In September last year, while my mom was still here, a medical team spent a week here ministering to the children of the Mathare slum. Debbie, a dental hygienist and her assistant Sonia, felt their hearts break when they realized they could not help Mary.
Mary has HIV/AIDS and had so many dental problems, she could barely eat. Her trusting eyes and thin frame revealed to them just how weak she was. Barely smiling, she came to them hoping to be helped. But - she needed to have her baby teeth extracted to make way for the permanent teeth which were already growing in - work for a dentist, but there was not one with the team. The family could not afford to have Mary see a dentist. That did not stop Sonia and Debbie who decided to take up a collection to ensure that Mary would receive the care she so desperately needed.
After visiting her doctor to confirm that she was strong enough to undergo the work, she visited a dentist during October and November for the first two of three phases of work to be done. Her gums were so infected that the doctor determined too much work at one time could cause bleeding, which would make her even sicker.
As you can see by the photo below, Mary looks strong, healthy and happy today thanks to the generosity and compassion shown by a handful of grateful short-term missionaries. I say grateful because to a person they felt so blessed by helping the communities in the slums.
Mary's mom brought her to our center last week for the final work to be done by a dentist visiting from America.
She opens her mouth to show me how much better she is, and to point out all the teeth that are lose!
I snapped this shot of the room where our visiting dentist was working. Gilbert is actually a Kenyan who was trained and works in the US. When I thanked him for his commitment, he replied with "These are my people!" Well said!
Here is Gilbert posing with Mary...notice the lawn chair? Seems a pretty innovative way to supply a dental chair to me!
Unfortunately by the time Mary found her way to the chair, she had grown apprehensive about the whole idea. Gilbert was unwilling to push her beyond her comfort level and recommended she go to a dentist office where she can receive something to help her relax.
Please pray that God will provide for Mary a dentist who will treat her at a reduced rate so that we can afford to complete the work that was begun last year. Also, a dental fund has been started which should enable us to buy some much-needed equipment and even pay a small fee to retain the services of a dentist on a regular basis.
We praise God that He always meets the needs of His people!
And that's how three became twenty! Here are 14 of the 20 who received free cataract surgery earlier this month!
Jeremy, in the middle, works at the property owned by Starfish Charities which was the venue for the Medical Camp. He accompanied Rhonda to meet the folks who had been operated on. Many of them are Maasai from villages near Jeremy's.
Rhonda joined the group for this picture.
I was disappointed that I was not able to visit these dear folks at the hospital, but I am just thrilled at the amazing opportunity being presented. I just can't say enough about what Lions is doing in this area. These are people who would eventually have lost their eyesight completely and now they will enjoy many years of clear vision.
