Rehema Ministries/dba In Step Foundation, Kenya

On December 18, 2011 Cindy went home to be with Jesus. She arrived May 2011, Cindy was born on April 26, 2011. We didn’t know much about her except that she was abandoned at the hospital and had just been taken off of IV treatment.

Cynthia Huruma, or as we affectionately called her, Cindy-Lou-Who. She was born with a problem in her trachea that made it difficult for her to feed and to breathe. We were contacted by the Children’s Department to pick up this sweet girl and care for her. As we struggled to find the best way to feed her, we saw a vast improvement in her ability to both eat and breathe.

Cindy was loved by all. She got to be held lots because she was so frail. She was named after one of our visitors and sponsored in memory of their son Rusty Riggle. She and Rusty can now get to know each other. They are both loved and missed.

Cindy when she arrived .

March 27, 2007 – April 02, 2007

One day the children’s officer came with a social worker.  After the normal greeting, the social worker told us about a very sick, abandoned baby boy at the hospital. They could not admit him for treatment without a caretaker, according to Kenyan hospital rules. Carla knew the baby would die without treatment and they asked Carla if she would consent to being the baby’s caretaker. The social worker said, “What can we do?”  Carla quickly replied, “What do you mean, what can we do? Where is he?”  In less than 30 seconds the children’s officer returned with a bundle of blankets and a tiny baby inside.  He weighed less than 5 pounds and was approximately 4 months old.

The baby was struggling to breathe, obviously very sick. One of the first things Carla noticed by the color of his eyes was that he was anemic. She had two choices – be his caretaker or send him off to die.  “I thought about it for about a second and a half and just reached out my arms and took the bundle,” said Carla.

Manny was abandoned at birth and a certain mama picked him up and decided to raise him as her own. He must have been a preemie, judging by his size.  She had been feeding him powdered milk from a cup. Needless to say, he was severely malnourished and dehydrated, hanging onto life by a thread. When the woman realized she was unable to care for him she dropped him off at the Children’s Office.

What a cutie!  We were told his name was Emmanuel and we call him Manny.  Carla took him to the doctor for his initial checkup and admittance.  Then she went back to the children’s home and made him a little bed.  She called Jeff and told him she needed the smallest clothes he could find in the totes and a few bottles. They immediately started a blood transfusion and Manny started to perk up. The day before, a lady in our room accidentally bought a blood transfusion kit instead of an IV kit.  The next night Manny needed a transfusion and we were able to trade kits so Manny could get an immediate transufsion.

For a little boy who weighed less than 5 pounds, after the transfusion he could really make some noise. The doctor said Manny needed to be on oxygen, but that they were out!  Imagine a hospital out of oxygen!

Manny struggled to breathe.  Propping him up seemed to help a bit. When the doctor came around Carla told her the problem and she prescribed yet another medicine (total of 11).  As the day went on, his condition worsened. He was literally grasping for air like he could somehow catch a breath with his tiny little hands. It was heartbreaking.  By late afternoon they finally put him on oxygen and by evening he seemed to be relaxing. But by 10 o’clock he took a turn for the worse. Carla sat with Manny in the oxygen room for a couple of hours until he passed away.

Although he was with us only a few days, it surprised Carla how much it hurt to lose him. A little life wasted because of poverty. A mother who threw him away like an empty Wal-Mart bag. A good Samaritan willing but unable to care for him. A medical system so lacking, to say the least.  End result: An unnecessary death of a beautiful baby boy.

We had a tiny casket built (24 inches), large enough for little Manny.  It was covered in red velvet (not like what you would find at home), and Jeff made a window over his face with a little  hinged door.  Carla took great comfort in seeing his little face one last time. It was more like saying goodbye than the night in the hospital.

Jeff reminded us that Emmanuel means God with us. God did como only leave him with us for a few days, but I’m glad He did. I am glad He chose us to love little Manny his last few days on this earth.

Arrived RMISF June 8, 2007 – December 1, 2008

Levis was just over a year old when he was picked up. They had to roll down the windows of the van to endure the smell of this very dirty, malnourished little boy, covered with rashes and sores.  They gave him a bath as soon as they got him home and he really like it. Levis seemed very insecure in his new environment, like so many of the malnourished kids when they first come.  When he saw food, he cried until he was fed.

Levis was abandoned with a box of dirty clothes and his immunization records! The immunization card tells not only his name and birthdate but the names of his parents and where they are from. The children’s office launched an investigation to trace the parents. Levis was HIV positive and was put on treatments.

Below is the e-mail from Carla 12-01-2009

(#2) We just want to thank everyone for your prayers, but let you know that a few hours after I sent the newsletter, Levis went to be with the Lord. His last hours included smiling when Tommy was being silly, enjoying being snuggled, and really trying to eat even though his body was not cooperating. He tried, we tried, but God decides.

I know that God has a plan for each and every child He sends to us. But, it seems like some of them are sent here just to experience love before going home. Almost three months ago, Levis was dumped on the side of the road with a sack of rags and his immunization record. I’m really thankful that he didn’t die there. I’m really thankful that we had the opportunity to know him and most importantly, to love him before he left this earth.

Note from Grandma Joyce:  I want people to know what a precious little boy Levis was and how much he was loved. Ron and I were at the children’s home for a month before he died. When we arrived he wasn’t eating and he just seemed to be melting away. He had no strength in his skinny little legs, couldn’t even stand with help. I asked God to heal him, to give him strength in his legs so he could walk like the others. The day we left for home he held my hand and walked down the hall and outside with me. Two weeks later I opened my e-mail and read Carla’s note. My heart broke that morning, I couldn’t have loved him more if he was my own flesh and blood. He now has a new body that is without AIDS.  He will always be in my heart!

Birth date unknown, arrived RMISF on November 22, 2007 – August 14, 2008

Mark Stephen was very malnourished. He looked like the pictures you’ve seen on the news of starving children in war-torn Africa. His stomach was sunken in to look like it was lying on his backbone. One could count every rib, like a skeleton. Same with his backbone. His face was just skin over bone.

Mark Stephen was approximately 3 or 4 years old when he arrived. He had huge bed sores on his hips and buttocks.  We were told that his mom was chased away from home about a year ago and his dad just sold the home and moved away, leaving Mark Stephen behind to die. He must have been there for quite a while before the neighbor discovered him and brought him to the hospital.  The Children’s Officer contacted another ministry in town, but they do not deal with such cases. They did, however, send a woman to the hospital to care for him. She stayed until the next morning, when Carla took over.

In addition to extreme malnutrition, Mark was diagnosed with TB and meningitis. He could not move at all. His eyes just stared forward. We agreed to take him and brought him  home with us.

After making great improvements from March to June, Mark began refusing to eat.  Even though he was being force-fed, his body began to shut down. Mark Steven passes away knowing that he was loved. He was buried under the tree at the children’s home.  Carla has planted lots of flowers around his grave. He was the first to be buried there and has since been joined by Winnie, Richard and Levis. I wish we could have brought Manny up to our little cemetery so he wouldn’t be alone.