Two Birth Defects Reversed

08 Mar

Two Birth Defects Reversed

Winnie and her family after her surgery which has reversed her condition
Thanks to Heaven’s Family’s Disabilities Ministry, Winnie, being held by her parents, has had a terrible physical condition reversed

Two Birth Defects Reversed

David’s 4th and Final Blog from Kenya/Uganda

Dear Family,

We’re now in northern Uganda, four hours from Kampala, in a fairly rural and remote region. If you’ve ever heard of the atrocities committed by the “Lord’s Resistance Army,” or perhaps watched the Invisible Children documentary, this is where it happened. Between 1987 and 2004, the LRA abducted more than 20,000 children, forcing many to become child soldiers, while 1.5 million civilians were displaced, and an estimated 100,000 were killed.

I’m happy to report that Heaven’s Family is not just involved in micro-banking in this region. Today our team was invited to a meeting of about 40 people, from babies to the elderly, who all suffer from the same terrible physical affliction. I don’t know how else to tell you but to just say it: due to an apparent genetic defect that is strangely common to their particular tribe, all were born without an anus. The nearest medical facility performs a quick surgery on such unfortunate babies, cutting a hole in their abdomens through which the end of their large intestine is threaded. And that’s it. Again, I don’t know how to describe it to you other than by saying that these unfortunate people defecate out of a hole in their sides. And even if colostomy bags were available to them, no one could afford them. They are all very poor. So they wrap their mid-sections in rags that capture their feces.

Heaven’s Family’s Disabilities Ministry and Critical Medical Needs Ministry have been able to fund a limited number of colostomy bags for the people who have been suffering all their lives from this affliction, as well as fund one successful surgery of a little girl named Winnie (see photo above) which gave her the ability to use a toilet like everyone else. That surgery cost around $3,000.

I took photos of five other afflicted children whose parents brought them to that meeting, and I’m hoping we can raise the money for their surgeries as well. I’ve put two of their photos below. Let me warn you that they are heart-breaking. (If you want to help with this project, click here.)

Those two photos are followed by a photo of another success story regarding a little orphan named Richard whom I personally met today. Richard was discovered in July of 2016 playing in a pit latrine in a Kampala slum, having never walked. He was malnourished. At the time, he was living with his grandmother, who was struggling to provide even the basic essentials of survival, much less any medical attention. I’m happy to say that our Disabilities Ministry funded nourishment, surgery and physical therapy that have allowed him to walk. He is now living at a boarding school. I could not resist including links to a couple of videos so you can see him walk. They are a tear-jerkers.

Thanks so much for helping Heaven’s Family serve the “least of these” here in Uganda!

David's signature

David Servant
Founder and President, Heaven’s Family

A child in Uganda born with no rectum
One of five children who need surgery

Another child in need of surgery
And a second child with the same affliction

Richard, proud to be walking now
This is Richard. He was so proud to walk to me on his own. Below is a photo of how he looked when he was first discovered last July, and under that is a video of some of his very first steps, filmed by his physical therapist who is paid by Heaven’s Family’s Disabilities Ministry, as well as a video I took of Richard walking when I met him to show you the great progress he is making.

Click to watch video of Richard taking his first steps

Click to watch more recent video of Richard walking

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