Moses
Moses was the first infant accepted into the program. He was identified by the program director in early 2008 after his father was killed and his mother died in childbirth. His grandmother tried her best to meet the needs of this little boy, but his health was quickly declining. Members of the Oasis team had the privilege to meet this young boy in April 2008 at the Grand Opening of the TMD Children's Home. It was immediately apparent that we needed to act quickly to save this child.
The grandmother (65 years old) had been attempting to nurse this child while supplementing with porridge. It was obvious that he was suffering from severe malnutrition. He was very weak, undersized, and didn't have any of the developmental markers for his age. The women of Oasis made an emergency 2 hour trip one way to the nearest grocery store and purchased a year's supply of infant formula. They quickly trained the orphanage staff on how to prepare and deliver the formula. Within 3 days this baby boy had come to life. Photos from early June of that same year showed him to be eating quite well and clearly enjoying himself. Developmentally, he is back on track and laughing all the time.
Now, in 2010, Moses is a beautiful, rambunctious toddler who loves to be the center of attention!
Moses with Nate Kaiser in April 2008 Moses at his Dedication in June 2008
Seeing the need for his continued care, Oasis and TMD immediately invited Moses to stay at the orphanage even though he was quite a bit younger than the other children. His grandmother was from 100km away across the border in Tanzania. Because of his tender age and the need for one on one care for him, we have enabled the grandmother to stay on and care for Moses at the orphanage. Moses' older sister, Boke, came to live at the orphanage a few months after Moses. Their grandmother has the privilege of watching her grandchildren grow up in a safe enfironment. This is a tremendous blessing for everyone. Moses gives testimony to the wonderful community on the hill and their commitment to care for the least of these.
Moses with his sister Boke, Christmas 2009. Boke moved into the Children's Home in 2009.