Stories of Hope from Our Mission Field

Mwajuma Kabati of Tanzania was suffering immensely. She civilly married in 2016 at the age of 24, but her marriage only lasted for 4 years. The reason? She was unable to bear children. In Tanzania, infertility brings derision, mockery, and social isolation, and sometimes even beatings from the husband. This, unfortunately, was the case with Mwajuma. In addition to being called names and excluded socially, her home life was unsafe and turbulent.

She divorced her husband and civilly remarried, but due to her infertility, this marriage, too, lasted only a few months. Rumors about Mwajuma’s infertility found their way to the new husband, who left her without warning. Mwajuma was heartbroken and isolated, with no support system and no answers as to why she was suffering in this way. She isolated herself from her family because of their scorn. She visited hospitals and consulted with traditional healers, but nothing was working, so she continued to suffer and cry alone.

Related: Catholic Teaching on Infertility Treatments

Mwajuma’s first two marriages were invalid. And so, in 2020, she was sacramentally married in the Catholic Church to a third man. Because of the trauma of her past, she was terrified her new husband would know about her infertility. What would happen then? Would he leave her or hurt her, like the others had done? Would he join with her family in insulting her?

One day, she heard about HLI’s Natural Family Planning program on Radio Maria. She was enthralled and hoped that, through them, God would heal her infertility. So, she contacted Costa Soko, one of our Educator and Supervisors in Kibaha.

Costa was able to help Mwajuma become more aware of what was going on. While using the Billings Ovulation Method, Mwajuma revealed that she used contraceptive pills in college. With this new information, Costa realized that she could be suffering from sub-fertility rather than total infertility due to her past use of contraception. Costa started Mwajuma on a healthy diet consisting of warm water, fruits and vegetables, and fresh milk or honey in the hopes that improving her health would also improve her fertility.

After a few months of being on this diet, in 2021, Mwajuma finally became pregnant! In May of 2022, she gave birth to a beautiful and healthy baby girl. “I am now a mother,” she rejoiced, sharing her joy to those who had previously ridiculed her.

Mwajuma continues to rejoice and is thankful to Costa Soko and for HLI’s Natural Family Planning program for all the blessings they brought to her. Sharing this story with everyone she meets, she urges women, especially girls, to not use contraception. Mwajuma even studied Natural Family Planning (NFP) and became an educator of the Billings Ovulation Method in Geita to spread this hope across communities.

Mwajuma’s story is not unique. Gaudencia Haule had also suffered from fertility issues until she used NFP. She subsequently conceived and had a beautiful baby girl, and now works as the NFP Supervisor for the Nyasaza Zone. She remains grateful to HLI’s fertility program for all the blessings it has given her and many other women.

Our affiliate, Emil, tells the story of three women who came to him in crisis. Theopista Ndunguru and Maula Kihwili both were suffering from post-abortive syndrome, and both had decreased fertility due to contraceptive use. Aisha Abdul had had multiple miscarriages. Emil began working with Theopista and Maula, and he referred Aisha for further medical treatment. Theopista now enjoys better health and works as an educator on the Billings Ovulation Method. Maula had a baby girl, and her marriage has improved dramatically. She says that it is because of HLI’s programs that she became more aware of her fertility and is also learning the Billings Method to become an educator. Aisha, too, had a happy ending. She is now 5 months pregnant! She said that, after giving birth, she will spread the pro-life message to others.

In Rwanda, this hope is reaching even more women. Aloys, Director of HLI Rwanda, teaches young couples and single mothers how to use NFP effectively, affirming that their bodies are not objects of pleasure but have inherent dignity and sacredness. He also does chastity training programs for young adults (chastity training similar to the one that empowered students in Malawi to embrace purity and which ended all teen pregnancies at their school).

Inspired by HLI’s missionaries, these teenagers took a pledge to practice chastity.

Gertulda was one of many women helped by HLI Rwanda’s program. She was married young and had suffered issues with her Fallopian tubes due to contraceptive use. Sadly, she was unaware of the effects contraceptives can have. After receiving treatment, she was able to conceive and is now 7 months pregnant! “…I really thank…Human Life International [for starting] this chastity program…this is to save the life of [the] youth. Our generation of youth is facing most of the anti-life tools, and most of them…don’t know the truth and the effects of these anti-life contraceptives on their life.”

Another story of hope is that of Diane. She was part of the Gicumbi pro-life club, which was created by HLI Rwanda, and she had participated in various chastity training programs. She knew the effects of abortion, the value of the preborn child, and that all human life had inherent God-given dignity. But her life was turned upside down when her father was injured in an accident and became unable to support his family. Her mother abandoned the family for another man, so Diane and her sister began to struggle to meet the basic necessities of daily life.

Diane was manipulated by someone who promised her employment, and she became pregnant. When he found out, her father refused to let her be in the same home as her family, so she went to live with the man who had taken advantage of her. The man told her to abort her child, but she remembered everything she learned from HLI Rwanda and decided to keep the child. The man then abandoned Diane and never returned because of her decision, so she was left alone once again. She began to consider abortion as a means of escape, so she approached HLI Rwanda’s staff for counseling.

HLI Rwanda welcomed her with open arms and helped her with the daily necessities she was unable to get for herself, such as clothes for both herself and the baby, assistance with paying medical fees, and breastfeeding materials. With this help and encouragement, Diane decided to keep her baby, whom she named Alpha. Her sister later moved in with her, and HLI Rwanda is now conducting family counseling in the hopes that Diane can be welcomed back into her family and can continue school after the baby grows. Diane thanks HLI for saving her baby, saying, “God, the Master of life, is using HLI to save babies, and among those babies is…my baby, Alpha.”

Thanks to our generous donors, HLI is able to save babies worldwide and to bring the light of truth across the globe. Without their help, there would be many more victims of abortion and the contraceptive mentality. Please pray for the continued success of our mission and for all those who support us.