Born in 2001, Gerald was the first of three children born to his father’s second wife. During his early years, his father provided for him and his family. When Gerald was 11, his home caught on fire destroying everything his mother owned. His father took out loans to rebuild, but when the loans came due, he couldn’t repay them. Gerald remembers the day the lenders came and took all his family’s belongings out of his house. Gerald’s father began neglecting his mother and her children, not providing for their basic needs. Food, clothing and schooling became a continuous struggle.

 

Gerald finished primary school (7th grade) when he was 14. Shortly after starting 8th grade, he accompanied his family on a visit to his mother’s home village. Upon arriving, it became clear  it was not just a visit. His father had brought Gerald’s mother home, demanding a return of the dowery he had given for her and disowning her children. Daily life became a serious battle for the family but the struggle led both Gerald and his mother to commit their lives to Christ. God began to provide for them by giving his mother small ways to earn money for her children. 

 

Even with this change, Gerald eventually became connected with a bad group of kids and got in trouble with the law, spending 9 months in prison. After his release,  his mother heard of a Christian school with a work program that helped students pay for school fees. Eager for a new start and a way forward, Gerald agreed to go. He finally completed high school at age 22. His goal is to become a truck mechanic and help provide for his mother and siblings.