We have not been doing posts because Don McLeer is on the team and he is a videographer who is doing a documentary on Hope Ministries. He has posted some pictures and vides on Hope Ministries and my personal facebook page if you want to watch them. He is doing a great job.
The team is awesome and are working hard doing a great job. All of the team except Mark and I are out on Safari. They are enjoying God’s beauty of Africa. Mark and I have been spending long days in surgery, but have helped a lot of people. Had some very difficult cases, but Mark is a great surgeon and helped them all. Mark is an awesome teacher and has taught the residents so much and also the students on our team. I am so thankful for all he does for Hope Ministries.
I know many of you that have followed us on this journey remember the stories of Ester, who is had spina bifida as a baby and had surgery. She is the most beautiful little girl and I love her so much. She has no feeling in her lower extremities and has presented at my outreach clinics with large infected open sores on the bottom of both heels. I have admitted her to the hospital for debridement and treatment of the wounds, in an effort to try and prevent amputation of both legs. Hope Ministries has bought her a wheelchair, walker, braces over the years and sadly enough she crawled into my outreach clinic last week and was in the worst shape I have ever seen her. She has large open wounds on both of her feet and a very large open pressure sore on her bottom. So very sad! I had to take a walk and pray about what to do with poor Ester and the tears kept coming. I have been praying daily and asking for God’s guidance on what to do.
Her mom left her at her grandmothers after her surgery as a baby, because she could not care for her. The grandmother is also care taking for two other grandkids from another daughter. She works so hard to care for these children, but can’t even afford to feed them. I have helped with with transportation and food costs over the years. I again paid for transportation for grandma to bring Ester to see Mark at our clinic last Monday.
After a lot of prayers, I contacted Tom at Feathertale Children’s Home to see if we could admit Ester there so they could care for her and he accepted with a gracious heart. We discussed what process I would have to go through to get this done. I then talked to the social worker at the hospital and she evaluated the situation. She then talked to the grandma about putting Ester into care at this children’s home. My heart was breaking knowing I was the one that was suggesting this to happen. Grandma accepted it very well and seemed very relieved. We then talked to Ester about this and she gave me the biggest smile ever and all I could do was hug her and cry.
She was admitted to the hospital and put on IV and antibiotics. Then we did daily wound care and dressing changes. I visited her on the ward yesterday and she gave me this big smile that just warms my heart. As I was leaving I gave her a big hug and told her how much I loved her and that I would see her at this home each time I come because I always go to help them medically.
I pray God that I have done the right thing for Ester and that all goes well. Please pray for this beautiful little girl that has stolen my heart. This home has an on-staff nurse and PT that should be very helpful. Also I think she is going to enjoy the socialization with the other kids. We are praying with the proper care that the wounds will heel and we will not need to amputate.
We will be flying to Mwanza tomorrow to work all week at Bugando Hospital. Please continue to pray for the team. Also I cannot thank all you donors enough for your support, because you have helped so many people who have nothing and had not hope. You have provided them hope for the future. God bless you.
Gayle
