Mission Moroto Stories – John Sugar Lochugae

Hi pastor Matt, here is my story about my life – By John Sugar Lochugae

Our family is bless with ten children and I am the third born. I was not born at exactly time of 9 month as is normal for women, but mine was unexpected at around 7 to 8 months. l grew up not someone very strong. When I was 5yrs, l was introduced to the life of being Shepherd looking after the animals which was a must for every Karamoja boy to do. l did that for 3yrs. When I reach 9yrs, my dad took me to school which l really wanted in my life. l joined Rupa primary school near our village. l studied in that from grade 1 to grade 3, and l was influenced by my friend to join KDA primary school in town, we move from village to school for about 8km. l studied in that school 2011, and in 2012 l went to next class, as we’re studying.

Unfortunately one day, during break first time in school we had a play of score game. We were using stones as goal poles but during the play it happens that they came toward our goal and I wanted to defend the goal. I missed to kick the ball and I fell down badly on stone goal poles on my back. I got up in great pain but I didn’t know that I was injured badly. My hip bone was about to come out of its position. We went back to class and when we came out from class, the pain was increasing from my leg. I started limping when walking. My friend saw me limping and ask me what happened to me. I explained to him. He told me that if it worsened to go back home. The next morning pain was worse, so l when back to the village. l walked for 8km from morning to sun set which increased the pain more. When I reached home, my dad asked me what happened to me from school. I explain to him. The next morning I couldn’t move or walk any more. I just lie in the hut house all day with too much pain in my leg. Because of the poverty that we had in the family, my parents couldn’t afford transport for transporting me to the hospital. Instead, they used a wheel barrow for transporting me to the nearby health center which was about 5km from the village. This also increased the hip bone coming out of joint. On reaching the health center, the nurse attempted to treat me but they couldn’t manage. They transferred me to Moroto Hospital. On reaching there l was admitted. A lot of diseases attacked my body. l started diarrhea. I was feeling pain in my side and my head that made me not want to eat any solid food or even water. It was difficult to take. I developed skin rush. The hip bone was totally out of it position, pain was excruciating. My body grew thin. I went into a comma. No one believed that I will live. My grandma visited me in hospital all she could say was, “If he dies, bring him home. My mother also couldn’t believe I would live. My friends also couldn’t believe. All they could do is to cry when they saw me on the bed. My father could just monitor or check on my heart and eye when I am sleeping. I suffered for three weeks in that condition. When the Sisters of Charity, who use to visit the sick from hospital, saw me lying on the bed, they were surprised to see me. They help me and took me to Matanya Hospital, but even in Matanya Hospital the nurses wouldn’t believe that I was alive. I was treated from Matanya on the diseases in my body but they couldn’t manage to work on my hip bone. I became well but l used crutches or supporters for walking. The doctor told us that I needed big work on my injury, but because of poverty, we had no money for going to big hospital. I was discharged and we came back to Sisters of Charity. We explained to them what they had said, they said that they can’t help us any more, and they took us back to the village. So when I reached the village everybody was surprised to see me. Those who saw me in the hospital and my condition couldn’t believe that it was me. Those who were unaware of my injury would see me on supporters walking and all l could say to them was that I am alive although this happened to me. So I took a year with someone helping me.

after me spending one year in the village without support, my grandmother got connected with other older woman who use to go and pray at Bill’s church at Mission Moroto. My grandmother also joined and attended every Sunday they could go. So one day my grandmother ask me to go with her for prayer at Bill’s church on Sunday. So I agreed on Sunday 2013 February. I went with my grandmother to Bill’s church. We walked about 3km, when we reached the church, Bill came with his boys he lives with, we had prayer. After the service, my grandmother ask Bill with support from pastor Noah to help me. We explained about how I got the injury, my situation, and they told us to come the next Sunday so we went back to the village. The next Sunday, we came for prayers, we had prayer then after the service Bill called us and told us that God had told him to help the boy that was me, my grandmother became so happy and me too. That was the first happiness in my life and it was great news and a smile lit up my face. So Bill took me to his home in town. The next day he took me to Corsu hospital in Entebbe Kampala. I had my first surgery for the replacement for hip bone, but the doctor received the hip bone when it had spoiled and was infected because I declared for one year. So the doctor decided to remove it, so Bill flew back to USA immediately. l was admitted at hospital and spent three weeks then was discharged. I came back home to Bill’s place and stayed there. I started walking without supporters or crutches but I was limping because my left leg was 7cm shorter than the other that makes it difficult in walking. I joined Moroto Municipal Primary School where the rest of the boys were studying in 2013 for grade 3. In around December 2013, Bill came back from USA. He saw the way I was walking and one day Bill ask me that do you want your legs to be the same level as normal? Then I say yes, so he took me back to Corsu hospital for the lengthening of about 7cm from my leg that the second surgery. It made my leg straight that I couldn’t bend it for almost one year, when I was on my treatment. Bill felt sick and he went back to USA for two months and he came back home to live with us. One day, I saw Bill reading a Bible. I thought it was just a book. I went near him and he had me sit down. He explained to me more about Jesus, God, Bible, believing in God, God’s goodness in my life, he even told me that God is the one who told him to help me, so he gave me a Bible he wrote on it, “John this Bible will keep you away from sins or sins will keep you away from the Bible. That night l went to my bed l remembered all the situation l went through and l thanks God for saving my life. I started growing with the word of God in school, home, teaching other boys. I stayed with Bill after the second surgery. I started walking without crushes but my knee was not bending. I was left with one more needed surgery which has not been done to this day. Again Bill felt sick badly, and we kept on praying. He went back to USA in 2016. We stayed with pastor Noah for three years when Bill was sick in USA. We prayed so hard with the boys for Bill’s life but in 2019, Bill died. I thought there no more life for me until Rebekah came to help us. I was naturally gifted with talents of running, playing soccer games, jumping, but I got injured at earliest age of 10yrs so it has spoiled it all. But we are back alive with Rebekah here and you too. Your love, help, kindness… We love you. Please share with the rest of the people my story, thanks, God bless you

Love John Sugar Lochugae