A new chance at life: Eliya and Abigail today, healthy and smiling!
An Impossible Choice
Helping children in Kenya recover from severe malnutrition
Dear Family,
Who eats today and who goes hungry?
That’s one of the impossibly hard choices faced by many impoverished families, living on the brink of starvation, each and every day.
Little sisters Eliya and Abigail were not getting fed. They were hungry, but there was no food. Their destitute mother only fed them when she could.
In desperation, she abandoned them into the care of their elderly grandparents. Their grandfather, who is a believer in Jesus, struggled to provide for his family and the two additions to his household. The kids were so severely malnourished when our ministry partners first met them in 2014 that they had to spend months in a local medical clinic in Trans Nzoia, Kenya.
This is how bad it was: Abigail was unable to walk at age 2, and both she and her younger sister had serious developmental setbacks.
At left, the girls when they were placed in the supplemental food program in 2014 (with their grandmother looking on); At right, this is little Viitalis Nyongesa, a boy who suffers from malnutrition and AIDS. He is new to the supplemental feeding program and we will follow his progress. Let’s remember to pray for Vitalis and all the children!
The sisters were placed into a monitored supplemental food program made possible by you through Heaven’s Family’s Food Ministry. You are now helping 11 children recovering from various stages of severe malnutrition.
This is how good it is now: The girls have completely regained their weight and achieved developmental milestones! They are both now enrolled in school and there is little indication of their earlier set-backs due to malnutrition. You made it happen…praise God!
At left, Abigail and Eliya in 2016, making great progress on the special feeding program (and Abigail is walking!); at right, the sisters one year ago
More good news: The sisters’ grandfather was blessed with full-time employment with a local seed company. Everyone is rejoicing and giving glory to God! Now, he can provide for the girls nutritional needs as is no longer dependent on your help. The children also receive a monthly checkup from a local nutritionist.
I’m so thankful you and I don’t have to make such impossible choices. And I’m thrilled that no one has to decide if Eliya and Abigail are going to eat today—the answer is yes, yes, yes everyday! Equally importantly, they are also receiving the love of Jesus, who is the Bread of Life.
Serving Together,
Diane Scott
Director, Food Ministry
