THE INTERRUPTED LIFE X - A GENERATION OF WOUNDED HEALERS by Eleanor Shepherd

            In 2004, I had the opportunity to meet with young adults from seven sub-Saharan African countries who were a part of the African School of Youth Leadership. Most of these young adults had been touched personally by the AIDS epidemic that was sweeping through Africa at the time. 

            I was impressed how these young people, many of whom had become orphans by losing their parents to AIDS were reaching out and helping children in other communities whose parents were sick, and dying or were already orphans also. Onesmus Mutuku was one of them and I was deeply touched when he told me his story.  

            Onesmus was the eldest of the eight children in the family. When his father died in 1994, he was 13 and the youngest child in the family was only a year old. He felt a huge responsibility hoisted on his shoulders by the departure of his father and was greatly relieved when his Uncle Philip offered to help with the education of the children, but knew that it was still going to be a struggle trying to manage for the care and feeding of all the children. Fears loomed that his brothers would feel pressured into a lifestyle of stealing to get what the family needed or his sisters would see no other alternative but to sell their bodies as so many women were doing to try to meet basic needs.  These were the things he wanted to avoid, and felt education was their hope of doing so. 

            Friends and family played a vital role in the survivial of the family, and helped Onesmus to hang on to hope during these dark day. Julius, his friend from school would realize that the family had no food for dinner and would share his meal with Onesmus at school during lunch time. When school closed and Onesmus did not have money to pay the bus fare to get home, Julius would pay it for him. 

            In order to help with the meagre family income, one of Onesmus’ younger brothers was able to get a part time job with a butcher. However, the situation became disastrous when Ben was arrested on a false accusation of mismanagement and placed in a jail cell. Once again Julius came to the rescue and was able to put up the bail in order to get him out. The bail demanded was 20,000 Kenya shillings which works out to about $250 American dollars. There was no way that the family would have been able to pay this.  

            As was often the case with AIDS, the death of the parents was slow and agonizing and

although Onesemus must have known it was coming, he could do litle to prepare. He tells how for the last year before his father died, not only did the children have to miss school to care for ailing parents, they also had to find ways to pay the bills for treatment with no income coming in from working parents.

            Onesmus was so grateful that his Aunt Martha adopted into her care his three younger sisters who desperately needed the example and attention of a female mentor who would help them to find their way as they grew. She moved in and helped them in every way she could. 

            With the help of his church family Onesmus tells how he and his siblings were able to find solace during those difficult years. More than that, they helped the children to get their heads together, as they grew and rethink their destiny and their future. You see, before AIDS interrupted their lives this was a family that Onesmus describes as having a good sense of authentic care, though not driven by material things, as their parents were peasant farmers. He says, “We were happy with what we had and were sure of a bright future together.”

            

Onesmus was able to use his negative experiences redeptively and instead of dwelling on what he lost, he looked outward to see what he could do to make the world a better place, not only for his siblings, but also for many others. As an adult, he has become an encourager as he learned from those who believed in him, when he did not have the stamina to believe in himself. He demonstrates this in practical ways through The Salvation Army Health, Healing and Reconciliation Ministries.

            

Today Onesmus and his wife Catherine are not only raising their own little ones, Claire and Ian. Catherine with encouragement from Onesmus has also assumed a mothering role with the rest of the siblings of the Mutuku family.

Word Guild Award
2011

Word Guild Award
2009

Word Guild Award
2018

Eleanor Shepherd from Pointe Claire, Quebec has more than 100 articles published in Canada, France, the U.S.A., Belgium, Switzerland and New Zealand. Thirty years with The Salvation Army in Canada and France including ministry in Africa, Europe, Haiti and the Caribbean furnished material for her Award winning book, More Questions than Answers, Sharing Faith by Listening as well as her Award winning stories in Hot Apple Cider and Christmas with Hot Apple Cider. She co-authored with her husband Glen the Bible Study book Why? Families. As well as writing, she conducts workshops on listening skills and prayer. Eleanor recently retired from being the pastor of an English speaking congregation in Montreal with The Salvaton Army. She is currently pursuing studies to become a Prayer Companion.