Christmas for AIDS Orphans

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(Locator: Maua, Kenya)

This is what Christmas looks like in Kenya. The tree is a native plant instead of an evergreen and the gifts are heaping bowls of food.

Eighteen-year-old Purity Muthoni is a successful farmer, student, business woman, and a role model for her peers. She is one of 15 million children orphaned by AIDS in Africa.

Purity Muthoni, ZOE Giving Hope Project: “My father died in 2002 February. Then after four years my mother started suffering. She was very sick.”

At the age of 14, Purity had to provide for her younger brother and sister, and an older brother who has a mental disability.

Purity Muthoni: “When my parents died, we were so afraid. We were praying only to God to get us something to eat because we were sleeping without food.”

With the help of the United Methodist Church’s ZOE ministry, Purity learned to farm her family land. Through the Giving Hope program she has vegetables to eat and to sell. She owns two goats and two cows and has money in her bank account.

Purity Muthoni: “When my parents died, on that Christmas, we did not eat anything. But nowadays we can eat more than even those who are having parents.”

It has been a good year, and Purity wants to share her bounty with other orphans.

Purity Muthoni: “I have invited you to this Christmas to eat together to remember the birth of Jesus Christ. So I welcome each and every one of you, and God bless you.”

The guests enjoy the meal and a special treat… soda pop.

Children who have lost so much find love, hope, and support from each other on this day and year-round.

Singing: “We wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.”

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ZOE’s Giving Hope Project is designed to give orphans the training they need to be self-sustaining in a few years.

For more information on the ZOE Ministry, call 1-800-951-0234.

Posted: December 16, 2009