Lennison's Village- cleft palate/cleft lip

Here is a family picture of baby Lennison!  His dad and mom came to meet us here at Rainbow this weekend and we took them home to show our friends where Lennison lived. In case you don't remember, Lennison has a full cleft palate and cleft lip and was too small and sick to receive surgery during the ConnectMed medical event.  Since he is from our area we wanted to take him under our care and try to bulk up his weight in the hopes that he can receive surgery in August during another medical event.  Our family is providing formula to Lennison and cleft bottles since it is nearly impossible for him to nurse from his mother.  We have noticed a marked improvement in his weight and build since May.  Praise God!  Continue praying for Lennison and the other two children that we are providing formula to for the same reasons.  Pray they will be big enough and healthy enough to receive surgery next month.  

Lennison and his mother Ida.

Lennison using his cleft bottle.  Oh doesn't that bring back memories from when baby J had to use those.

This is how we travel in the village!  LOAD UP!

Boys being boys at Lennison's house.

Watts family with the villagers at Lennison's house.

The man above is named Innocent.  This is his daughter Debra.  Innocent is going to be joining us in the permaculture classes that begin this Saturday at our home.  He desires to learn permaculture techniques and become proficient enough to train other in permaculture.  We look forward to watching him progress.

Brooke and Karen with the visitors

Jeremy and Jill with Lennison's family in front of his house.

Lennison and his father!

The kids love getting their picture taken!

Our farewell committee!  They followed us to see us off!

baby J found his seat!

Beautiful Malawi

There was a soccer game going on the day we visited.  The road is actually a part of the soccer field.  The men had blocked off the soccer field with maize sacks so they could charge admission to watch the match.  When we drove up they nicely moved the maize sacks aside and we were allowed to drive RIGHT THROUGH THE MIDDLE of the soccer game!  They didn't even stop playing!  Only in Africa! 

A Miracle for Mphatso

Yesterday a miracle trip began for Mphatso!  Read his story below:

The above picture is of Mphatso and his family.  They live in a village about 2 hours off the paved road outside of Lilongwe.  Mphatso is sitting in his father's lap.  He was born with a severe cleft palate and cleft lip.  When he was born the people of Mphatso's village tried to get the parents to kill the child.  They said he was a curse on the family and would always bring bad tidings to the family unless he was killed.  Mphatso's parents are Christians, however.  They said that the Lord gave this child life and the Lord could take the life away, but only the Lord should have power over life and death.  

Mphatso's parents are very loving and caring parents who try to give their children the best they can.  When they heard about ConnectMed International coming to Lilongwe last May they brought Mphatso to see if the doctors could help.  Dr. Gosman was able to repair Mphatso's cleft palate during the surgery week.  However his cleft lip required more complex surgery and would need to be repaired in a more advanced medical setting.

Dr. Gosman and some members of her team also work with another nonprofit out of San Diego, CA called Fresh Start Surgical Gifts.  Fresh Start's goal is to provide disadvantaged children who suffer from physical deformities the gift of reconstructive surgery.  They are the organization that allowed for Dr. Gosman to perform our son's cleft palate repair just a year ago.  Praise God that through those connections we are able to see more and more children receiving the life saving gift of reconstructive surgery!  

Jeremy, Dr. Gosman, and Fresh Start have been working tirelessly to get a few different children from Malawi over to San Diego to receive surgery.  Mphatso and his guardian, Justice, are the first to go.  For more on the story of Mphatso and Justice please see this previous blog.  Justice is giving up his home and life for two months to travel with Mphatso as his guardian.  Although they had never met the connection between the two was immediate.  They are already close friends.  

So yesterday was the big day!  Mphatso's family had traveled a couple of days earlier to Lilongwe to stay in town while waiting on the flight.  The day before they left Justice and Jeremy along with Mphatso and his dad went around gathering up some supplies that they would need for the journey.  We were able to supply Mphatso with some clothes and some toiletries.  And Justice took Mphatso shopping for some shoes!  Jeremy even took them all out for pizza.  Mphatso ate half of a large pizza!  It was the first time he or his father had ever had pizza.  Justice correctly commented that as long as Mphatso loves pizza he'll get along just fine in America!

Yesterday morning we met up with the family to take Justice and Mphatso to the airport.  Mphatso's baby sister is severely sick with sepsis so she and Mphatso's mother weren't able to travel to the airport. But Mphatso's father was excited to make the trip and he couldn't stop smiling as he watched the planes land and take off.  None of them had ever been to the airport or even seen an airplane before. 

Jeremy getting Justice all checked in and giving some last minute advice on airports and customs, etc. 

Mphatso and Justice with tickets in hand!

Jeremy, Mphatso, and Justice

To watch this miracle unfold is quite a humbling experience.  The steps that have been taken by so many people to get this precious child the help that he needs is nothing that could have been accomplished without the hand of God!  We have been blessed to be just a small part of the mighty work that the Lord is doing in the life of this child.  Mphatso's mother kept praising God for His miracle and she prays that this act will change her village.  She prays that through this story they will come to know Christ as their savior and realize how precious each and every life is.  God has used a 6 year old boy and his birth defect to change our life and the lives of so many others.  He has shown that "all things work for the good of those who love him, those who are called according to his purpose." (Romans 8:28)  To God be the Glory!   

Gusu/Jidi Evangelism Weekend- July 2012 (Sports Ministry)

Another aspect of our Gusu/Jidi Evangelism weekend was the football (Soccer) tournament.  This was a huge deal for the community.  And the fact that E3 brought actual trophies, medals, and monetary gifts for the winners meant even more.  Driving out of the area the next day on our way home we could see some of the proud owners of the medals wearing them around their necks.  

8 football teams played 7 a-side games of 60 minutes.  The competition was great!  There were thousands of people in attendance to watch the tournament.  Praise God!

Sports Outreach Ministries (S.O.M.) with ABC grads and missionaries.  

Another great success for the E3 football tournament.  Gusu/Jidi came in 2nd place!  

Gusu/Jidi Evangelism Weekend- July 2012 (Medical Clinic)

E3 Worldwide had another weekend evangelism event in the village of Gusu this past weekend.  What an honor to be a part of an organization that is seeking to make a tangible difference in the lives of those they are ministering to.  E3 Worldwide knows that pouring money into a village doesn't solve the problem and get to the underlying issues associated with poverty. This only leads to more dependency. E3 seeks to help the people of Gusu to help themselves; this comes in the form of education (1), empowering (2), and employment (3).  That's where the name E3 comes from.  

The weekends spent at Gusu/Jidi villages are only a portion of the work that E3 is doing out there. The missionaries are assisting the villagers to drill bore holes, build water storage sites, and bring running tap water to people who've never seen water come out of a spigot.  They are teaching the people new methods of farming, permaculture, and other elements that lead to community transformation.  All of this while proclaiming that Jesus Christ is the true living water and without HIM none of this is possible.  Seeing the fruits of the work that the Lord is doing there is indescribable.  

Gusu/Jidi Evangelism Weekend #2 happened in July of 2012.  Over 900 people were seen at the medical clinic over the two days.  The pictures in this post show just a few of the scenes from the medical clinic.  

This large tent was set up to take vitals and general complaints of the patients.  They were then sent into the rooms with the Dr.'s who assisted in their ailments. 

These are just a few of those waiting outside the clinic after being seen and treated.  

Beautiful, precious faces. 

The rest of the events that went on this past weekend will be posted in future blog posts. Be sure to check back soon.  

For more pictures please check out our facebook page at www.facebook.com/kyserfamily.