Urban dairy

Sheba visited a home yesterday.

If you can call it a home.

The family keep water buffaloes. Four of them. Urban dairy farmers.

Last week Mrs. Handi (as we will call her) asked for prayer. A buffalo was sick. Not giving the milk that she normally does.

The family lives on a little platform - a loft of sorts - above the buffaloes. Father and mother both have HIV. One of the 5 children have HIV too. The platform has no walls. It is open on all sides. This is where these 5 children are growing up.

We remember our Lord who was born in a stable - and whose parents were too poor to purchase a lamb...

Mr. Handi was not there when Sheba visited. The oldest daughter's marriage has been fixed for May. He had gone to buy some clothes. Whether these were for the daughter - or for some ceremony before hand was not clear.

Sheba talked with Mrs. Handi. This small woman talks so softly you can hardly hear her. There is much sorrow in her life. Much of it revolves around her husband and his drowning of his own self in alcohol. We have seen Mrs. Handi open up ever-so-slowly over the past few weeks. Something deep is taking place within her. We continue to pray for her.

Sheba asked about the buffalo. It seems it is fine now.