The Fairfield staff has been able to make a good number of home visits this month to see different children in the HOPE program. Some were graduating from the program, so we would be visiting for the last time (officially:), while new children appeared to take their place. God has a good way of providing us with just the right number of children at all times!
Cecillia (assistant administrator) and I went to visit a little girl named Sekai (meaning “to laugh”) who had been on our nutrition program since she was a small baby. We found her healthy and happy, so she was now allowed to graduate from the program. During that same visit, however, we also stopped by to see Sekai’s 2
siblings at the primary school. The principal called in a little girl named Rosemary whose stomach bulged from malnutrition. So within a few minutes of graduating one, we were able to accept another. The doctor confirmed she needed additional nutrition, so one of her family members will be collecting her food each Monday.A similar situation happened with our education program. We went to visit one of our “sons,” James, who had finished his high school education last year. Since he had been in poor health, we decided to go and see him at his rural home. We found James with his relatives. His health had greatly improved thanks to the right medications, and since we saw he was now in a good home situation, he was also officially graduated from the HOPE programs at the age of 18.
Just a few days later, we noticed a young boy coming to collect food for our new child Rosemary. When we asked him why he was not in school, he said he had passed his Grade 7 exams with very good results, but no one in his family had money to send him to secondary school. This often happens because secondary school is so much more expensive than primary. After a quick trip to the local school to secure him a place for next term, we dropped off our new “son” Wongai (meaning “to thank someone”) near his home. I watched him walk away through the rearview mirror of the car, so happy with himself for his good luck. God had placed him in the right place at the right time.
Unfortunately, I keep forgetting my camera lately (getting old!) so the pictures in no way correspond to the stories this month-they are just pictures of some seriously cute kids:)
I am looking forward to Nyarai’s return on Friday. She has been busy with all the work of her first semester at college, so I am sure she will be happy to come home and rest for a while.
Hope you all have had a good month as well!
Janine
