I first met Augustus way back in 2011 when I thought my plan was to only stick around Kitale for a year. He was a total orphan living with his grandmother, but he had so many jiggers in his hands and feet that walking was too painful so he had to crawl. A friend of mine took him to stay with his Aunt in a nearby slum so that he could attend Oasis of Hope and at least receive a few good meals a day and they could keep an eye on him. He was always so full of joy and would pass by my house every evening to say hi on his way home.
Later on that year the principal of Purpose Driven Academy asked if I knew of any needy children that her school could sponsor and I instantly thought of Augustus. I went to talk to his Aunt and he became a boarding school students. So he only had to be home a few months a year and also had the opportunity to be in school. So he went there for a few years, but was struggling to grasp the new topics.
Augustus had an umbilical hernia which would cause him severe pain if he did not get enough food so, we decided to move Augustus into the house full time and send him to a local primary school. There he still had difficulty learning so we sent him to Greenfields Primary where we finally found a teacher who could get through to him and now he is in the fourth grade and is doing well.
Augustus also has the most caring heart of any child I have ever met. He is compassionate and remembers his life before coming to the center and loves giving back to others in need. He enjoys coming around to visit different children in their homes and likes to come up with solutions on how we can best help that specific child or family.
He is a great big brother to the other kids at the house and it’s easy to see how much the other kids love and respect him by the sounds of them cheering his name whenever he comes home from school. He is also a great help with the rest of the older boys and is always the mediator when small conflicts arise between them.
Augustus wants to start his own children’s home when he grows up so that he can reach out and help children with disabilities as well. We are blessed to have Augustus as a part of our family and are excited to see what God has in store for his future!
The photo of Augustus and Steven brought tears to my eyes. Love that kid’s heart for others!