A Visit to Ruth

Volunteer Roger Horne pays a moving visit to an HIV+ mother in Kenya

"We were going with a health visitor called Susan to meet Ruth. Ruth has HIV/ Aids. She also had, we were told, a very moving story.

After a short journey along a bumpy track, we stopped near some nice houses. Susan took us through a strong metal gate towards a pleasant bungalow. “This is a nice house,” I said to Susan. “Yes” she replied and said no more.

She led us round the side and across the back yard of the bungalow to what looked like the garden shed. Susan knocked on the door and went it. We followed. It took a minute or two for our eyes to adjust to the gloom, after the bright equatorial sunlight outside. Then I realised that we were not visiting the bungalow. Someone lived in the shed.

 It was carefully decorated with old newspapers. The printing was lined up like wallpaper. Small strips of lacy material softened the inner appearance of the room. As the gloom dissipated, I saw a single bed across the end of the shed. A woman was lying in it. Susan introduced her as Ruth, the person we had come visit.

Two small children then entered. They were introduced as Jill and Sarah. There were now five of us in the shed and it was a bit overcrowded. Ruth invited us to sit on a small box on which she had placed a piece of material. We sat and spoke with her. Gradually, her story emerged.

 She came from Uganda some years ago with a man, hoping to find a new life, future and work. She did several casual jobs but found nothing permanent. After a few months, the man left her. He also left her with twin daughters, Jill and Sarah, and HIV/Aids. Ruth found working increasingly difficult and ceased to earn money. Jill has HIV, but not Sarah.

 Ruth now relies entirely on gifts from friends. She has no income or any means of support. Her girls are growing up into an uncertain future. Ruth has been in hospital and is partly responding to Ante Retro Viral medication, but not enough. She is consumed with worry about the future for Jill and Sarah but believes God will help her and her family.

I asked about her finances. Susan said Ruth was three months in arrears with her rent and at risk of eviction. Although schooling is free, the girls cannot go because they have to provide their own stationery and equipment, which Ruth cannot afford. There is no food in the shed.

 After discussing the situation with Susan, we left enough money to cover four months of rent, the school equipment and some food. The total cost was less that one third of the cost of a tank of fuel for my car. Ruth was very grateful and said we had been sent as God’s angels. Well, I thought, I haven’t been an angel before. We tried to cheer her up, left her some photographs and promised to write to her. She managed to get out of bed and stood at the door to wave goodbye with Jill and Sarah next to her."

Roger Horne

(all other names in the story have been changed)