The kids have been a little under the weather this week. A cold has been circulating around the house so we’ve made a few doctor’s visits this week. One thing I realize when I take the kids into town is how much everyone stares. Of course people are going to stare, I’m white and walking around with kids who are a little different than most. The thing that gets me the most is how insensitive people can be. Right in front of me, right in front of my kids they are discussing what their problem could be, talking about how short they are or saying that they must be crazy because they are making weird noises. It used to make me furious. Then I realized people just really don’t know. It’s not like at home where kids with disabilities are out and about in public. Where we see them at our schools and churches and every other public place. Here it’s different. Parents are embarrassed, confused and overwhelmed because there is no support system in place so they keep their children hidden. This is not only detrimental for the children, but also for the other people in the community. They are so uncomfortable around individuals with disabilities simply because it is something that is unfamiliar to them.

Even the doctors here simply aren’t trained to be able to identify or recognize a wide range of disabilities. If you have a child that has difficulty walking they assign the label of cerebral palsy and if the child is nonverbal then they tell you the child is mentally retarded. I’ve met good doctors who are great with diagnosing and treating other ailments, but they still assign these same labels because they simply aren’t trained or educated about disabilities. Awareness is the biggest problem. So as frustrating as it can be, when I take my kids out I try to be as understanding as possible. I try to be friendly, answer questions and hope that they are able to see my kids as the wonderful children that they are and that the next time they come across a child with a disability that they will be just a little more understanding. Pray that God will continue to use these sweet little faces to make an impact on the lives of the people living in Kitale and change how they view children with disabilities. 

It’s been a hard week around here. We are relying on God for strength, comfort and energy as we mourn Brian’s loss and celebrate the fact that he is now with Christ in his perfect new body. 

God showed up in a big way today. It’s easy to get discouraged, to not know what your next move should be. On the day Brian passed we were supposed to go visit a little boy named Caleb that we met at the district hospital. So today we had a free afternoon before another busy week and we decided to set off to find them. Caleb’s mother had her cell phone turned off, but we started on the twenty minute drive to their house assuming that she was at church and would turn her cell phone back on by the time we got close. We got there and her phone was still off. Since it was a Sunday afternoon there was no one along the main road that we could even attempt to ask for directions. So we got to the last place where you can turn off the main road and decided to make a right and drive a little bit until we found someone we could ask. At this point we had basically given up hope of finding them, but we had to at least ask someone before turning around. 

Caleb

We came across a church and called over one of the ladies that was sitting outside. We gave her the only information we had. We asked if she knew a little boy named Caleb who is three years old and is unable to sit, walk or talk, who just came back from a month stay at the hospital. We also knew that he had a sister who is eight years old who is unable to speak and understands very few words and commands. To our amazement the lady said that she knew them and grabbed a ten year old boy out of church who is their neighbor and told him to take us to their house. We arrived and sat down while the boy who directed us when to call the mother. While we were waiting we saw a girl standing outside and called her over to greet us. She didn’t speak, but shook our hands. Then we started getting even more hopeful that we were at the right place. 

Caleb's sister Mercy

Then the neighbor boy came around the corner holding Caleb. We were amazed that we actually found them. We sat with Caleb while his older brother, Willy went to find the mother. Caleb looked like he had lost the little weight that he had gained during his stay at the hospital. His mouth sores are healed, but he is still so skinny. The doctors advised his mother to give him milk with every meal, but with the little money that they have and three other children to provide for it is too expensive. She loves her son, but their financial situation makes it impossible for him to get the care he needs. All of the other kids are fairly healthy, clean and look well cared for except for Caleb. He was dirty, smelly and drooling but all I could think about when I held him in my arms was that this is how God holds us. He doesn't wait for us to be clean and perfect. He loves us exactly as we are in the moment when we come to him and everything else fades into the background because that love takes over.

Despite being malnourished, his little body is still strong. He can almost hold up his head completely on his own and with consistent physical therapy could be sitting on his own and maybe even stand one day. 

God made it clear to us today that he wanted us to find Caleb for a reason. We talked his mother about what we do at Precious Kids Center and told her that if she and her husband agree, we would love to have him come to the home to get the care that he needs. We will be visiting them again at the beginning of next month and seeing what they have to say and possibly moving Caleb into the house. Pray for this family as they deal with providing for not one, but two children with disabilities. Pray for Caleb’s continued protection and health.

Today Brian went to be with the Lord. We are sad that we will no longer get to see his sweet smile, but glad that Jesus is now cradling him in His arms. I will never forget the impact that Brian had on my life. He opened my eyes to the stru

ggles that children with disabilities face and inspired me to find a way to be able to expand my reach and care for more children like him. Thank you Brian for teaching me so much and being such a blessing in the time that we spent together. Love you always little buddy.

This week we had a clinic in town that checks up on kids who have hydrocephalus. Even though Mary’s head had that opened wound that is now healed the doctors said that the shunt is still working. She has no other signs of the shunt not working so they said that maybe some extra pressure needed to be let out. Other than that Mary is doing great. She has a strong little body, the only problem is that her neck is not yet strong enough to support her head. She wants to sit and will even stand if you support her head. She is growing and gaining strength everyday and I am thankful that God brought this wonderful little girl into my life every time I walk in and see her sweet little smile.

Her father is also doing great. They removed the mass from his side. He was saying that he already feels lighter because he doesn’t have the weight pulling him down on one side. He still feels a little pain, but it is healing and he is taking some much needed time to rest in the meantime. He is still going to the hospital regularly to have the wound cleaned and get the medicine that he needs. I sat and just talked with Mary’s parents for a while. They are great people that are truly and example of a family who embraces their child with a disability and does all that they can to support and provide in the best way that they can. 

Samuel holding his sweet little girl last year when I first met them.

Today I stopped by the children’s ward at the district hospital. We went in just to greet the patients and their parents. I learned that the back room where Willy used to stay is what they call the malnutrition room. All of the children in the room are suffering from severe malnutrition. Many of them have additional illnesses, but the prime cause of them being in such bad shape is simply because they aren’t getting enough food or proper nutrition.   There were so many children in that room with great needs, but the one that caught my attention the most was Caleb. 

Caleb is three years old. He lives in an area that is about 30 minutes outside of Kitale. I didn’t have much time to talk to them today, but it is clear that this family is truly struggling. His mother looks malnourished herself and Caleb is in bad shape. On top of being extremely underweight he also has painful sores in his mouth. His mother told me that he can’t sit, hold his head up or walk and his arms and legs are both very stiff. So on top of everything else he probably has cerebral palsy as well. We are going to bring Caleb some Plumpy Nut to help jumpstart his diet and help him get to a healthy weight. Since he is at the district hospital, the physical therapists come by and give him therapy. Please keep Caleb, his mother, and the rest of the kids at district hospital in your prayers. 

We had a nice relaxing Saturday at the house this morning. It’s been pretty cold and rainy, but today the weather was nice, sunny and warm. We brought all the kids outside and they played in the backyard all morning. 

As I sat and watched them play, I realized that these kids truly are like one big family. Sammy and Willy were outside first and we brought the others out one at a time. Each time Sammy saw another kid come outside the door he started cheering their name and Lavender joined in as soon as she came out. Willy and Sammy will both help Lavender drive her car around the backyard where she can see because she can’t walk by herself. Sammy and Lavender, without needing any prompting, make a point of interacting with the other kids even though they are nonverbal and often don’t give back much of a response. It’s just great to see them all coming together to help and involve the other kids who may not be able to do the same things that they can. I just love all these little ones and how they are already so ready and willing to accept the other kids as they are. 

Dan in his chair. With physical therapy he can now sit
well on his own and even is getting used to putting
his feet down on the floor.

Sam kicking his soccer ball around the backyard.

Cyril

Lavender holding hands with Isaac.

Sam making Isaac laugh by making funny faces at him.

More holding hands!

Sam and Willy rolling the tire around the backyard.

Sleepy Dan.

We took Willy and Dan to Eldoret this week to get some medical tests done. When we got back we went to the doctor and he prescribed some new medicine for them so that hopefully they can get to a place where their seizures are more under control. 

Dan had a bad day last week where he had 12 seizures in one day. Since he started the medicine last Sunday he hasn’t had a single one so we are praying that the medicine continues to work and that Dan continues to make improvements. 

Willy has had a bit of a rough week. After two weeks of no seizures we had a week where he had two to three everyday. Now it has been two days since his last seizure, so we are hoping that his medicine is starting to work as it should and help the the seizures under control.