Monday 12 December 2011

MEDICAL NEEDS - AMONGST THE ORPHANS AND ADULTS AND HOW WE ARE MEETING SOME OF THOSE NEEDS

MEDICAL NEEDS AMONGST THE ORPHANS   
Christine
Thanks to generous gifts we have been able to provide medical treatment for many children and adults.  The Saturday Orphans gathering has disclosed additional need for these children to get to the hospital clinic for treatment.  Here are Christine and Lydia.  Christine has a serious chest infection.  Violet is arranging for her hospitalization.  Lydia has an unknown disease attacking her legs; at last report Violet was still trying to find a doctor who could treat her.  She requires treatment by a dermatologist and the ones that can treat her are about 200 miles away.  These girls are 10 and 11 years old.      

We meet medical needs for many children and, not all of whom are orphans.  One little boy, not an orphan, has been having seizures.  Violet was able to get him to the hospital, and through our medical fund he is receiving medication that has brought his seizures to a halt.  Imagine that!  

Here is a prayer point that you might consider: an additional factor that must be dealt with when working with villagers is deep-set cultural mores and superstitions, especially among the older people.  These sometimes impede getting things done as quickly as they should be done.  Things rarely move quickly in Kenya!
Lydia's Legs
SOME MEDICAL SITUATIONS AMONGS THE ADULTS
We told you about Mariko a couple of newsletter ago.  He hadn't been feeling well for some time and when we heard of his situation we asked that he be taken to the hospital clinic in Kisumu.  He has been diagnosed with prostate cancer and is now being treated.  We told him we would like his photo, so he met us at the church one afternoon for a "photo op".  He put on his best clothes and even had his Mzee hat with him.  An older man is called an mzee (mmm zay).  When a man reaches that stage in life he begins to wear a broad-brimmed hat - usually, but not always, black.  Older people are given special respect in the Luo culture.  BTW, John is an mzee!  We just received an update on Mariko.  He is receiving medication/treatment, in fact recently had another treatment on 12-10.  The decision has been made to perform surgery; however the doctors in the Public Hospitals have gone on strike and to have him operated on privately would double the cost of surgery.  Surgery would be approximately 40,000 KES ($400/291 GBP) in public hospital - 80,000 ($800/576 GBP) in a private facility.  Paying double the cost would deprive others of medical treatment.  Therefore the decision has been made there in Kenya to continue with his medication until the strike is over and then have surgery.


Another mzee in the RCC daughter church in Korwenje has a chronic infection in one of his legs.  We met him at one of the house building events.  His leg was wrapped and when we questioned it we found that he has an open wound that has been that way for a very long time.  Arrangements were bing made for him to get to the hospital as well.  That is a very complicated procedure - getting folks to the hospital; especially from that far away.  Korwenje is up in the mountain area and very, very remote.  There is also some resistance from his family to allow him to be treated.  So, the leaders of the church in Korwenje are patiently encouraging everyone involved in the situation.


We can also report that 13 people have had cataract surgery as a result of the eye clinics held in September.

Without the medical fund that friends and other interested people have made possible, these children and adults would go untreated and continue to suffer. Although we can reach only a relative few, their lives are being changed and, in some instances their lives are being saved.



US contributions can be sent to:  DCF Lebanon, P.O. Box 37, Lebanon, PA 17042  (a tax receipt will be sent to you.)

UK contributions can be sent to:  Emmanuel Christian Centre, Neatherstowe, Lichfield, Staffs  WS13 6TS

Please note how you want the funds to be used.  You can indicate "African Projects" if you just want to have it used in general, or you can be specific; e.g., Orphan Medical Fund, Eye Clinics, Goats, John and Marty Personal Support, etc.

We Thank and Bless Each one of You!
WE WISH YOU A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS                     AND
A HAPPY, PEACEFUL, PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR!

John and Marty


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