Vuyani is in the pink, smiling brightly.

Two days ago, Forgotten Voices lost a friend: Vuyani (right in the pink). Many of you may remember us writing about Vuyani in the past, a beautiful young woman from Zimbabwe. A funeral service was held for her yesterday and she will be buried later this week. When I wrote you from Zimbabwe, I shared about sitting bedside next to a friend. This was her. As Remmy (our Africa Director) said yesterday during a staff meeting call, “It was an honor to go back to her and say goodbye.”

This last trip, I realized anew that we are in a race. We are not just doing nice things for children to make us and them feel better. We are engaged in a race between death/harm and life/peace. Children orphaned by AIDS are waiting under trees and THEY WILL BE FOUND. They WILL BE FOUND by those offering hope and life, OR those only bringing harm and death. We need to run with our local partners in Africa without ceasing and pray without ceasing while we run.

By partnering with local churches and in turn, churches to children, Forgotten Voices is vigorously searching and running to beat the seemingly impossible odds facing children who have or will soon lose their parents to AIDS.

Two years ago, I was sitting with some friends in Vuyani’s house listening to her talk about her dreams for the future and the pluses/minuses to being a twin, as she and her sister helped finish each other’s sentences. By then Vuyani was already sick, but with what was unclear. Before we started helping her church care for her, Vuyani was in a very difficult place and remained so as her sickness worsened. We started helping her church provide food, school fees, and medication to help her and her sister. They went on a retreat to be kids again, learning about grief and couping skills along the way. But, I’m sad to say, looking back, we had been too late. Vuyani was already HIV+. How it happened remains a mystery, but it had happened before the church got there.

All children are vulnerable, none more than those who have lost a parent or both. We must go faster. – Ryan

Then a year ago, I sat bedside as she was extremely frail and bedridden for 9 months. Then, 3 weeks ago I was with her and wrote about how she tapped her head (a sign I’ve learned signifying the end is near). My dear friend had entered stage 4 of AIDS. Today, she is no longer with us. I will deeply miss her smile and her life. Her family will miss her far more. Please join me in praying for her family, as well as Vuyani’s church.

One traveler with me wrote on hearing of her passing, “Meeting her was one of the most endearing parts of my stay in Zim.  The love of her family was palpable, drawing them all nearer to Christ.  It is for those like Vuyani that the work must continue without delay.”

Though Vuyani’s story ends sadly, her family’s love and appreciation for the local church brings tears to my eyes. The visits of love and compassion in her final years of life I have witnessed personally. Your gifts helped the local church bring a small ray of joy to a dark situation. I’m so thankful for the work of our partners, who find children who need a champion.

There will be time to mourn her loss – lots of time before we reunite in heaven. But until then, this latest trip to Africa taught me that we are in a race. Let us “continue without delay.”

For Vuyani and thousands waiting to be found,

Ryan

Ryan Keith, President of Forgotten Voices

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Tags: #FVIKeiths, ABUSE, children, church, community, Courage, forgotten voices, HIV/AIDS, orphans, Ryan Keith, zimbabwe
Filed under: General Blog, Keith Family in Africa, Ryan's Blog, Ten Together Blog, Travel Blog