I write as one who lost her father as a teenager, by the grace of God I had discovered my Heavenly Father just before that event and his comfort at that difficult time was just so precious. Circumstances in life mean that not everyone gets to experience the true love of an earthly father, that unconditional love that cannot be broken no matter what kind of mess you get yourself into, those cuddles that make you feel safe, that smile, tears cried with you. All of that is just a tiny portion of the love our Father God has for each one of us but sometimes we need to feel that hug, see that smile, hear those encouraging words and that is why God places us in a family. The church is not an institution, it is a family where we can experience the love of God. In Christ we have, spiritual mothers, grandmas, grandads, brothers, sisters and of course spiritual fathers. On this Father’s Day we send a special thank you to spiritual fathers in the church who care for us and who love us enough to bring discipline and correction when it’s needed. May God bless you.

Here is a tribute to a man who understands the importance of the orphan experiencing a father’s love - from Baby Watoto.

Every child deserves to know the love and security of a father. Yet, sadly most of the babies we rescue, whether orphaned or abandoned, never even get the chance to meet their dads.

We also have amazing men throughout the ministry who’ve stepped up and taken on a father figure role in the lives of our little ones. From pastors, to teachers, coaches, doctors, and men throughout our staff—each of them plays a special role in our babies’ lives knowing they are helping raise Uganda’s future leaders.

Ibrahim was raised by a single mother who often struggled to provide for the family. Eventually, she got a job at Baby Watoto and at times would bring young Ibrahim by so he could meet the baby brothers and sisters that God had blessed her with here. Because of this experience, in 2016 Ibrahim became a volunteer at Baby Watoto on our Suubi village.

Ibrahim shared, “While volunteering, babies would often call me ‘mama.’ The more the babies called me that, I realized that we had a lot in common—just like I grew up without a father, these little babies were growing up without one too, so they didn’t know the word yet. Despite their needs being met by different people that God would bring into their lives, they were lacking a consistent father figure.”

He admitted that at times it was difficult due to his busy schedule, especially when he was juggling medical school and other commitments, but he always made time and made the babies a priority in his life.

It’s been seven years since Ibrahim first began. Today, he works at the clinic on Suubi village, just a short five-minute walk from Baby Watoto.

“It makes me so happy that I still get to play this role in their lives and give a fatherly portion of love to these babies because I know in my heart what it feels like growing up without a dad, or even having that word ‘father’ in my vocabulary.      

“I am proud when they run to me for safety and comfort. When they can’t wait for me to come over so they can show me what they were able to build with their toys,” he continued.