Written by Mathiew Saba, JFM’s Delivery Partner
Papa Bill’s story is a powerful reminder of how God can turn pain into purpose. As a young boy, Papa Bill walked through some of the darkest valleys of life. His childhood was marked with hardships and brokenness that left deep scars. But instead of allowing those wounds to destroy him, God in His mercy used them as tools to shape Papa Bill’s heart with compassion. The struggles he endured became a testimony that prepared him to understand, love, and embrace children who walk through similar paths of suffering.
About thirty years ago, Papa Bill visited Uganda for the very first time. The nation was just emerging from a brutal bush war that had claimed the lives of countless men and women, leaving behind a generation of orphans. When he looked into the eyes of those children—hungry, hopeless, and hurting—he remembered his own pain. He thought to himself, “I know what it means to suffer as a child. I know what it means to feel alone.” That moment was a turning point; God stirred his heart to rise and become a father to the fatherless.
From then on, Papa Bill’s mission became clear: to extend the same love, mercy, and provision he wished he had as a child. What began as a burden in his heart has grown into a life of service. For decades, he has poured his life into feeding, clothing, and caring for poor children in Uganda. He saw beyond their hunger for bread; he recognized their hunger for love, dignity, and belonging. Just as Psalm 68:5 declares God as “a father of the fatherless,” Papa Bill allowed himself to be God’s vessel to reflect that fatherly heart to children in need.
Today, the love that began years ago continues to flow. Through Papa Bill’s obedience, countless orphans and poor children in Uganda have been fed and embraced with the hope of the gospel. His story is a testimony that God never wastes pain—He transforms it into a ministry that changes lives. The suffering of one man’s childhood has become the reason thousands of little ones in Uganda now smile, eat, and know that they are loved, not only by Papa Bill but by their heavenly Father.
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