Agnes Ndyajunwa, a mother of six talks about life without a husband and raising her children. Photos | Abubaker Lubowa.
“My mother is a strong and fearless woman of God. In everything she does, God comes first then, the rest follow. She is a single mother and God being her father and husband, she has raised us with courage and determination,” Antony Bamwine says of his mother Agnes Ndyajunwa.
Meanwhile, Alex Mwine Ndyajunwa appreciates his mother’s resilience, prayer life and faith. As we celebrate Mother’s Day, here is the story of Agnes Ndyajunwa who lost her husband in 1998, but attributes God’s goodness to this far she has come as a single mother.
Agnes Ndyajunwa met her husband Godfrey Ndyajunwa at Kyamate Primary School in Ntungamo District. There were school competitions and she was participating in running.
“I was in primary school but he was in Senior One at Ntare School. He had studied at Kyamate and came to see his old girls and boys,” she says.
The two reunited as teachers at Rugogo Primary School in Buhweju District. They got married in July 1980.
Tragedy befalls
The couple lived in Bukoto, a Kampala suburb. They were married for 18 years and had six children. Agnes says, theirs was a blissful marriage.
“Godfrey loved and greatly cared for me and our children,” she recalls.
She lost her husband in 1998. Godfrey, she says, was pursuing a degree at Makerere University in third year.
“On that day, he returned from Makerere saying he had a bad headache and fever. ‘I am not feeling well’ he said. We went to the hospital the following day; they ran tests, including one for malaria. The results turned positive and he was given antimalarial medication,” she recalls.
When they returned home, Godfrey said he was feeling better.
“We had our dinner, and off we went to sleep. He convulsed and it wasn’t be fore long that he breathed his last,” Agnes pauses.
Bumpy times
After Godfrey’s death, life was difficult for the family.
“At times we would sleep without having a meal, that pushed me to get work to do,” she recalls.
Agnes set up a stall at Kamwokya Market where she sold food in order to make ends meet for her children.
She says she was not yielding much profit from the business.
After leaving the market business Agnes had a stint as a salesperson for Swiss Guard, accompany that deals in health supplements, for three years.
“I would walk from place to place selling the products and would return home tired,” she explains.
“After Swiss Guard, I got a loan from Postbank to start a shop,” Agnes remembers.
While pursuing that business she met some friends at the Bukoto Evangelical Church where she prayed and still prays from. These people showed her kindness and support.
“They would ask me how the business and children were doing, I was honest with them about the situation I was going through and they would lend me a helping hand,” she notes.
She says the business was good, but she had to keep servicing the loan.
“I had acquired some other loans that I had to pay as well. It was a challenging season but God helped me,” she explains.
“I kept praying and God answered my prayers,” she adds.
Agnes says during the tough times, she kept praying and her children started attending church as well.
Agnes Ndyajunwa, a mother of six
“I am glad they joined the church, they stayed humble and well-behaved,” she recalls.
Remarriage
Asked why she choose not to remarry, Agnes says she wanted to look after her children without divided attention.
“Taking care of my children was my priority. I did not want them to suffer forming a new bond with a man who was not their father,” she explains.
“I had seen widows who had remarried but things were not okay; their children were suffering. I loved Godfrey so much and my children. So, I wanted to keep the love for my children pure,” she says.
Ministry life
As a Christian whose devotion gave her comfort and fulfillment, Agnes gave her all to church.
“I used to preach the gospel in Kabale, Mbarara, Nakasongole, Busia and Ntungamo districts with some of our church members. It was amazing because the church was sponsoring our journeys,” she recalls.
“I am thankful that God would use me greatly in those journeys, that I started receiving physical and financial gifts from the people I would minister to,” she adds.
Key people
The mother of six, says the friend to her firstborn son helped them a great deal.
“Amos’ friend kept helping out whenever we needed support,” she adds.
Agnes received Godfrey’s pension since he was a clerk at the Ministry of Public Service and had some other job at State House.
Missing Marriage?
Just like any other human being who loves companionship: “I sometimes feel lonely, but Jesus is more than enough. He satisfies me,” she says.
She explains that she finds peace and strength in God’s Word.
“Reading God’s word and believing what He says helps me overcome anything,” she adds.
Making ends meet
“I asked God for a complete house, business and fees for my children until they completed school, and he answered my prayers,” she says.
Agnes says when her daughter , Alice Kansiime got married, with her husband they bought for her a finished house in Kyanja.
She opened another shop near her home and built some rentals in the same locality.
Challenges
“I live alone since all my children have grown up but they stay near me so they keep visiting me,” she says.
Advice
She advices single mothers to focus on God, pray for their children and work hard.
In her free time, Agnes reads the Bible, enjoys playing with her children and grandchildren.
Son speaks out...
Amos Mujuni Ndyajunwa
“My mother is our heroine. She is prayerful and this is what has kept her going,” he says.
He says they would not be what they are if it were not for her iron hand.
“When our dad died I was in Senior Three around that time, life was hard; no food, renting a humble home and in debt. People advised her to relocate us to Ntungamo but she endured.
I salute and respect her for that decision, she stuck with us her children I love her,” Mujuni notes.
