As we reflect back on our last 8 months here we are struck by all of the need that surrounds us daily here in Kenya.  We live 100 yards from two hospitals.  CURE hospital is Africa’s first orthopedic pediatric teaching hospital for children with disabilities. The second hospital is  Kijabe Mission Hospital which is recognized for its quality and holistic treatment all over Kenya and beyond. We are grateful for our close proximity to both of these hospitals as they have helped us with Josiah’s broken foot and Jaden’s leg needing stitches over the past month. But more than just our minor repairs, every day the hospital sees hundreds of impoverished people in their multiple clinics.

 

Weekly we come in contact with people that have financial needs for funerals, food, medical costs and a variety of other things.  At times this can seem overwhelming as we ask God for direction in leading us to the ones he desires for us to help.  There are just simply to many people to help everyone.  We wanted to share a couple of the ways that God has led us to help so that you can understand a little bit more of some of the situations we have come across.

AIC Kijabe Hospital is a non-profit hospital located in Kijabe, Kenya. The hospital staff of over 700 now comes from all parts of Kenya and Africa, including a number of volunteer missionaries from overseas.

Weekly we come in contact with people that have financial needs for funerals, food, medical costs and a variety of other things.  At times this can seem overwhelming as we ask God for direction in leading us to the ones he desires for us to help.  There are just simply to many people to help everyone.  We wanted to share a couple of the ways that God has led us to help so that you can understand a little bit more of some of the situations we have come across.

 

Back in October we were introduced to a soft spoken little 7 year old girl named Michelle who lived in the Lunga Lunga Slums in Nairobi.  At the age of 3 Michelle was bit by a venomous snake on her arm and was not able to receive the proper medical attention that she needed.  As a result 4 years later she had lost most of the ability to bend her arm and her skin had become very tight almost like it was vacuum sealed to the bone.  We felt God calling us to intervene into the brokenness of this situation.  So our family and a few others decided to help her receive the proper attention she needed at CURE Hospital.

The Lunga Lunga slums in Nairobi is the neighborhood that Michelle lives in.

 

This picture was after her successful surgery at CURE hospital!

About a month ago the NV kids and myself (Mark) had a chance to meet Jospeh Jorogoe.  Joseph is the father of 2 of the kids that attend Cornerstone Preparatory Academy.  We decided to help him and his family by building a chicken coop that will supply his family with eggs and a small income from selling the extra eggs.  In our time there we also noticed some significant medical needs.   Both of his legs have chronic veinous stasis ulcers.  Which means that he has a 8 inch by 4 inch section on each leg that is missing skin.  He has had this problem for many years and he has some other type of disease that started over 30 years that has crippled his legs.  Through some generous donors we have raised enough money for the skin graft procedure that should take place in the next month.

Some of the Naomi’s Village kids meeting and praying with Joseph outside of his house.

 

New chicken coop for Joseph and his family.

Mark and Joseph.

 

I share all of this to give you a window into a part of our daily life which is trying to discern the people that God is calling us to help apart from Naomi’s Village.  If you would like to be a part helping people in the future please let me know and I will reach out to you as specific needs arise.

 

Liz is enjoying her role as child sponsorship coordinator, here she is with Josiah and Virginia.

Click above to watch the video that Liz and Anji have about  Naomi’s Village and Cornerstone Sponsorship.  Please consider sponsoring a child or passing this video along to make others aware of the sponsorship opportunities they could be a part of.

Jaden and Josiah enjoyed participating with the Naomi’s Village kids in a VBS put on by a church team from OH last weekend.

Items for prayer:

Our family:  Please pray that our family would continue to seek God’s direction as we serve here in Kenya.
 
Construction of Cornerstone school:  Pray that the new building would be completed on time for the start of the next term in May.
 
For His Name,
Mark and Liz Sisler