In August 2013 I was blessed to go from my church, Snyder Menorial Baptist in Fayetteville, NC to Nairobi, Kenya and visit Mathara, home of Mission of Hope International. There over 1000 children and their families have been lifted up by God's hand to a better life, being pulled up and out from the mire of the slums there, not only school for the kids but training venues for the parents, sewing, jewelry making, computers, construction, etc that then helps then set up their own businesses.
My job was to examine all of the kids at the Bondeni school over 4 days. With the help of 3 excellent nurses who are as good as PA's here in the states, we saw and treated 267 children. Most were skin ailments, ringworm (Tinea fungus) some scabies and impetigo. We measured and weighed all and found lower height and weights than our standard published graphs, but in general most kids were fairly healthy, but none were obese.
One child stood out though and needed help and moved our hearts: Natalia was burned at 2-3 years old, reportedly fell into an open kettle of boling water, frequently used outside for their kitchen.
When I returned to NC, I spoke to several plastic surgeons and ENT docs, then appealed to colleagues at Campbell University where I am an adjunct professor of pediatrics with the PA school, and a new medical school has gotten off the ground. Some how a connection with a missionary doc in Kenya by the name of Bruce Dahlman led to a plastic surgeon at the Kijabi Misssion Hosptial near Nairobi; his name: Peter Nthumba. Somehow I found him at the Billy Graham Cove during a physician conference in October 2013.
Long story shortened Dr Ntumba agreed to accept Natalia if we could raise $3500 for her plastic procedures and she would remain in Nairobi and travel to Kijabi Hosptial. By God's grace and to His glory over $4000 was raised and sent there and she has had her 1st procedure of saline skin stretching. One of the nurses, George Kimani, with whom I worked at Bondeni, has been the wonderful shepherd for she and her mom, accompanying them to and fro to Kijabi already multiple times.
More recently an article about Natalia has been published in the MOHI newsletter and we pray that it will lead to more prayers and support for her and her family.
My job was to examine all of the kids at the Bondeni school over 4 days. With the help of 3 excellent nurses who are as good as PA's here in the states, we saw and treated 267 children. Most were skin ailments, ringworm (Tinea fungus) some scabies and impetigo. We measured and weighed all and found lower height and weights than our standard published graphs, but in general most kids were fairly healthy, but none were obese.
One child stood out though and needed help and moved our hearts: Natalia was burned at 2-3 years old, reportedly fell into an open kettle of boling water, frequently used outside for their kitchen.
When I returned to NC, I spoke to several plastic surgeons and ENT docs, then appealed to colleagues at Campbell University where I am an adjunct professor of pediatrics with the PA school, and a new medical school has gotten off the ground. Some how a connection with a missionary doc in Kenya by the name of Bruce Dahlman led to a plastic surgeon at the Kijabi Misssion Hosptial near Nairobi; his name: Peter Nthumba. Somehow I found him at the Billy Graham Cove during a physician conference in October 2013.
Long story shortened Dr Ntumba agreed to accept Natalia if we could raise $3500 for her plastic procedures and she would remain in Nairobi and travel to Kijabi Hosptial. By God's grace and to His glory over $4000 was raised and sent there and she has had her 1st procedure of saline skin stretching. One of the nurses, George Kimani, with whom I worked at Bondeni, has been the wonderful shepherd for she and her mom, accompanying them to and fro to Kijabi already multiple times.
More recently an article about Natalia has been published in the MOHI newsletter and we pray that it will lead to more prayers and support for her and her family.
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