Please Pray for Sinoxolo

In Xhosa, the word "Sinoxolo" means "peace be with you." This is an accurate description of who Sinoxolo is-- a person who spreads peace and love to those around her. She is a sweet and sensitive 10-year-old who has a smile that can light up a room and heart-warming hugs that she gives freely and frequently! She truly brings a "peace" that is evident when she enters a room.

She and her two older brothers attend the orphan support group that meets every Friday. My heart has been heavy for Sinoxolo as she is getting increasingly thin and has been sick for quite some time. Sinoxolo has AIDS. She contracted it from her mother who died not too long ago. Last week I stooped down to give her a hug and felt as if I were wrapping my arms around a skeleton. This is very hard and scary. She has been too weak to participate in many of the activities at group, and last week she sat limply on my lap while the others played.

In Philippi, only those that have progressed to stage 4 of AIDS are eligible to take ARV's. Sinoxolo has been at stage 4 for a while now and has been taking these "cocktails" which are supposed to help build up her immune system. We noticed her getting significantly stronger when she first started taking these drugs and she was even able to go back to school. Only recently have we seen her losing a lot of weight and getting weaker. Please pray that these drugs will really boost her immune system and allow her to gain strength and put on weight. Please pray for her emotional health and she tries to cope with this life-threatening disease and deal with constantly being sick and weak. Please pray for friends who will encourage her and for her aunt who is her primary caregiver. Pray that God would heal her little body and restore her to health. Pray that she would know and feel God's presence with her.

Thank you for your prayers!