Blog

I received a call yesterday from an oncologist who was requesting for me to consult on one of his patients, a young woman named Judith, who had been admitted to a private hospital in a nearby town. The doctor explained, “Juli, she is dying and is in the wrong place. There is no morphine here. She is in pain and having difficulty breathing. The family has exhausted all of their financial resources trying to get her better. She needs to come to Kimbilio.”

As I was walking to Living Room this morning, I stopped to greet a neighbor, a delightful elderly man who is among the best at teaching me to speak the Kalenjiin language. He refuses to speak anything else to me and continues to provide me with wisdom and insights into culture and life. As I shook his hand, he called me “Bot Jerop” (Mama Jerop) and explained, as he does each time we meet, that I have graduated from my other names and now should be known as Ella’s mama.

I was recently asked if I ever witness miracles at Living Room. While the answer is a resounding yes, they are not often instantaneous or obvious acts of power. They occur in day to day moments, and if you are not paying attention, they can easily be overlooked. Simple acts of love transforming brokenness.

We are grateful for a new year. New beginnings for some. New goals. New strength, energy, and vision. For our kids here in Kenya, it is the start of a new school year. For many, receiving a quality education is not the norm, especially for orphans and vulnerable children. Thanks to generous hearts, Tumaini na Afya (Hope & Health), Living Room’s outreach program, has had the opportunity to come alongside 26 such children in our community and empower them with the gift of education. Meet one of them—Kennedy Kipruto.

I am excited to share that Risper Kimaiyo, ambassador for Living Room’s Kimbilio Hospice, has won Sunday’s Long Beach Marathon with an official time of 2:41:56. Her determination, humility and unbelievable speed have been a great source of inspiration and support for Living Room.

Six hundred miles. That is the distance that Kelvin, an 18 year old dying of cancer, traveled to reach Kimbilio Hospice. He and his uncle did not leave their hometown with the intention of coming all that way. They were simply looking for help. Sadly, it took 600 miles on a long and hard road trip to get it.