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Many Sarahs wait in silence

Sarah, an East African orphan at Mercy and Caring Children's Home, tells her story to her sponsor in Canada. "I was born near Lake Victoria to a Luo tribe, healthy with an elder brother and sister.

Sarah, an East African orphan at Mercy and Caring Children's Home, tells her story to her sponsor in Canada. "I was born near Lake Victoria to a Luo tribe, healthy with an elder brother and sister. My parents died within a period of one year when I was six years old. My grandmother gave me out to a stranger in order for me to work and earn my grandmother some money.

"My mistress abused, harassed and intimidated me. She never paid me a single shilling all the time I worked for her. Since she had taken me to a different town far from home, my grandmother could not make a follow-up. I was in the mercies of this cruel person.

"After a period of three years of intense suffering, I decided to run away from my mistress. I went to a government officer who helped me by introducing me to the management of Mercy and Caring Home. They heard my story and decided to assist me. I was so overjoyed and thanked God that He had heard my cry and helped me."

Sarah's story represents many desperate children and grandmothers in Kenya, where Edwin and Nancy Cahill work with 17 Kenyan nationals who staff Mercy and Caring Children's Home. This charitable organization provides for and protects 82 vulnerable children.

When drought forced a migration of families from Lodwar in Northern Kenya 30 years ago, the parents of many Mercy Home children were themselves children. They walked for days and squatted in a field on the outskirts of Kitale called Kipsongo.

When we visited this camp in 2001, the village elder lamented, "Out there things change. Here, nothing changes."

Last June we made our yearly visit to the Kipsongo Camp and noticed many changes. Lovina's mom now plaits hair for an income and has built herself a mud one-room house and another that she rents out. She appears to be one who has abstained and not become infected with HIV.

In the midst of poverty, the enjoyment of sex requires no shillings and is one pleasure most people engage in. However, the many AIDS deaths and weakening immune systems reveal an extravagant price for this "free pleasure."

In the midst of filth, children are conceived and are considered the riches of the Turkanna tribe. However, with encouragement, some of childbearing age have attended family planning seminars at the district hospital, and realize producing babies and then watching them starve is not a rich experience.

When we returned home to Gibsons in 2002, we were given a notebook with children's photos and a short handwritten description of each bleak situation. One by one, compassionate Can-a-dians began to support these children. All the sponsor money comes together to provide food, shelter, healthcare, education and love to now 82 children.

Our local Christian Life Assembly has generously provided income tax receipts for donations to this project as it fits their missions mandate. Soon Mercy and Caring Children's Homes will be granted their own Canada revenue number and will continue to operate under the leadership of eight trustees.

Two fundraisers have been planned for this worthy cause. Tomorrow night (Feb. 4) a silent auction and potluck dinner will take place at Christian Life Assembly gymnasium. Doors open at 4:30 p.m. to view auction items, and the potluck and project update is at 6 p.m.

On March 25, enjoy a music lovers' bonanza, three groups for the price of one. Only $10 advance tickets and $12 at the door. Hear local Coast Strings Fiddlers, Janice Brunsen's children's choir and the Lower Mainland's Gospel Brass.

Please email or phone the Cahills at encahill@yahoo.com or call 604-886-2904 for more information.