If you click on this link, you’ll see a story written by someone who just visited us from SIM Australia, Glenyss Barnham:  http://www.sim.org/index.php/content/handicapped-i-don-t-think-so

This link tells the story of Youmanli, who got life-changing surgery and leg braces:  http://www.sim.org/index.php/content/youmanlis-transformation

Our biggest problem is always choosing what to share in these letters.  There have been so many stories, and so many things going on.

Please click on this link to open the newsletter in PDF format:  4Q CAH Newsletter

To see the PDF newsletter, please click on this link:  CAH 2011 Summer Newsletter

Veuillez cliquer sur le lien suivant pour ouvrir la lettre:  Lettre de Nouvelles

Click here:  “Burkina, Baps and the Bush“

We don’t mean to brag, but we have had much better results than all the other local schools. That’s 55 out of 57 in the last three years! With the underdogs…kids who people thought couldn’t learn.

Way to go teachers! Way to go students! Thank you, Lord, for being with us through all the trials and helping us succeed!

Please click on this link to open the newsletter:

Quarterly Newsletter 1Q 2011

Even just 1 kilometer from “downtown” Diapaga, the largest town in our province, we were already riding on bush trails.  It was really tough for me to keep up with our field-worker on these trails – he’s really used to all the swerving and bumps and sand.  But fifteen kilometers later, I managed to arrive with all my arms and legs attached at Oumarou’s compound.

Oumarou is in 8 year old child who suffers from cerebral palsy.  Statistically, he is lucky to have made it to 8 years.  Like so many other children we visit, Oumarou’s disability began after he got sick as a baby.  He probably had a cerebral form of malaria, and his brain and motor skills were severely affected.

After we arrived, we had to wait almost 15 minutes for Oumarou’s mom to bathe and clothe him.  You see, before we arrived, he was naked and in the dirt…who knows when they had last given him a bath?

After that, Julien (the field-worker) worked with Oumarou to make sure he didn’t have any bad muscle retractions and to get his limbs limber.  Because Oumarou had spent several months in Mahadaga 3 years ago to have daily therapy, he doesn’t have bad muscle retractions.  His limbs have the liberty to move freely in the necessary ways.  His major problem is muscle spasms.  Because his motor control was so damaged by his illness, his muscles constantly spasm, and we don’t have the ability to get him medicine to control it.

Oumarou doesn't mind therapy

Next, Julien worked on crawling on all fours.  This is Oumarou’s next challenge.  It will take a lot of work and a lot of time…especially because Julien can only visit him once per month.  But he is making some progress.  Last year, Oumarou couldn’t even roll over on the ground by himself.  Now, he can roll over and even sit up.  So we keep adding challenges.  Julien puts Oumarou on his hands and knees, and then places a toy on the opposite side of the mat.  Then, Julien helps him try to get to the toy.  It’s a lot of fun to watch.

Oumarou trying to crawl

Finally, we put Oumarou in the “verticalizer”.  It’s a very simple device that helps Oumarou’s muscles learn how it feels to be upright.  It might seem silly, but this simple treatment has helped many children learn to walk when no one thought it was possible.

Oumarou gives his brother a lego block

While Oumarou is strapped to the verticalizer, Julien uses the time to play games that help improve motor control, eye-hand coordination, etc.  Julien challenges Oumarou to pull lego blocks apart, hand them to his little brother, take them back, and push them together.  All the while, Julien is encouraging and making up various games that make Oumarou smile and laugh.

After about a half-hour of this, the father remarked, “when we put him in the verticalizer, he just starts crying after about 15 minutes.  But whenever you do it, he can have fun and stay in there for a long time.”  Apparently, when the family puts Oumarou on the verticalizer, they tie him on and then leave him alone to go do other things.  Oumarou has the same social needs as the rest of us.  He likes to interact with others and play games.

Finally, Julien pulled out a little children’s book with a story about Jesus and read it to Oumarou.  His brother and sister also sat and listened to most of it.  And thankfully, his muslim father, who was also there, allowed us to tell the Bible story.

Julien reads a Bible story to Oumarou

Having spent over an hour and a half with Oumarou, we packed up and moved on to another family, about 7 kilometers away.  And so it went for 6 visits that day.  Exhausting, but worth it.

I hope his great photos and fun story angles give you another view into Mahadaga and the CAH.

Of course, please note, for information on how to give, rather than using the info on this letter, it’s better to look at this website on the page “How to Give”.

To view the PDF newsletter, please click on this link:  Mahadaga letter

Thanks, and happy reading!