Vineous

Her name is Vineous, and she was the first child to be cared for by The Valley community.  She never knew her father because he died during a tribal border dispute a few months before she was born. Then, she lost her mother to AIDS three months after she was born.  In fact, the only reason Vineous is alive today is because a well-wisher urged her mother to use medicine when she became pregnant and encouraged her not to nurse Vineous once she was born.  Because of this, Vineous never contracted HIV and lived.

Vineous (left) when we met her in 2012

Baby formula is as expensive in Kenya as it is in the US. However, with an average income of less than $2 per day for a working Kenyan, feeding a nutritious diet to a baby whose mother has died is nearly impossible. Vineous’ shosho (grandmother) found herself smack dab in the middle of the impossible.  She was a widow herself and lived off the yield from her small field of crops.  How was she to ensure Vineous’ survival?   

Shosho struggled for several months, feeding Vineous a thin watery porridge, but even that was a challenge.  She finally took her to the church and begged the pastor for help.  Pastor Moses had compassion on little Vineous and took her into his own home.  She was the first of many children he would come to care for as his own.  When the community heard of this now public situation, they helped… and they brought more children.  And so The Valley Children’s Home began.

Shosho Vineous and Ann

Last week, we had the privilege of introducing Vineous to two of the members of her sponsor family.  Words cannot begin to describe the magic that happened at that moment.  For Kathy and Rose to see, face to face, the child for whom they’ve prayed and sacrificed, and for Vineous, who has clung to a picture and some words on a page, to tangibly feel arms of love wrapped around her - it moved us in the deepest regions of our souls. When God brings two worlds together over the love of a child, it is miraculous and awe inspiring.  We can only rejoice in our simple human ways and praise Him!

Rose, Vineous, and Kathy meet!

Shosho Vineous prays with the Fords.  Two worlds collide over the love of a child!

If you are interested in sponsoring a child at The Valley, please email us at info@oasisfororphans.org.