Kato

Ok..... so I'm not so consistent in these 45 children in 45 days postings....... However, my heart is there to do it...... so let's see if I can become more consistent....
Meet Kato!!!!

Kato is what I would say one of the reasons Vision of Destiny exists and definitely a reason we continue pushing on.

I met Kato almost two years ago when I had taken Jackie for her hospital check up. Kato and his mom were also there at the hospital waiting to see the doctor.

As I was leaving the hospital, one of the counselors that I've built a relationship with called me aside. I had shared with her about the school and she often refers children that are eligible for our sponsorship program. She began to explain to me about a little boy that would definitely benefit from being a part of Vision of Destiny.

This little boy was Kato. Kato had lost his dad and twin brother to AIDS. Both he and his mom were infected. They lived in the slum just near the school. His mom wasn't very consistent in giving the medications.

There was space in the class that he was in so I asked the couselor to sit with me and his mom and explain everything. I told the mom that if Kato was to be admitted to the school, one requirement was that he had to be consistently taking his medication. The counselor supported this and told the mom she would be giving me an update in the event that there was any more inconsistencies in his medication. (The hospital has a way of knowing if the children have missed a dose.) Also, she made it clear to Kato's mom that this was really a chance for Kato- a chance many other mothers are crying for. She told Kato's mom to bring him to school and cooperate.

Kato started attending Vision of Destiny the following week and was in the K4 class. He soon caught up with the rest of the class in speaking English, recognizing letters and numbers, etc. He also has since been consistent in taking his medicine.

The school has also been an encouragement to his mom. She also makes sure to take her medicine correctly and has looked for ways of supporting other children in the family.

This year Kato graduated from Kindergarten! He's a good student, a great reader, loves playing soccer (and he's good at it), has a wonderful attitude, and is a lovable boy! We're very glad he's attending school at Vision of Destiny!

I'm also very grateful to his sponsor who has been sponsoring him since shortly after his beginning school. Without his attending school, Kato may not still be alive. Possibly his mom would have given up on giving him the medication? Possibly she would have given up on looking for ways to feed her family? There are so many possibilities of what could have happened.

Now there are so many possibilities for Kato's future! Will he become a doctor and treat other HIV infected children? Will he become a pilot and fly to lots of fun destinations across the world? Will he become a pastor and share God's Word with others in his community? The possibilities are endless...... and all because of sponsorship!