Joyce's Story

Background

My name is Joyce Matuka Kidulu. Matuka is a name that was given to me by my grandparents who raised me from when I was ten years old after my parents had separated. 

My grandmother was a staunch, born again Christian, and I must admit that her reverence for God greatly inspired my desire to know and get intimate with Him. It is under her encouragement and mentorship that I embarked on a journey to trust Jesus as my Lord and best friend in 1986—a journey I have never regretted!  I was in Senior Two at that time and had started succumbing to the negative influence of my stubborn friends. We lived in Bubulo, a village in the Manafwa District, and it is in this village where my salvation story began. 

Early years

I had to walk about 15km (a little over 9 miles) to school every single day. I did not have shoes and my clothes were worn out. On my walks to school, I would pass by a group of teenage boys who made fun of my pale, cracked feet. This was emotionally draining because there was nothing I could do to better my condition at that time.

The burden of school fees and supplies was at times overwhelming for my grandparents and my single mother. There were weeks when I had to stay home and wait patiently for a message of hope from my mom who worked tirelessly to raise my school fees.

My life seemed to be heading for the worst, yet I remained hopeful. This motivated me to work hard and stay committed both at school and home. Somehow I was confident I would eventually see a light at the end of the tunnel. 

I am grateful to God that there were people who stood by me and upheld me along my life’s journey. I am who I am today because my mother, aunts, uncles and grandparents came through for me. 

Today, I hold a Master’s Degree in Organizational Leadership and Management and I am able to lead a Christian organization (Wise Choices for Life) as the Country Director. I am also privileged to serve as the Vice President of the Mothers’ Union in the Diocese of Mbale.

For twenty-four years, I have been happily married to James Kidulu. The Lord has blessed us with four children: Nathan (23), Elizabeth (22), Solomon (15) and Peter (9). We have also had the privilege of raising nine other children, some of whom have grown into God fearing and responsible ladies and gentlemen. James and I decided to respond to God’s call in helping the less privileged and since then, our home has been an open gate to many who have found it to be a place of love and solace. 

The story of my life and the testimony of Christ’s love form the backbone that motivates me to joyfully embrace any initiative that is aimed at bettering the lives of the needy. My experiences as a young girl continually trigger my eagerness to reach out and uplift others who are in need. 

How Peter’s Heart came into the picture

James and I received a call from Beth in early 2020 (Beth is a missionary with Scripture Union who is heavily involved with PH).  Beth has been a friend of mine for quite some time. We have done ministry together and witnessed for Christ on multiple occasions. In her phone call, she informed us of five children from Peter’s Heart who lived not far from our town, Mbale. She asked us to step in as mentors to these children, a request that we happily embraced.

One thing that was interesting to me was the organization’s name, Peter’s Heart.  My late father was called Peter. He had such a good heart and was kind to everyone. I loved him so much. Unfortunately, he succumbed to cancer in 2011. In memory of his life, we named our last born, Peter. 

Today

Today, we are the proud mentors of three beautiful girls and two handsome boys. As a family, we have found fulfillment in being available to visit, listen and pray with these children. It is amazing how much they seem to grow spiritually, physically and academically each time we visit them. I am humbled that they are not scared to call me at any time and pour out the burdens on their hearts. I feel honored that they can trust me with their secrets. Once in a while, they come to our home to spend a few days bonding and catching up. This year, we actually spent Easter together and had a fruitful season together at our home.

Final thoughts

It is my prayer that these children shall not forget how good God has been to them. I pray that they shall remain true to Him and that they shall help, with the same measure or more, the less privileged in the future.

As mentors, we desire to see these children nurtured and empowered holistically, so that one day, they shall be able to thrive and influence their communities positively.