Leila One Year Later

Do you remember our precious Leila? It has now been just over a year since she came home to us in January of 2019, having been a victim of severe malnutrition and neglect. Her eyes held so much heartache.

Because of our generous donors, Leila was able to receive emergency medical care, intense therapy, and excellent nutrition. Within just a few months Leila was a completely different person as she experienced the unconditional love of Christ through Gem nurses, staff and nannies. It was amazing to see Leila’s transformation throughout her healing journey. Before long Leila began to smile, dance and praise Jesus! And what a thrill when this past fall Leila was reunited with her biological mom!

We continue to follow up and check on her and we were very excited to have her come and be a part of Night to Shine. She arrived with her Mom in her fanciest dress. If you were to look back just one year ago and see how far Leila has come it is truly astounding. God has been so faithful in bringing healing and redemption to our precious Leila!

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Tears filled my eyes as I watched her being crowned Prom Queen. God is so faithful friends, even when all hope looked lost for Leila He alone brought healing and now our sweet girl is truly a living story of redemption.

It is because of you, our generous donors, we are able to provide a safe place of hope and healing for Gems just like Leila. From all of us on behalf of our precious Gems, thank you, thank you, thank you!

Love from Uganda,

Emma Quisenberry

Director at The Gem Foundation


Meet Patience

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Meet Patience. She came home to us weighing only 6 pounds and was already 7-years-old. Patience was suffering from severe neglect and obvious malnutrition, her loose skin clung to her bones as she peered at us from sunken eyes. She had endured so much in her seven long years of suffering.

Patience had arrived late at night, and as we held her close, our nurse inserted a feeding tube. Her mouth clicked as she longed to eat. We whispered that she was safe now, so very loved and that she would be okay. Every few hours a few more syringes of special formula would be put through her feeding tube, little by little with tender loving care from our team of nurses she began to improve.

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Light began to fill Patience’s eyes, and soon she was recognizing voices and familiar faces. She began to smile when spoken to, she began to trust and slowly her frail little body began putting on weight. Patience is now weighing a whopping 13 pounds! She still has a long road to recovery, but we are so excited to continue to see her healing take place

Oh, sweet Patience you are so very, very loved!!

Would you like to be a part of Patience’ journey to heal and thrive? You can become her sponsor today by signing up here.