We care for many biological sibling groups across our Kitalale and Kikuyu homes, each placed with us following a thorough assessment by the Kenyan government’s Children’s Department. Keeping brothers and sisters together plays a vital role in their healing journey. With a familiar sibling by their side, children often feel more safe and are able to form trusting relationships more quickly with our caregivers.
In many cases, the older sibling has carried the burden of protecting and providing for the younger one. Over time—sometimes taking several months—we witness a powerful transformation. As trust in our Children of Hope family grows, the older child gradually releases that heavy responsibility and begins to rediscover the freedom and joy of simply being a child. It is a deeply moving and beautiful process.
We would like to share the stories of a few of these sibling groups. While their journeys often begin in difficult and sometimes heartbreaking circumstances, the healing and transformation they experience in our homes stand as a source of hope and encouragement.
Kikuyu Home –
Alex and Lexie – Alex and his sister Lexie were found near some shops along the southern highway in Nairobi during the summer of 2023 – this is quite a dangerous area. Their father was identified but found unfit to care for them, one reason being he was involved in illegal activities. It was obvious that four-year-old Alex had been protecting his little two-year-old sister, and she found great comfort in his presence – clinging to him often in those early days with us.
After almost three years in our home, both children are thriving. Alex has grown into a helpful, enthusiastic, and responsible boy who is always up for adventure and is happy to assist the aunties with household chores. He is involved in a special program at school that has really improved his grades. This progress is amazing since he had never been to school before joining CoH. It took Lexie about a year to become confident without having Alex close by. She is now a cheerful little girl who loves playing with the other children. She is in kindergarten and with the encouragement of her teachers, is making good progress.
Biver and Imani
Biver and Imani are twins who were found on the streets of Nairobi in spring of 2024 along with their mother who was mentally ill. Their mom was taken to a mental hospital for treatment but disappeared once she was released. The children were malnourished and even though they were one-year-old, they were not able to crawl or walk.
It took months of daily physical therapy and massage given by the aunties, but the twins made great progress and before long, they were both walking all over the place. The fact that they could work toward healing together helped them improve more quickly. Imani is so good at getting around that he needs constant supervision and at almost three-years-old, he loves playing soccer. Biver’s communication skills are really developing. She is full of smiles and giggles, and is quite attached to her stuffed animals. She and Imani share a strong bond which significantly boosts both of their verbal skills and overall growth.
Kitalale Home –
Gloria and Joshua
Gloria and her brother Joshua were brought to our Kitalale home in spring of 2024. They had been living with their father, but he would leave them unattended for days at a time. Gloria who was just six years old took good care of 20-month-old Joshua and carried the responsibility seriously on her little shoulders. It took her a few months in our home to surrender the commitment of caring for Joshua, but once she did, she blossomed!
Gloria loves to color and to learn – asking question after question to get a deeper understanding of all kinds of things. She wants to be a teacher when she grows up which makes sense. She is learning all she can to pass her knowledge on to others. With her continuous curiosity, she is quite a good student. Joshua is an active and playful boy who loves exploring and telling stories. He is very engaging and social and just started preschool in January. Their transformation is just remarkable!
Bethsheba, Darian, and Gracious
Bethsheba, Darian, and Gracious joined our home in spring of 2020. Their mother passed away after giving birth to Gracious who was her eighteenth child. Their father was found to be mentally unstable and not capable of caring for the children. Gracious was just one month when she arrived. Five-year-old Darian had developmental delays due to malnutrition and Bethsheba seemed much younger than her seven years, also due to malnutrition.
Gracious was the youngest child at the home for many years and greatly enjoyed being the “baby.” With the arrival of some younger children, she has now adjusted to being the big sister. We recently discovered that Gracious is on the autism spectrum and with counseling, her social skills are really improving. Darian is such a sweet boy who is also on the autism spectrum. He loves to sing and swing and has a phenomenal memory – able to recite all he learns at school each day. Bethsheba is a warm-hearted, friendly, responsible girl who loves to play with all the kids, but still looks out for her siblings. She is organized and diligent, hard-working at school and doing so well.
We praise God that we could lovingly welcome these siblings together into our homes. The security and comfort these relationships brought into their troubled and unstable circumstances was God’s blessing and provision over them. Our aunties, uncles, and you, our supporters, are also part of God’s provision for all our children. Thank you so much and may God bless you!
Lenox Msto started working at our Kikuyu home in 2024, helping out as a farm hand. Since he is an experienced driver (not everyone in Kenya drives), when a position opened up in late 2025 for driver, he interviewed and was given the job. Lenox was born and raised in Eldoret which is about 200 miles Norwest of Nairobi, but has relatives close by in Nairobi.
“Lenox, you do an incredible job making sure the children are taken care of. Not only do you drive them carefully, but I see you bonding with the children. I am so pleased and happy to have such a fine young man showing an excellent example to the rest of our young people. God bless you and we love you.” ~ Abraham Kiboki
In Lenox’s Words:
As a driver I begin my day very early in the morning, making sure all the kids are on the bus for school. I engage in conversation with the children on the way – checking on how their nights were and encouraging them to have a good outlook on their day. While the kids are at school, I help around the home – sometimes on the farm or grounds – working together as a team with the other aunties and uncles. I make sure to be at the school each day for pick up and use the drive time to connect again with the children. They often have some fun stories to share about their day.
I have a room at the home where I stay on site in case there is an unexpected or emergency driving need during the night or early in the morning.
When the kids are home from school, some of my favorite things to do with them are play games and tell stories. Soccer is also many of the kids’ favorite activity. We get happiness out of the small things that we do together. The kids make my day complete and bring me joy.
One child’s story that touched my heart is Amos. Amos is now in high school and is such a hard worker. Because of this, he does well with most things he attempts – he will win the game or get the good grade. This is wonderful, but when things don’t go his way and he loses the game, it is a real struggle for him emotionally. He puts so much pressure on himself that when he doesn’t live up to his expectations, he will cry and get frustrated. I spent some time with Amos, letting him talk about why it is hard for him to lose, and encouraging him that losing is actually a good thing. It builds character, it brings humility, it teaches us to celebrate someone else. It has been a journey working with him to control his emotions, but he is doing better. It was such a good experience for both of us, growing closer to each other and growing more mature in the process.
CoH is not just a workplace, but it is a second family that is shaping who I am. It is a place where I am learning compassion and the true meaning of taking good care of kids. Every challenge has taught me something about life and love. The organization means hope. Hope to me is not just about helping the children but growing alongside them and being part of their journey, and carrying a piece of their spirit with me wherever I go.
~ Thank you, Lenox, for your tender and teachable heart. Your love for these children is evident and it seems you are learning as much from them as you are teaching them. What a blessing you are to CoH!
