Ver esta publicación en Instagram
For Edward Kankaka, life didn’t have an easy start. Born in HIV-stricken Uganda, he lost his father before turning four, having to be raised by his grandmother. On the other side of the world, Bruce and Margaret Anschau, an Australian couple, had made a promise. For every kid they had, they would sponsor one in need. Through the Christian charity Compassion, they learned about little Edward, supporting him through many decades. And now, over 30 years later, they finally got to meet in person.
Kankaka, who is now 36 years old, grew up to be a HIV research scientist who studies at John Hopkins University. After learning he had to attend a medical conference in Australia, he made a plan to visit the Anschaus in their hometown of Newcastle. “It’s like meeting a family you had never seen,” Kankaka told ABC Sydney. “A father, a mother, a sister, brothers who you only imagined about, but now you can hold them.”
The family, who had been sponsoring Kankaka since 1995, had held onto every single letter and picture sent by him. To make their encounter all the more memorable, they brought it all with them when they met at the airport, allowing Kankaka to reminisce about his youth and confirm how much the family cared about him throughout the years. While the usual sponsorship ends when the kid turns 18, they continued to support Kankaka through university.
To make their children part of the process, the Anschaus allowed them to select who they wanted to sponsor. It was their then 4-year old son Tim, who picked Kankaka for his massive grin, and the fact that they shared a birthday.
“What drew us to him was his smile,” Heather Foord, the Anschaus’ daughter, added. “He has the most incredible, huge smile, which he still has now.” Kankaka was particularly moved to remember a letter in which Foord called him “brother,” for the first time. “From that day, I began telling people I have a sister and brother and mother and papa in Australia,” Kankaka said.
The family sent money every month to help child development centers, which provided Kankaka and other children with education and training, regular medical check-ups, meals, and snacks. “Regardless of financial hardships, [my parents] have always been really passionate about making sure that we do still do our bit to help others,” Foord added.
Kankaka, now a recognized scientist in his field, is optimistic about the developments in HIV research. “There’s been remarkable progress,” he said. “At some point during our lifetime hopefully a cure will come.” And if it weren’t for the Anschaus, he may not have been part of the solution. “There’s nothing I could do that would be enough to say thank you,” Kankaka added.
As for the Anschaus, they are thrilled that his moment finally came. “We still have a child that we sponsor,” they said. “Over the years they’ve come and gone but Edward is still with us. It’s just so good to see him here.”
The Anschau family from Australia sponsored a young man named Edward Kankaka, who grew up to be a HIV research scientist. Now, 30 years later, they finally met.
Ver esta publicación en Instagram
“It’s like meeting a family you had never seen,” Kankaka told ABC Sydney. “A father, a mother, a sister, brothers who you only imagined about, but now you can hold them.”
Ver esta publicación en Instagram
The family, which had been sponsoring Kankaka since 1995, had held onto every single letter and picture sent by him.
Ver esta publicación en Instagram
“There’s nothing I could do that would be enough to say thank you,” Kankaka added.
Ver esta publicación en Instagram
Sources: Newcastle family meets Ugandan man sponsored through Compassion as a child
Related Articles:
Rapper Flavor Flav Sponsored the U.S. Women’s Water Polo Team So They Could Go to the Olympics
Community Rallies Around Girl After People Didn’t Show up to Her Quinceañera Party
13-Year-Old Honored in TIME’s First-Ever ‘Girl of the Year’ for Invention Helping Unhoused People
FireAid Benefit Concert Raises Over $1 Million To Rebuild LA After Wildfires