Samaritan’s Purse provides food, education, and shelter for children affected by HIV/AIDS.

Feeding a Family

Food and nutrition training help a grieving father and his infant son recover

After his wife’s death, James* worried about how he would care for himself and his baby boy, Epigrafe.

Days after the child’s mother died of an AIDS-related illness, her family came to the home not to offer comfort but to demand the remaining payment of her bride price. They told James that his wife would not be buried until the debt was paid.

When we hear the words “global pandemic,” it’s easy to believe there’s nothing individuals can do to stop the spread of HIV. But there are practical ways to be involved. To learn more about what you can do, visit our BE THE VIRUS homepage.James was also HIV-positive. His own health prevented him from heavy labor jobs and he had little money. But James gathered up all he had and presented it to the family.

Without support from anyone in his rural community, James tried to care for his son by feeding Epigrafe water from boiled rice. The food caused bouts of vomiting, and the baby was losing weight rapidly.

As the situation worsened, James sought help from the Samaritan’s Purse office in Bilene, where he was warmly received.

Staff members weighed the child and found what they had feared. Epigrafe was malnourished.

The father and son joined Nossa Familia, a Samaritan’s Purse program that supports more than 3,500 orphans and vulnerable children in Mozambique by providing education, protection, shelter, food, and psycho-social support. We recruit community volunteers and train them to properly care for children and provide follow-up support to families.

Samaritan’s Purse gave Epigrafe’s father milk, porridge, and medical assistance. Our community educators taught him how to prepare nutritious meals for the child and how to improve care to keep Epigrafe healthy. In rural Mozambique, where poor hygiene and living conditions endanger the lives of children, Epigrafe will have a good start in life.

But it wasn’t only the child’s needs that came to the attention of Samaritan’s Purse staff. They also recognized the deeper emotional and spiritual turmoil that was occurring in James’ life. He was still grieving the loss of his wife and was angry with God. He had been completely abandoned by his family, his church, and his neighbors, and began to question if God really existed and if the teachings of the Bible were true.

After seeing the love of God expressed through Nossa Familia’s continual support, James' heart began to heal.

“Thanks to God for all of this,” he said. “I see that it’s not just food we are getting. People here care, and it feels like a real family.”

*Name has been changed.