mentors acted as a bridge between Hope Alive! and us children. They understood our living conditions and needs whenever they visited. I had a number of mentors during my school years. They all played an important role in my life. Susan Shereni, for example, who was my second mentor, discipled a few girls through Bible study, and I was part of her class. We would meet once a week at Lugogo Baptist Church. Having a mentor meant that I was accountable to someone; I grew spiritually and knew I could turn to them whenever I needed a listening ear.”
Saturday Club
“Every Saturday, I looked forward to the delicious lunch and breakfast at Saturday Club. Apart from other activities, this was important to me since sometimes my siblings and I starved because we didn't have food at home so it was an opportunity to enjoy a warm meal. I once participated in helping prepare the meals at Saturday Club!”
Education and Career
“Having just reached my teenage years, I never thought I would have the chance to join a high school and finish my education, especially after the death of my father and the fact that my mother was very ill. To my rescue, Hope Alive! enrolled my brother and me in the project. My first two years in secondary school were a bit challenging as I had to study and take care of my ill mother at the same time. Nonetheless, I was able to pass my exams. My teachers were very helpful, especially my mathematics teacher. She knew my story and was supportive. I studied and acquired two diplomas, one in information technology and the other in software engineering. It was rewarding to have studied this far, and I learned a lot along the way. I did an internship at a microfinance company and was later hired as an information technology officer.”
Marriage and Family
“During my internship, my future husband and I were already dating. We met on a pen pal site in 2011, as we were both looking for friends in different countries. I met him in person in Austria in December 2016, and we got married in August 2019. In February, our first child was born. We attend a Baptist church here in Austria and are growing in our faith every day.”
“Gloria spent a month with us for the purpose of doing some marriage mentoring with her and her guy. We were skeptical at first, but, after doing marriage mentoring with them (we included Manuel via FaceTime), we were a bit more comfortable with the idea. This past June we were able to be with Manuel and Gloria in their Austrian home. Manuel has become a wonderful husband who loves the Lord. Gloria has become a wife, adjusting to a Western way of living! It is so different from Uganda, but she is adjusting just fine and loving it. They have been happily married for a little over three years now.” - Cindy Deese
A Final Word from Gloria
“When I think of my time in Hope Alive!, it was nothing less than a blessing. I learned to be humble and share with the underprivileged whenever I can. Hope Alive! taught me to be appreciative. Had I not been in Hope Alive!, I don't think I would have been the person I am today. Above all, I am thankful to Jesus for using Hope Alive! to make me the blessed woman I am today. All the glory and honor go back to Him.”
A Final Word from Doug and Cindy Deese
“We love Hope Alive!. It is a different kind of sponsorship with Christian mentors for every child and a strong Christ-centered spiritual emphasis like no other.”
A Final Word from Hope Alive!
We are thankful for ALL of our sponsors who express their care by giving faithfully each month. As Doug and Cindy said, “Some [relationships] come and go, and some live on with us forever.” While some come and go, all remain forever in the hearts of our students; they know that someone on the other side of the world is thinking of them and gives so that they may have a better life full of hope!
