Another Day in Kisumu

Today we went for VCT visitation in the field. The visits are always touching but today was particularly so. We went to Jim’s a man who is HIV positive. Jim has no one to care or look after him. Jim’s house is falling down. When it rains his roof will leak. He has been alone for many years now. The VCT took a new mosquito net to him and a blanket for his bed.
He has a fractured foot which makes walking impossible for him. He is not able to attend any church fellowship so John taught him a Bible lesson and we sang a song and had prayer with him. We are not sure if the neighbors help him get water and food. The need is great for his house to be repaired and nutrition for the HIV drugs to be effective. We want to recommend mission teams could help with repairs like this in the community for those who have no means of doing for themselves.

Next today we visited another HIV positive mother of 3 who is a widow. Two of her children are mentally disabled. She is having stomach problems and goes again on Wednesday to get tests results. While she was out she had to just leave Junior her son sitting in front of the house. He doesn’t speak. We first arrived while she was out. Then we went back taking rice and beans from the school. Junior when he saw the rice and beans went straight to the kitchen and got a bowl. We know he was very hungry. He was very excited to see the food. His mother was very thankful. The older boy who is mentally disabled has been taken to an institution to live where he can be cared for. Some organization came and got him. We do not know why Junior was left behind to care for himself. We are told the care for such a child is expensive. The question is will they soon be orphans and then what will happen? The mother is doing all she can to put food on the table but sometimes she is too sick to work or care for the family. The churches here have so much to do they can not possibly care for all the needs of the people because everyone in their church needs something.

Then at the end of the day we went to a widows support group. The group has about 25 members. They meet every week to help each other and encourage each other. They too are HIV positive because their husbands have died of AIDS. They now are trying to think of ways to raise income to help people who are very sick to have good nutrition. This is so important for the treatment to work. They ask for prayers for this and to pray for hope for each of them. They are wonderful women who do so much for others and group members. These people do tremendous work with so little.