Twisengeeli, Elias
- Born: 1988 Elias, 1993 Sarah
- Country: DR Congo
- Family: sister, parents deceased
- Grade: approximately senior, needs educational assistance
Edited email(s):
Email 1: Hi Sister,
I would like first to greet you. I am very happy that I am talking to you. I am a Congolese refugee in Uganda at the Kyangwali Settlement Camp. I am in senior class three. I am so happy to greet you. The only thing is the condition of this life.
Thanks. Yours in problems, Twisenge Elias
Email 2: I humbly thank you for your reply to me, Mum. I am so happy because of your reply. Thanks for the questions you asked me about my life. I am an 18 year old boy (you could not know from the name). I lost my father 2 years ago and my mother 4 years ago. I remain with my young sister who is 14 year old and in P5 She is called Sarah Jeanne. My father died after paying my school fees for term 2 senior 1. From then on I was considered as orphan. I was forced to leave school and farm. I worked for the money for term 3. By now I have nothing to do. Mum, it's a long story. I am so tired of farming. I have been planning at least to farm for what my sister so we will eat and also for her to reach P7. By now I don't know what to do, Mum. I tried to join COBURWASone day. Once, I did not eat for three days at home, but still the Lord God is with me and my sister. And, if the Lord God wishes, I would like to be a journalist some day. In my life now I farm from 6:00 am to 2:00 pm to earn money and sometimes I farm for my aunt. I always go to school. Mum, it's a long story. Slowly, you will know my story. I wish much success to your daughters if they are studying and may God be with you and may your family members stay well.
Thanks. Yours in problems, Twisengeeli Elias
Email 3: Dear Mum,
I humbly send my greetings to you. How are things over there? Back to us, I told you little about me and my sister's (Sarah) problems. I usually wake up in the morning and tie my aunt's goats. From there I go to school and sometimes I am late to school because we are orphans. We have to do what they tell us, whether it is bad or good. Sometimes, when I don't have money to buy something like a pen or a book, I am required to be absent and work for it. If I don't work, I can't get it. That's why schooling is becoming a problem for me and my sister in the first and second term. I usually try to look for a place to dig so I can support myself and my sister. It pays only 20000 shillings to dig 40 by 40 meters. I am always grazing goats and pigs for people so that I can get money. You may think my aunt may look at me favorably, but it's as if I don't have her. She herself told me that I am not her son because of being an orphan. It's a problem. It was at night and I spent the whole night crying without sleeping because of that, while thinking about my parents and my sister. Since I came to start writing to you, I wanted and requested 20000 shillings. It's what I usually use to write to you. She told me that I have to dig for her a portion of land equivalent to the money, which is 40 by 40 meters. Mum, the way I'm suffering, me and my sister, you cannot know if you are not an orphan.
This is the way I came from DRC. It was on a Tuesday when we were returning from the market. The war started when we were still on the way home. I was with my brother something like two miles from home. They shot my brother as we were running toward home. He had only 30000 shillings in his pocket. I removed the money. I went home with it, but I found nobody at home. I went crying with the money and I got a friend's mum who took me with her young children. I still had the money at that time. I gave the money to her and she thanked me very much. We were transported to Kisoro in Uganda where I found my mother. I didn't tell her what happened. I told her after about 2 days, but I cried at night because they told me that my mother had the pressure disease. That's why I could not tell her until she was admitted to the hospital. And that led me to be born again. I will never forget the Lord God who served me at that time and I request that you pray for orphans.
Thanks.
Yours, Twisenge Elias