compiling and installing vim 7

I am more or less clueless when it comes to compiling and installing software.  I am trying to install vim7 on my vps, and am having difficulties.

I compile it and try to "make" it and I get an error that starts off here:

gcc -c -I. -Iproto -DHAVE_CONFIG_H     -g -O2         -o objects/buffer.o buffer.c
In file included from buffer.c:28:
vim.h:41: parse error before `:'
In file included from /usr/include/bits/types.h:143,
                 from /usr/include/stdio.h:36,
                 from os_unix.h:21,
                 from vim.h:233,
                 from buffer.c:28:

I checked vim.h and the parse error originates with this section:

/*
 * Check if configure correcly managed to find sizeof(int).  If this failed,
 * it becomes zero.  This is likely a problem of not being able to run the
 * test program.  Other items from configure may also be wrong then!
 */
# if (SIZEOF_INT == 0)
    Error: configure did not run properly.  Check auto/config.log.
# endif

And now I'm stumped.  What does it mean that "This is likely a problem of not being able to run the test program."?  And what does it mean that sizeof(int) is returning 0?

Thanks!

Matt