The Girl with a Big Smile and Big Dreams

“Thank you Lord now I will be able to go to church” these were Violet’s first words when she received her temporary wheel chair. These words, spoken with such gratitude and joy, humbled me. I have had instances where I did not want to go to church because of bad weather. “It’s too cold”, “It’s raining”, had been some of my easy excuses. We neglect to gather as believers making excuses. The realization that the first place this young lady wants to visit is the House of God, made me feel ashamed of my excuses!

The ability to attend church for someone who is disabled and cannot walk is a big deal and this was made apparent by Violet, with her simple and yet profound words. Violet was diagnosed with hydrocephalus at birth. She was placed with a shunt in 1996 at Kenyatta Hospital, one of Kenya’s major hospitals. Violet was supposed to visit the hospital every month with her parents, for monitoring of the shunt, but because the parents could not afford this monthly trip to Nairobi, Violet has not had a medical checkup for the last 16 years. As a result, she is in constant pain and her head has become so heavy such that she is unable to walk. It used to be easier for Violet’s mother to carry her to church when she was a child. But as she grew older she became heavier and heavier until her mother could not carry her anymore.

“She has became too heavy for me to carry on my back,” says Violet’s mother.

Not being able to go to church distressed Violet a lot. Therefore when she received the wheelchair, it was more than receiving a gift, it was freedom to visit the House of the Lord, to sing. Her love for Christian music is so evident that when received the wheelchair, she was singing and clapping alongside the other community members who were present.

Anybody who meets Violet is charmed by her sweet smile and her positive attitude towards life, in spite of the numerous challenges she has already faced in her young life.

In addition to hydrocephalus, Violet was also born with a hunchback. At Violet’s compound (home), there is a tree that she sits under the whole day and crawls around when she needs to move.

Before receiving the wheelchair, her mother had resorted to wheeling her in a wheelbarrow. On the day that we met her, she had been wheeled in the wheelbarrow to come to the community gathering place.

Violet received her wheelchair from Tom Ogaga the owner of Truck Tech auto repair based in Houston. www.trucktechautorepair.net. Tom is the husband to Dorothy Oloo one of Ageno’s directors. After having seen Violet’s situation, he had taken it upon himself to see that Violet got a wheel chair. Upon receiving the wheelchair, Violet was so overjoyed that she wheeled herself around her compound with a bright smile on her face, praising her Creator. This reminded me of Matthew 21:16 where it is written:

“Do you hear what these children are saying?” they asked Him.

“Yes,” replied Jesus, “Have you never read,

“‘From the lips of children and infants you, Lord, have called forth your praise.’”

The wheel chair Violet received offers temporary relief. The wheel chair is not made to withstand the rocky roads of rural Kenya. As Ageno Community, it’s our prayer that we will partner with an organization that makes Wheels to bring a lasting relief to this young lady and two more community members who urgently need wheel chairs.

Like most African young women of her age, Violet likes to sew, and she also dreams of one day going to school. Having met her, I have no doubt that she will go to school, and sew, because God has good plans for her, as it is promised in Jeremiah 29:11 ”For I alone know the plans that I have for you, plans to prosper and not to destroy” These plans are for Violet too, and she has such big faith!

Lydia