Junior

It’s interesting how God brings kids into my life. I know I’ve said it before, but it’s the truth. On the way to Pascal’s house to meet his mother and talk about him coming to the house I spotted Junior. He was just sitting on the steps outside of his house. On the way back we stopped by and said hello. A sweet little smile instantly lit up his whole face. 

Junior on the first day I met him

I talked to his Aunt and learned that his mother was only fifteen years old when she had him and dumped him at his grandmother’s house when he was just a few months old and never came back. I told him we would come back and asked him what he wanted me to bring him. Most kids say candy, cake, soda and things like that. Junior told me that he wanted soap because he doesn’t like being dirty. It broke my heart. 

On my other visits I’ve found out just how badly Junior is treated. There are several other children that live in the house. They are clean. Junior is filthy, I brought him new clothes and the other kids are wearing the clean ones while he is still dirty. They are in school. Junior stays home, sitting on the step outside by himself all day. They are healthy. Junior is skinny and his legs are swollen, which is a sign of malnutrition. 

Junior is a perfect example of how kids with disabilities are so often neglected because of the simple fact that they are just a little bit different than everyone else. Junior has Hydrocephalus, but they placed a shunt when he was a baby and he talks, walks and even runs. He is so full of joy despite of all the obstacles that he faces daily. 

Almost every time I’ve visited Junior, Augustus has been with me. The first time, the other kids that came along were shy and nervous and stayed in the car. Augustus got out and introduced himself and reminded me all week to make sure that I brought him soap and some clean clothes. Then we went back a second time with some small treats for him. He noticed how Junior was treated differently than the other kids and took fifty shillings that he was given by a visitor that had recently visited the house and gave it to Junior. When we got home he said to me, “Mom, I feel so bad for Junior. I know this house is so full, but we can’t leave him there.” Augustus told the story of what he had seen that day to the house moms and they didn’t even hesitate and simply asked when he was coming. 

For every little blessing that comes in the house I am reminded that I am more blessed to have such loving children and staff that welcome them with open arms. The work load is heavy, but their hearts break the same way as mine does when they hear of or see children being mistreated simply because they have a disability. 

Needless to say Junior moved into the house this week. He had the biggest smile on his face the whole time. He went straight into class and stayed there the whole day. I had to fight away the tears when I saw how the other students didn’t even hesitate to welcome him with loving arms. God is molding the hearts of all of these precious little ones at such a young age. I am blessed to be a part of their journeys. 

Pascal

Kitale is a town that has many children living on the streets. For whatever reason they leave their homes and run to town. Life is hard for them. They beg for food and sniff glue to dull the emotional and physical pain that they face. My heart breaks for these children, but one little boy, Pascal, has broken my heart more than others. He is sweet, and has not yet become hardened by the tough life of those living on the streets. I would buy him a little food or take him to lunch when I was in town, but I didn’t have any other way to help him.

Pascal at lunch when he was still living in town.

He comes from an area of town called Mitume. I went with him to visit his mother a few weeks ago. She told me that his father died during the post-election violence in 2008 and she has been struggling to provide for her six children on her own every since then. Pascal had been in school, but she was unable to pay his school fees and after that he ran away in November and began sleeping on the streets of Kitale town. On our short little visit, Pascal seemed nervous and uncomfortable being at home and didn’t want to stay. He isn’t quite ready to talk about why he doesn’t want to be at home with his mother, but I learned that only one of her six children stay with her, so there is something going on there that makes her children not want to be at home.

Pascal with his little brother Japheth

Something that sets Pascal apart from the other children living on the streets that really grabbed my attention is his joy. His life is hard, he struggles to survive on the streets, but he always has a big smile on his face. His heart is so full of joy despite his circumstances. 

This week I met a couple that wanted to help a child get off of the street and send him to school. Pascal immediately came to mind and they agreed to send him to school. He will be going to Greenfields with Allan and Augustus. I learned that he also has a learning disability. He made it to 4th grade just being passed onto the next level even though he wasn’t retaining or understanding anything he was learning in school. So he will be going back to second grade and getting extra tutoring in the afternoon with Augustus. Hopefully this will give him the support and the little extra boost that he needs to be successful in school. 

With children who have been on the streets, there is always the risk of them running away. Life on the streets can be addicting and the children often have trouble adjusting to living with rules and conditions. So far Pascal is doing great and loves hanging out with the other boys at the house. Please keep him in your prayers that he makes a smooth adjustment from life on the streets to living with the kids and going to school. 

Pascal with his new friends! 

Adventures in Lodwar

It’s been a busy week. I headed up to the town of Lodwar to help a team who went to distribute food. I met a man named Jacob who is a pastor and has polio. He was telling me that he lives with his two nieces and his son that also have polio. Also his neighbor’s children have polio as well. I went to his village to meet his family. He is a community health workers that receives government support to help feed the children with disabilities living in his community. There are many struggles that he faces. Even if the fees for school are provided, the nearest school is far and the kids can't walk there because of their disabilities. There is nowhere in Lodwar where the children can receive therapy and the doctors have limited knowledge of how to treat them. There is so much need and the support he gets is very limited. Here are some of the children that I met on my quick visit to his house. 

Jacob's son, John

Jacob's niece, Nancy

Nancy's little sister Evelyn, who can almost stand straight

But she struggles to walk

Nicholas, one of the nieghbors who also has polio

Ebei, another one of the neighbors, who has down syndrome.
Lodwar is a desert town so it is very hot and they said he doesn't like wearing clothes.

He told me that there are more children in his community that he supports that have cerebral palsy and other disabilities. I am hoping to make another trip up to Lodwar soon to visit these kids and meet the other ones that Jacob supports to see their needs and how I can help. It’s encouraging to see someone else who is involved in reaching out to help children with disabilities. God has put the same passion on both of our hearts and I hope to be able to  work with him, his family and the kids in his community to give them the supports they need.