Loving on the kids...

We are friends with a missionary couple here in Kitale, named Jeff & Carla. In the beginning, they were here to do spring water systems for the Kenyans; however, they saw an even greater need to love and care for the orphans that they found themselves surrounded with.

They have opened up their home and now have a number of children living with them. A lot of these children come from abusive pasts.

For example, they have two siblings, Jessica (2.5 years old) and James (1.5 years old) that they are now caring for. Jessica and James’ mother had passed away and the care of these two children was dependent upon an elderly man who had no idea how to care for the children. So at the age of one and a half, Jessica was tied to a bed while her infant brother, James, was left on the bed – both in the same position, same room, day after day. Jessica was fed like a bird, her head tilted up, mouth open and food dropped in to her mouth. This was only when food was provided. This went on for months and months.

Jeff and Carla heard of their story through people who lived in the community and had found out about these children. So Jeff and Carla rescued these two children. Jessica still has a bit of an eating disorder but they have been able to break her of accepting food like a bird does. James has a learning disability due to malnutrition and lack of love and comfort as a baby. Actually, they have already lost him once. He had a seizure and died. It was almost 7 minutes later; life was breathed back in to him.

I’ve never officially met Jessica; she was sleeping when I visited their home but I did get to spend a day with James. He was in town for a doctor’s appointment with Jeff and we met up with them. James has such a big beautiful smile and loves to cuddle up against you. He fell asleep in my arms (as most children do here) and when he woke up, he felt the need to put his fingers in my mouth, up my nose and then tried to tie a rope around my head.

James suffers from horrible seizures that are causing some brain damage and he is coming closer and closer to death as the seizures seem to be getting worse. They recently found out that the seizures occur when he has malaria. The risk of getting malaria is reduced if the proper precautions are taken and Jeff and Carla are doing everything they can to protect James from getting malaria and we are hoping that now that rainy season has come to an end, that the mosquitoes will be less and therefore the risk of getting malaria will decrease as well. They are starting to think that the only way this little boy will be able to live a full life is if he is adopted into North America or something; some place where malaria isn’t there.

James also has a disability with his legs. I can’t think of the exact name of it but his knees bend the other way so he walks almost bold legged; he can’t walk properly. He requires leg braces which will hopefully correct things. Surgery will be likely needed in the future. However, he adapts well to his disability and every time he falls on his bum, he looks around to see who’s watching him, gets a big smile on his face, with his tongue sticking out and claps at himself a few times. He is beyond precious; he is absolutely amazing. Another child on my ever growing list that I would adopt in a heartbeat.

The same day that Jeff and James were at the doctor’s appointment, Jeff was told of a little boy, about four years old, named Kelvin that was brought in after being brought in by a neighbor. Kelvin had been severely beaten by his aunt, whom he lives with. Jeff met him and was so touched by his story that he immediately went to find out how he could save this little boy.

Well, this week, Jeff brought Kelvin home with him. It turns out that Kelvin is more like seven or eight years old, not four, although he looks like a four-year old. This means he is extremely malnourished. This little boy has scars all over his body; burn marks, whip marks, etc. In examining Kelvin, they found burn scars on his genital area; his aunt had burned him there with a hot iron.

I am so thankful for Jeff & Carla; for the love they have for these beaten and abused children, for opening up their home to care for them, to rehabilitate them, to love them. They are just another group of friends who are doing amazing work for the Lord here.

A friend of mine told me that he was talking to a friend of his about Africa. The person had said that it was best that they didn’t know what was going on in Africa, that way they didn’t have to feel that they needed to do something. I just don’t think we can play ignorance to what is going on in the world. This doesn’t just happen in Africa; it happens everywhere. And we as God’s people are called to protect and find justice for the beaten, the poor, and the broken-hearted. We can’t turn a blind eye to it and pretend that it’s not going on. It is. Every day. Every hour. Every minute. We can’t ignore it.

How a person can beat a child; I don’t understand, I can’t comprehend. But it happens and all I want to do when I hear those stories, those tragedies, is to run and cover the child, protect the child, love the child and let them know that there is someone out there that loves them and someone that can and will heal those wounds. It’s not me; I can offer the little pieces of comfort but I know that God’s heart is even more broken than mine; He’s shedding even more tears than me or that child. He is opening up His arms and saying, “Let me heal you. Let me love you.” If we can help one child at a time hear those words, than it’s all worth it. Every tear that I shed, every frustrated moment I have, every prayer that I pray, every hug that I give…it’s all worth it. These children are more than worth it.