Moving Forward

by Ilula Children's Home Director Laban Rono

At llula Children's Home, we have been kept by God who has been our security and refuge. We have been praying and have been prayed for by a lot of people in Kenya and outside Kenya. We thank God for the safety that He provided to all of our children and the compound. It was a blessing also to see the District Commissioner come to our aid when he gave us four police officers to take care of the home during the day and night times.

Children were asking questions about their siblings and relatives during the troubled days. The home parents have done a lot of counseling and guidance to assure them of peace coming back in the country and the safety the government is providing to the people of Kenya.

One of the children who was helped a great deal was Hellen (12). Hellen was so relieved when her two sisters reached the orphanage after traveling from their aunt’s home over 30 miles away. They had come to enquire as to how Hellen was doing and if she was safe.

Hellen (on left) with Brenda and Scophia

Hellen was only nine when she arrived in 2004 with her only brother Edison. He was three. Hellen had Tuberculosis (TB), which she contracted from her dying mother. We thank God that it was the type of the TB was not contagious. Hellen could not play, run, do manual work or even wash her own clothes. Her health was bad and she seemed sad quite often.

On completing treatment, Hellen improved and she became happy and social. She joined grade 2 that time with a performance ranging between 50 to 60% mean grade. She has since then improved from being among the last five in exams to among the top five.

During the end year exams in grade 4 in November 2007, Hellen was ranked 6th position out of class attendance of 32. She managed to score total marks of 414 out of the possible total of 500! Her former negative attitude towards education has changed and is now very positive and hard working.

When children are doing Bible devotions in their family or in Sunday school, Hellen takes the role of leading and even teaching the other children by helping the adults. She can read and speak English and Kiswahili fluently, something she could not do when she arrived at the home. Hellen can now run, jump and do all sorts of chores happily. She is good in basketball and soccer.

Of recent, she has composed two songs and learns four memory verses from the Bible every month. She gets some mild chest pains during some cold weather and she is advised to wear heavy clothing that time. She wants to be a teacher when she grows up and upon completion of her schooling. She appreciates all the care and help she gets from the orphanage. She says she thanks and prays for her sponsors’ every day.