The Third Miracle

Milton Jones・07/01/19

When Christian Relief Fund drilled a new well in Barwessa Kaptorot, the people living there called it “the second miracle.” This area of Kenya is one of the most desperate in the world when it comes to the need for water. It hasn’t rained there in years. You can imagine how much the community rejoiced with this gift of clean water.

But obviously their response prompted the question from ourdrilling crew—“Then what’s the first miracle?” The townsfolk believed that theyhad witnessed two incredible events in the history of their village. The secondwas water. But the first involved a child named Vivian Jepkoech.

Because of the curiosity of Francis Bii, our CRF directorthere, and our drilling crew, Vivian was presented before them as the “firstmiracle.” And thus came the inconceivable story. A primary school girl in theirvillage had been abused by her teacher. And the little girl became pregnant.After the young student gave birth, the teacher was fearful of being chargedwith a crime and being arrested. As a result, he stole the baby from the youngmother. He took the little child to the edge of a three hundred foot cliff. Heplaced the baby in such a way where she would fall off of the cliff. And shedid.

But unbelievably—the little baby landed in a tree on the waydown.

As people walked around the community on this day, peoplekept hearing a noise. They said it sounded like a baby crying. But no one couldfind a baby. Finally, someone perceived the sound was coming from the cliff.The elders of Barwessa Kaptorot tied a rope around a person and lowered himover the cliff. On the way down, he spotted a baby in a tree. He took the childto the hospital where she survived. An old grandmother decided to raise hersince her mother had disappeared and her father had fled (and later arrested).

And now this baby had grown up to be a teenager and wasstanding in front of Francis and our crew. Yes, the first miracle was VivianKeptoech. She had been the baby in the tree. Vivian had done well in primaryschool and excelled on her exams. But because of her poverty, she didn’t haveany hope to attend secondary school.

“Have you heard of Suzy Peacock High School?” Francis askedher. This is the exceptional high school of CRF in Eldoret. “You are going tobe a student there!” And now she is.

Vivian

Vivian was recently sponsored by a Christian Relief Funddonor. I got to see her at her new high school. It’s understandable why thepeople of her village call her “the first miracle.”

You too can sponsor a child like Vivian. Or you could evendrill a water well in a famine area where it hasn’t rained in eight years. Youcould be a part of a “third miracle.”

If you have a desire to help, visit www.christianrelieffund.org

Milton Jones is the president of Christian Relief Fund.