God Did Not Forget Me: Jackson's Journey to Hope

God Did Not Forget Me: Jackson's Journey to Hope

Being disabled is something no one wishes for. Not even a parent hopes for a child to be born this way. It’s not a choice - it’s a circumstance. And sometimes, it makes you question everything. You wonder if God has been fair. You wonder who you are, what you’re worth, and where you belong. 

I was born in Lambwe village, under Chief Kapichila, in Zambia.  As a young child, I didn’t understand my condition. But when I turned five, I began to notice. I saw my friends running, playing, and going to school. I wanted to join them. My heart longed to be part of their world. But my body wouldn’t let me. 

I stayed home while they went to school. I listened to my mother cry when people mocked me. Some even said I should have died. In our culture, people believe that disability is a punishment for a parent’s wrongdoing. That made me feel like I was cursed - like I was a burden. 

I was kept away from other children. I was told I couldn’t go to school because my parents couldn’t carry me there every day. I felt hopeless. I thought maybe death was better than this life. I felt like I was an embarrassment to my family. I stopped dreaming. I stopped believing. 

Then one day, everything changed. 

My mother came home with news: Church of Central Africa Presbyterian (CCAP) EduDeo’s partner had opened a school for children with disabilities at Msuzi Primary School. She said it was free and had boarding facilities. I didn’t believe her. I thought she was just trying to make me feel better. 

But the next day, my father took me to register. That’s when I knew it was real. 

When I arrived at the school, I saw other children - children like me. They had different disabilities, but they were smiling. They were learning. And for the first time, I didn’t feel alone. 

Msuzi Primary’s classes changed my life. It gave me hope. It gave me a future. Thanks to EduDeo and CCAP, I now go to school without fear or shame. Everyone here is special. Everyone here belongs. 

I’ve made friends who value me. I’ve met teachers who believe in me. One of our teachers is also disabled, and he teaches us with strength and joy. He shows me that God loves me and made me with a purpose.  

I believe my tomorrow will be better than today. I thank God for my life. I thank EduDeo and CCAP for opening this school. And I pray that it will grow to include Grade 12 - so I can keep dreaming, keep learning, and one day, help others like me.