The summer is running season. Millions of people head outside to run off their winter weight. They pound the pavement hoping for a healthier future. From early spring to late fall many people run for Oasis. In fact, in October dozens of passionate Oasis volunteers will run the Chicago marathon. Then in November hundreds of Oasis supporters will run virtual 5Ks around their neighborhoods. Together, we run to provide healthier futures for children in Kenya.
Every day we’re presented with stories of children in dire need and our staff runs to meet those needs. And in our running, we’re making a difference. Bryan came to us with his four siblings nearly two years ago. Bryan’s mom and dad both had full blown AIDS. His daddy passed away before Bryan was 5 years old. That left momma caring for five children while struggling with life and death herself. Eventually, they moved into Bryan’s very elderly grandparent’s one room home. Several relatives had also moved in, many of them sick and incapacitated.
When Oasis got involved with Bryan, HIV positive, he was extremely ill. His bones we’re frail, his muscles dissipating, his thinking was cloudy. His little life was slowly slipping away. There was little running, there was mostly illness…
Bryan was one of the most challenging little guys we added to our homes that year. Because of his illness and the frustration that it brought, he was disruptive and quick tempered with the other children. We knew he was emotionally scarred from all he’d gone through. But even his back was scarred, apparently, he’d been disruptive and quick tempered at home…
Today, Bryan, seven years old, is in Kindergarten. Yeah, he’s a little behind. But he’s getting mentally sharper, emotionally softer, and physically healthier every day. No longer does he sit by as other children run around the home or answer all the questions in school. He’s competing. He’s thriving. By the way, his viral load is almost nonexistent. That means there’s nearly no trace of the HIV virus that had ravaged his body and devastated his family.
Because so many run to help Oasis, Oasis can run to help so many children.
On behalf of our Oasis Family, Thank You.
Michael Hindes
Managing Director
