Yesterday morning, seven brothers and sisters sat in a row on a wooden bench facing us. Several members of our Living Room team had traveled to a home in a nearby village to care for these children whose mother had died while giving birth to their little brother two weeks ago. Her freshly dug grave was all I could see in the landscape behind them.
As we sat together, we listened to their story. They listed their names, ages, grades in school.
Jackline Jepkoech – 19 years
David Kipruto – 17 years
Isaiah Cheruiyot – 14 years
Vivian Jerop – 12 years
Sharon Jepkorir – 10 years
Alice Jepkirui – 7 years
Geoffrey Kiplagat – 3 years
We talked about which children were sick and in need of treatment – Alice and Geoffrey. It was also said that David had a mental disability and needs further evaluation. Jackline, the oldest and mature beyond her years, shared about the challenges of not having food and the need for “the children” to remain in school. Little was mentioned about their grief as they are simply trying to survive. They went on to report how their father had died in a roadside accident three months earlier, and now their mother, while laboring at home by herself, died after giving birth to a premature baby boy.
I was first introduced to these children’s story because of the baby. He was brought to Living Room when he was a few days old. We did not have much information about him or his mother at the time. The baby’s name was Ryan, and he weighed 3 pounds 8 ounces. Everything else, I needed to learn from holding him, from listening to his heart, from watching him breathe. He was so tiny and fragile. Beautifully perfect. When I picked him up, I was deeply aware that his life was not an accident. HIs story, as tragic as it felt, was not over. As I held him close, I knew God was close.
After assessing Baby Ryan, it was clear that he needed to be referred to a neonatal intensive care unit in a neighboring town. We are following him closely and expect him to come back to us at Kimbilio Hospice in the next few days.
Although I did not know it at the time I met baby Ryan, his brothers and sisters are the ones who named him. His name meaning: “little king.” Eight brothers and sisters. Together, they are trying to find their way through the heartache and loss. We, as Living Room, are committed to standing with them. Please join us in praying for these children. We want each of them to know, in their very core, that they are loved and known. They are not alone nor are they forgotten by God. We want them to do more than survive. We pray for healing, protection, peace, and joy to be theirs. We pray that all they were created for will be fulfilled. Some practical needs the children have include: fees for medical care, food, school fees and uniforms, diapers, and formula. We are hoping to raise $10,000 to help meet these needs. Thank you, in advance, for your love and support.
