Stiva Mvinge Remembered

Stiva Mvinge

Post Submitted by Jenny Peck:

I write this message with huge sadness in my heart. We need your prayers and thoughts with us in the next few days.

About 2 hours ago, I was called to house #5, where little Stiva, a 16 year old girl who has been in our care for just over a year was living.  The phone rang, and all I could hear was desperation on the phone saying "Mama, come here now.  I don't think Stiva is here on Earth anymore".  Yesterday, Stiva had a stomach ache, but over the past months her health had improved remarkably since she arrived at Igoda Children's Village.
Her hair was now black, as opposed to bright orange.  Her skin was dark and smooth, no longer pale and dry. She was back in school at our sewing vocational training school! She laughed and sang and danced
like noone was watching.  She was better!  

This morning, we got a message while we were in our biweekly NGO commitee meeting that she needed to go to the hospital, that she was sick.  Her stomachache had turned to diarreah and she couldn't control it.  She had two IV drips and was returned home, and looked better, and had no more diarreah. People passed by the house in the evening to see how she was doing.  She joked. she complained about her stomach. She requested special things to eat and drink.  At 850pm, she asked the house mama and her real
mother to help her turn on her side, as her leg was bothering her er turn on her side, as her leg was bothering her and her lower abdomen was sore and she didn't want to sleep on her back. They turned her over, and just like that, she was gone.  Stacey (Peace Corps/Foxes' NGO volunter) and I arrived minutes later, gave CPR, but it was too late.

I am in a bit of a shock as I write this.  Many people who have met Stiva, have been touched by her warmth and sweet personality, and many know what she was like before she came here, and the massive positive
changes that she went through.  Stiva's last years were some of the best, and we can all say they we did everything in our power to help her heal.  

I am walking away today, with a very clear reminder that at anytime, we too, will leave this Earth.  Stiva lived her life to the max- she knew what she wanted and didn't want, she knew who was her friend or wasn't, she knew how to believe in herself.  It's a reminder to me to do the same: Be the person I want people to remember me as,
and be that person every day.

Please, keep Stiva and her family in your hearts, prayers and thoughts
this weekend.