Glenyce’s story | The gift of a son and a whole new life

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord.” (Isaiah 55:8-9)

“When I was 14, my dad came home from work and said, “How would you like to live in Zambia?” It was 1968. We’d never heard of Zambia! We got out an atlas and found it in Africa. Dad had been given an opportunity to work with the Ministry of Education. We went! I did my O levels there and we made so many friends. It was a high-pressure situation, so we bonded quickly and deeply… and God put a passion in my heart for Africa. It never went away!

I came back to Australia when I was 16 and it was never the same. I went to business college and finally ended up as protocol officer for the NSW and Commonwealth governments. I found myself walking through the corridors of power in Macquarie Street, accompanying the Governor of NSW. I organised state visits for royalty and heads of government, and then I got headhunted to work for APEC in 2007.

Then, in 2012, my mum died. My sisters and I decided to go back to Zambia to see where we’d lived. It was just amazing – going across the border and seeing the Zambian flag. It really impacted me. I was quite emotional. I had only lived there for two years, but it was a crucial time in my life. A Zambian pastor hosted us. It turned out he’d been in Sunday school when my sisters and I were teaching Sunday school! He took us to our church and to my old school and our old house. Our house was the same colour inside as it had been 42 years earlier!

Afterwards, I just knew I wanted to be in Africa. I took on a role that involved supporting rural African pastors. Through that work, I met David, who was our link person in Uganda. He was 36, married to Sarah, with four children of their own and 2 fostered children. They had a ministry to orphaned and vulnerable children. They were both from complicated families. David’s alcoholic mother had died from cancer and his father was not part of his life. When I met him, he’d recently returned to school, going on to get his Bachelor and then his Masters of Law.

For me, I had never married. I always thought I would, and have children, but it never happened. For a long time, it was painful. All my friends married and had children. I often

prayed that God would take the pain away. Of course, God gave me an incredible job and I threw myself into it. But all that time, the ache was present.

In 2018, David and I were on a mission trip together. We spent a lot of time working on projects and we just bonded. Afterwards, he told me he went back home and said to Sarah, “I think I’ve found our grandma!” The next year, he said to me, “I want to adopt you.”

It was amazing! I was 64! And God was giving me a son. It took my breath away. David is a leader in his community. He knows so many people, even internationally. He could have chosen any number of people to be his mum, but he chose me! In 2019, we had a lovely adoption celebration in Uganda. Over 100 people came, and we had a feast of goat. All of their children spoke, except the youngest who was 8. All the pastors prayed for us, as a new family.

I went back to Australia, still working, but I talked with my new family every single day. Then, in 2022, I moved to Uganda permanently! I sold my house in Australia and everything I owned. David and I bought a hospital in Jinja! It was 9 years old and needed complete revitalising but now we are providing desperately needed health care to the wider Eastern Region of Uganda.

These days, I’m not walking down the corridors of power in Macquarie Street! I’m clambering in and out of wooden boats visiting medical camps, praying over new babies and walking through our emergency department in Jinja. But looking back, I can see God’s hand in everything. He knows our pain, even when we’re too scared to ask him, or admit it. He sees and hears and knows everything. He weaves his answers into our lives, over time. My favourite Bible passage is from Isaiah 55:8-9, ““For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord.” That’s true! It’s been amazing!”

Glenyce’s story is part of the Faith Stories series, compiled by Naomi Reed.

Visit Koorong to purchase Naomi’s Faith Stories book, Every Moment, Everywhere: https://koorong.com/everymoment