Keeping a Faithful House

Photo by CRS staff

MASAKA, Uganda — Waswa is a community health worker and his wife Agnes, a midwife. They have a 5-year-old and an infant. They both had jobs and maintained separate, independent lifestyles. Waswa agreed to the marriage because Agnes wanted to receive Holy Communion on Sundays. However, he wasn't willing to alter his lifestyle, which included going to clubs, drinking and coming home late every weekend.

In 2005, Waswa and Agnes attended the Faithful House training organized by Masaka Diocese and supported by Catholic Relief Services. Before attending this workshop, Waswa never felt that he should share his whereabouts with Agnes. The workshop turned out to be a life-changing and lifesaving experience for both of them.

Now, Waswa and Agnes pray together, and Waswa understands the importance of putting Christ at the center of their marriage. He really sees the importance and obligation of remaining faithful to Agnes. Agnes knows Waswa truly loves and cares for her. He even steps in to feed and prepare their child for school when she has a late-night delivery.

Waswa takes every opportunity to talk to youth about HIV and how to avoid infection through abstinence until marriage and fidelity afterward. He feels that his reputation as a caring, trustworthy community health worker is growing among the young people and their parents. It is important to Waswa that the people see him practicing what he preaches.

Help Build Strong Family Structures

Masaka Diocese is one of the regions that is believed to have first suffered the effects of the AIDS epidemic in Uganda. The diocese is one of Catholic Relief Services' partners in the implementation of the Abstinence and Be Faithful program for both youth and adults. One of the initiatives supported by the program is the Faithful House workshop. Its purpose is to build strong family structures to affirm life and avoid risk of HIV infection.