A Present Help

The year I turned twenty-one, my mom passed away.

That was also the year I started working on my college degree and got baptized. Each child in the family received a lump sum of money from our mother’s life insurance. I used my sum to pay tuition for my first year of schooling.

At the beginning of the second year of college, I managed to get funds for registration but failed to secure money to pay the rest of the fees.

As the year ended, I started to despair, but the hype of social gatherings during the university break and festive season made me temporarily forget my worries. In January, everyone around me was excited about the new year, but dark clouds of foreboding overshadowed my heart. My excellent academic records testified of the hard work I had put into my first and second years, yet I was on the verge of losing it all. All human help seemed inaccessible. God was my only solace.

He inspired me to go to the university and find out the exact amount that I owed. I started off on my one-hour journey to campus and was soon queuing at one of the financial office counters. When my turn came, I handed over my student card and requested the amount due. After a few moments, the lady informed me that I had a credit! “Do you need a printout?” she asked. At first, I stared back at her in confusion, mentally struggling and trying to recall the basic difference between the meanings of the words credit and debit. My thoughts racing, I concluded that she had made an error in her fact-finding and had provided me with another student’s financial information.

I voiced my concern to her. With a trace of impatience in her voice, she confirmed the details of my account and provided the same response as before.

In a bewildered tone, I explained that I had not paid my fees that whole year and sought an explanation. At this point, she stormed away in irritation.

A nearby teller came to my aid.

She reviewed my account and calmly explained that a philanthropic organization called Rhodes had sought out and identified financially struggling students with exceptional academic records —and settled their accounts due! It was evident that before I had even started praying, God had already answered my prayer!

Regina Nakanjako Mngumi