We met this family a few years ago; they were destitute. Dad had lost his arm in and accident and lost his job, too. He'd been a taxi driver. They had pretty much nothing. I went out to meet them; dad was in the jungle cutting firewood with a machete, one-handed. I gave them all I had and went back to the states for more which a generous fellow provided.
It's been awhile since we met. Things have improved with a little help from stateside friends.
All the kids are back in school and doing well, especially the oldest boy. The house has a floor and beds now, and the walls are in pretty good shape. They have a breeding pair of pigs and a few ducks. They got permission to tap a nearby water main; we provided the materials, but dad and the oldest son did all the work. They have a water faucet in the yard now, so they don't have to walk to the river. We bought materials for them to build a little kiosk out by the road; it's been doing OK, generating a little income for them. It's a big deal.
When I stopped by in June, they were just glowing to tell me how well they were doing and to show me the field they'd cultivated and the water faucet now in the yard and the kiosk. In Africa, a little help goes a really long way. And getting to be a friend is a great reward. :)So that's in Africa. How about here at home?
