The story of meeting grace

“Coincidences mean you're

on the right path.”

- Simon Van Booy

After nearly three years of waiting, I boarded a flight to Uganda. As you know, the pandemic closed doors to traveling, but it also opened doors to new ideas and opportunities.

As traveling to Uganda was on hold, an opportunity to empower women in Lexington, Kentucky, presented itself. We developed and implemented three full cohorts of a six-week holistic life coaching program where women had a safe place to self-discover and build belief in who they are.

Since founding YOU ARE, I’ve had an instinctual, unknown feeling that we would empower women and girls in some way, especially internationally in developing countries. After three long years and the development of a program for women, I was set on seeking opportunities to empower women in Uganda.

“A helpful first step in thinking about working with the poor in any context is to discern whether the situation calls for relief, rehabilitation, or development.”

-From the book, ‘When Helping Hurts’

Through my experience with international travel, I have seen a lot of efforts in providing relief to a problem that ends up being a band-aid to a deeper issue. I wanted YOU ARE’s work to be something different, something sustainable and lasting change. And if anyone is going to create a sustainable and lasting change, it will be from empowered people living in that community.

I sat down with one of the Mommas at Restoration Gateway (RG), where I used to live in Uganda. As she shared with me how she and her kids have been doing the past couple of years, I shared with her the creation of YOU ARE, and in hopes to empower and create equal opportunities for women in some way here in Uganda.

Her first response was, “Do you know Grace?”

I instantly shook my head “No” but was immediately curious about who Grace was. Momma told me that Grace has built relationships with women in sex work near the local village.

The next day, we drove down the red dirt roads, weaving in and out between potholes toward the local village. We drove up to an empty building with about 3 rooms and a woman standing outside with a beautiful African fabric dress waving.

I stepped out of the van and looked inside the rooms, I saw hair pieces, sewing machines, and tables that seemed to be desks. I walked closer to the woman standing outside, and she reached out her hand humbly and said, “You are so welcome. I’m Grace.”

She took me into one of the rooms, where she scooted a chair for me to sit on. Momma introduced me to Grace, and Grace proceeded to share with me that she has built relationships with over 200 women and girls who are sex workers. She shared that she saw a huge need in this local village to provide a safe space for women lacking equal opportunities, so she started a vocational training school where they can learn skills and be empowered to become who they want to be.

I complimented her initiative to create job opportunities for women. I asked what age the women and girls were. Her response is what struck me the deepest. “The youngest I know is around 13 years old.”

“Are these girls not able to go to school?” I immediately replied.

Grace answered that most of the girls are orphans or their families can’t afford school, and they are encouraged to find ways to pay for schooling where. I later learned that, sadly, the family members encourage sleeping with men as a solution. The remaining women are single mothers and women who simply cannot support themselves and struggle to find safe housing.

My mind couldn’t fathom the trauma these women and girls were experiencing, and it wouldn’t stop racing with ideas even after I returned to the States. Because if we were to pursue this and do it from a lens of development instead of relief, we would have to stop all existing Physical Education and Sports programs.

One month later, I received a message from a friend in Uganda. His sister was sexually exploited in another village, and he asked for help.

Coincidences like meeting Grace and receiving this text message is what I like to call God's whispers. Nudging you to your potential. Confirming all the questions that are going through your mind.

Since meeting Grace, she now leads YOU ARE’s Ugandan branch, where we are currently sponsoring 7 girls to attend a safe boarding school, and they are dreaming of becoming nurses, doctors, fashion designers, etc. We have provided nutrition assistance to over 30 single mothers and their children attending vocational training. And it’s only just beginning. All are locally led and development-focused.

A coincidence? No. I feel like this is what was meant to happen all along.