A Life in Dignity?

This is far from dignity for any human being, the way they live! – Birgitta arrived back home and was obviously deeply shaken! She had just been on a visting tour of some of the vulnerable children in their homes together with Jennifer, one of our co-workers in Loki. They found little Isak, who has both mental and physical disabilities and who is one of our sponsored children receiving a food package every week, flat and half naked in the sand outside the family hut. When the mother finally appeared she explained how she usually puts Isak on a tatty, empty food bag outside their hut.

 

– But then I need to fetch wood, cook food etc. and I have no one to look after him when he crawls away from the mat! Birgitta asked her to get him dressed as she wanted to take a picture.  The mother got him dressed in a pair of dark pants and a blouse which had seen better days.

Yet Another Dream

Knowing about the conditions in which Isak and other children with disabilities live in, in our society in Loki, we often say to one another: ”If only God could send somebody with a calling to establish a center for these needy children and youth”. A center with a school, a rehab institution and plenty of love and care! The issue is not lack of facilities, but rather, where are the workers?

Transition

The Lomilis family with five children, lost all of their livestock, the family asset and only means of income, when Kenya suffered a prolonged drought in the course of last and this year.

Some weeks ago, they called in at a friends home in Loki, pleading for help and a place to sleep. They are now one of the beneficiaries of a weekly food package for some time. And coupled with that, they are given a small plot at our farming project and being trained in farming. Good with help for self help.

Different Values

Living a life in dignity is one of the core values in our organization, Children’s Mission. But what is a life in dignity? A very relative concept, as with many other ideas and notions in our world. As we talked with some of the young Chinese civil engineers, who have established their camp in Loki, waiting to get going with the major renovation and rebuilding of the main highway, they underlined that if you don’t have a vehicle and a flat or a house in China, you’re deemed a poor person, especially if you’re about getting married!

You are Precious

Jesus was born in a stable, had a fodder trough as his first bed, grew up and became a simple carpenter in a country town, was persecuted and ridiculed by authorities and religious police, judged on false grounds and executed in the most horrible way! Was that a life in dignity? And yet, he was God’s love gift to humanity. And He is waiting for our response to His: ”You are infinitely precious!”

We believe that every little gift and contribution to our ministry in Loki generates small, small steps for individuals and families toward a life in of more dignity. We therefore continue to plead on behalf of these needy ones for continued support!

Please do not hesitate to contact us if you want to be part of this adventure! Write to arnkea(at)gmail.com or birgitta.arnlund(at)gmail.com

Remains to express our heartfelt thanks and appreciation for all prayers, support and contributions during 2017.

Yours / KeA & Birgitta

Some pictures from recent events