Meet Cocus!

Meet Cocus

   When Cocus came to us, he was behind in school. This year he has worked very hard to catch up with the students his age and is doing well in our local school! Curious and very intelligent, he likes knowing what’s going on and how he can be a part of it! Cocus is a shy little boy with a gentle spirit and sweet heart. He is thankful for what he has and helps teach the other children to be thankful! He is so strong and through all the treatment for his tuberculosis he has been so brave – facing the day with a smile and a quirky laugh! He’s content playing by himself but loves attention from the staff and Aunties, we are always finding him curled around our legs or with his hand in ours! His smile is contagious, always bringing joy and personality to our home! We are so thankful that he is a part of our family here at Rafiki!

History

   Cocus suffers from spinal tuberculosis. His father recently passed away from AIDS and his mother abandoned him because of his disabilities, saying that he wasn’t worth the trouble. He was severely neglected, unloved and slowly dying because of his tuberculosis going untreated. Never smiling, he would spend day after day laying in the filth and dirt in the largest slum in Kampala. He was one of over 3 million destitute, orphaned children living in the streets and slums of Uganda. But Cocus is NO longer one of these children because he is now part of our Rafiki Family where he receives all the love and care he deserves!

    Funky Facts!

Favorite…    Color: Yellow     Animal: Lion

Food: Chicken and Rice

Game: Tag      Activity: Nature Walks

  Volunteer Corner

Cocus is the cuddler in the home! Yes, he loves playing games, coloring, and going on nature walks with the rest of the kids, but if you give this little guy a chance to sit on your lap or just give you hug, he would stay there all day if he could. Every time he wakes up from his nap he lays across my lap and he wraps my arms around him. He’s not looking for some extra time to sleep; he’s just looking for some extra time to be loved. Every night before bedtime all the kids run around giving goodnight hugs to all the Aunties and Uncles. I can always count on sweet little Cocus to spend a little extra time with me before he gets into bed. He always hugs me a little longer, holds me a little tighter, and takes the extra step to give me a kiss. 

   He is such a blessing to have in the home. I love thinking of all the times I have spent with him and I look forward to making many more memories with him. Cocus loves, and you can’t help but love him back!              

                        By Stephanie Madrid

 Childcare Worker

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For the next few weeks we will be posting stories of all the kids here at Rafiki Africa Ministries (RAM). We want to give these kids a voice. There are more struggling kids here in Uganda than anyone is able to count. Here are the stories of 13 kids who's lives were changed by God through the work of RAM. We want to make you a part of this work, there is so much love and joy overflowing out of the Rafiki Home and we want you to experience this through these stories. We hope you can get to know the kids through these updates and we pray that you will fall in love with them just as we have. Be a part of the changes God continues to make in the lives of these kids. Make a difference. Spread the word.
 Rafiki Africa Ministries