Walking with the Oppressed in Western Kenya

Brother Haron continues the story of a young widow who is HIV positive:

“Brother Paul accompanied me to the home of that HIV positive young woman we reported on last update. This is her brief story. ‘I hid my disease from my first born daughter until I thought she was old enough to handle the news. She was furious at first because she feared she would be stigmatized because of my condition since AIDS is considered to bring shame to a family in Kenya. She was also afraid that she could contract the disease from me, but, she settled down after we talked about it,’ says Siphrose Violet. ‘Fortunately, my first born daughter is not infected with HIV/AIDS. I was pregnant when my husband died. Our second born daughter is also infected by AIDS, meaning two HIV positive patients in the home.’

‘My first priority is to get medicine for my infected daughter whenever she is sick, then, to help my children get basic education so that they can support themselves in their future…’ she adds with a touch of happiness in her voice. ‘I want with my whole heart to train on the GMFC / WFF tailoring program. I also pray that in the future God will open a way for my first born daughter to be trained to stitch too. There are so many sympathizers and independent people & organizations that come to see us. They teach me about this disease; what it is, how it is transmitted to others, how I can live longer despite it, how to identify other people living with HIV/AIDS and their families visiting them and discussing with them the disease and how to make our community more aware of it, etc. However, after a long lecture, they leave us with nothing, only empty promises which they never bother to fulfill’ she concluded.

We encouraged her, told her about Jesus and prayed for her with her two daughters. She promised to come to church and we are praying for her to genuinely repent. Saints, join with us in prayer and support where you can.”