Recently Mission:180 was asked to look into accepting a 10 month old baby boy who had been abandoned in Western Province, Kenya. After some time and effort, young Douglas came to Kona Baridi and took up residence in Mission:180's Children's homes!
A little bit about Douglas:
To start with, he is not 10 months old! He is at least 2! And, I will warn you before you watch the video posted below, and look at the pictures, HE IS SUPER CUTE!!! He has immediately taken over the role as chief of the welcoming committee, and he is also the life of the party!
Douglas was abandoned as an infant at the gate of a very poor elderly grandmother in a very rural area of Kenya near the small town of Kakamega. His mother hoped this old grandmother would try to care for him. The grandmother already had 4 children that she was caring for, and Douglas overwhelmed her abilities! After doing her best for 2 years, she started looking for help. Her meager resources were stretched to the limit. This story is all too common in Kenya. Elderly people are often found raising the children of their deceased or very, very ill children. If its not a grandparent caring for the babies, its often children living together trying to care for each other. Life is a battle for these precious little children. Out of that battle, Douglas comes to Mission:180! He is very happy!
Evidence of the struggle remains however, seen especially at meal times. He eats with one arm around his plate or bowl, protecting his food should someone else try to steal it, and he eats very quickly. Slowly he will learn that he does not have to fight those old battles anymore.
A little bit about Douglas:
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| That smile is contagious and its always followed by giggles! |
To start with, he is not 10 months old! He is at least 2! And, I will warn you before you watch the video posted below, and look at the pictures, HE IS SUPER CUTE!!! He has immediately taken over the role as chief of the welcoming committee, and he is also the life of the party!
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| The thumbs up pretty much summarizes how Douglas feels about his new life at Mission:180's Children's Homes. |
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| He stole my heart with the first smile he gave me! |
Evidence of the struggle remains however, seen especially at meal times. He eats with one arm around his plate or bowl, protecting his food should someone else try to steal it, and he eats very quickly. Slowly he will learn that he does not have to fight those old battles anymore.
VIEWER ALERT: THE FOLLOWING VIDEO IS VERY CUTE!!!
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| Thanks for making what we do here possible! We join Douglas in giving you this very happy thumbs up! |
To make a contribution to the work of Mission:180 in Kenya, you can either click on one of the Paypal buttons on the top right hand side of this page, or send us an email. jason@mission180.ca, or jennifer@mission180.ca. We are working to expand our pledged monthly contributions. If you think you can help us by making a monthly donation, we would be very grateful. Together, we are making an IMPACT!!
