Orphans & Vulnerable Children
Born into a single-parent family, Patrick’s mother did what she could to care for her son. Both she and son were infected with HIV. When the boy was just 9 years old, his mom died of AIDS-related complications. Not able to care for him, and perhaps out of fear of AIDS, Patrick’s family left him to fend for himself. He began living in the bushes and eating off the streets. He got very sick and was probably not long from death when a man found him lying under a bush. The man took Patrick to the hospital.
Speaking up for those who cannot speak for themselves
Patrick spent six months in the local hospital. Though he was well enough to be released after just a month, there was no one to claim the boy. ELI family nurse practitioner Juli McGowan learned of his plight and started visiting him at the hospital. When ELI’s new orphanage in Kipkaren opened in the fall of 2006, Juli brought Patrick to his new home—a home where he was welcomed with singing. Juli explained to her young friend how much God loves him, and then the young boy was hugged by his new community. Patrick joined others for whom God provided a way out of their desperate circumstances through the ministry of Empowering Lives International.
At the ELI children’s homes, we give orphans like Patrick a new chance in life: We give them caring parents, siblings, a home, food, an education and, most importantly, we give them Jesus. Though they are rejected by family for the burden they are, each and every child is welcomed with open arms to our homes. Children line up to welcome newcomers, giving them flowers and hugs. They sing songs of praise for their new brothers and sisters, and they tell them, “Welcome home!”
At our two children’s homes in Kenya, ELI has done just that for almost 200 orphans. And in Southern Sudan, we take care of forty orphans and children who’ve been separated from their families due to the war. We are in the process of building a home similar to the ones in Kenya.More about the ELI Kenya Children’s Homes
Empowering Lives International currently operates two children’s homes in Kenya, housing 96 orphans at each. Children live in a family environment: They are provided with caring Christian parents.
Each parent couple—Kenyans who are dedicated to loving these children with God’s love—care for 12 boys and 12 girls in addition to any of their own biological children. Each family has three homes, in a sense. The parents live in one. The boys have their own circular home, as do the girls. They also have a dining room, separate of these homes, where the families eat as well as do daily devotions.
None of the eight couples employed by ELI sees their job as just a job. To them, it’s a life commitment. They are committed to seeing the children grow up to realize that God is their father. They also aim to help the children be strongly rooted in God’s word. Academically, they want to see each child complete at least high school. (If a child desires to continue to college, we hope to be able to provide for them.) They want to see these children join the workforce, take up leadership positions in Kenya, and further the kingdom of God wherever life takes them.
More about the childrens homes