You ever have something you did not want to do and found every other thing to do except what was before you? Well that certainly is the case with todays (actually from last weeks events).
I just returned from Hanoi where I "walked" into an epidemic of Pink Eye! Yikes I had no idea how it affects us. I always "downplayed" those who have had it before. But I'm downright feeling sorry for myself. Or at least was the first few days. I'm better now.
One eye hospital in Hanoi reported diagnosing 300 cases a day. Just think how many can't or don't go to the doctors for diagnosis.... Flying back to Danang I found out it has spread to central Vietnam as well. Many of our kids have it! I hear it is in HCM too.
But that is not want I don't want to write about.... Just one more ploy to avoid the inevitable. Before I get to the meat of this journal allow me to share some great news first (another ploy to delay?) .
The results of the medical outreach have come in. In 2 days the doctors saw 138 patients. Sixty were children. From that 15 children will have corrective orthopedic surgeries A 3 year old will have heart surgery as well as have a cataract removed (we need donors to fund these cases).
In addition 12 adults will have orthopedic surgeries as well. Thank you to Free Wheelchair Mission for taking the incentive to try a new approach and see if needing a wheelchair can be prevented! YEAH GOD!!! Special thanks to Vanessa and Don and the rest of FWM who made this container a possibility. I'm told the doctors plan another medical outreach in Nov!!!
One more bit of good news? Remember the young man who got a custom fitted Convaid wheelchair. The one whom Tam thinks qualifies for a special program to train and place the Disabled?
Well our Orthopedic surgeons are now saying they can help this young man to walk! Yup walk! After 12 years! They say they can replace his hip joints. This does not "fit" gibtk programs but thanks to this container from FWM the hospital will take care of it!!! Yeah FWM!!!
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| Agent Orange school |
Okay so now the thing I have avoided. Agent Orange. In past years just the mention of this made me cower. You see I like to fix things! Or at least have a chance to fix them. But with Agent Orange victims not much can be done but maybe relieve some of the suffering.
My other issue is I always ask how do you know it is Dioxin to blame. Maybe it is a normal birth defect, right? Because of sheer enormity of the medical supply container the orthopedic hospital requested to use some items to help the disabled particularly Dioxin cases.
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| This young lady and her brother below were born after they're father was exposed to Dioxin |
So here I "had" to join this part of the outreach. I certainly tried to find a reason to avoid going. Our first home made a strong argument for Agent Orange poisoning. The mothers first 3 kids were born without normal, without abnormalities. All born prior to the years of Agent Orange. Her last 2 kids both born after the US began using Dioxin, suffer from serious disabilities. Maybe coincidence. But....
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| 3 siblings born prior to Dioxin were born "normal" |
None the less we were able to bring dozens of diapers. She used old newspapers prior to this She shook her head when she saw the numbers. Saying one other time someone had brought her 2. Okay here comes the darn emotions.
We also brought a wheelchair and promised a second wheelchair. She asked that we don't delay. It will make her life so much easier. She showed us a gen 1 wheelchair she received in 2007. It had to be one of our first containers. She said it broke down just last year!
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| one of 1st wheelchairs we gave away, lasted till last year, a good example of FWM work!!! |
The last home we visited rocked me! 2 sons. Probably not Agent Orange, or at least maybe not... but that same powerless feeling overtook me. Both kids were normal until about age 12 then a muscular disintegration began. The oldest had completed 12th grade but now was to weak to continue in school. The younger was now in grade 11.
The mom told us they were both excellent students but this broken down humanitarian doubted that possibility. She shared her boy's would scour the Internet looking at wheelchairs, just dreaming of owning one.
The younger could still sit up and was given a chair from the container. The oldest would need a special chair. His arms have no strength to move himself. He told me he dreamed of an electric chair.
Impossible huh? Or is it impossible? Does one of you have a lightly used one or know how we can get one? I surely will do everything in my power to get it to this young man in time.
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| They scour internet and dream of having a electric wheelchair so the oldest can use it. HE SPEAKS ENGLISH!!!! |
My heart broke as I looked around their bedroom. The walls covered with photos of Soccer players and their victories. There were also a few of pro wrestlers. The boys smiled wide when I pointed to Manchester United and gave thumbs up.
What really broke me up and STILL does! Fighting back tears with my pink eye is not an easy task. Right before we left we took a photo of the younger boy outside in his new chair. It hit to walk back in and wave good-by to the oldest.
But what greeted me BROKE MY HEART!!! I don't know why it hit me so hard. But the older boy began to speak to me in clear English. He thanked me for coming and spending time with him and his family......
So here is this broken down humanitarian worker saying there has to be more we can do! I know I serve a God who is ABLE!!! He will use others to do His will. So any ideas? What can we do to make these 2 brothers lives a bit more? Oh how I wish I could take them to a Manchester United game or maybe an electric chair or????
><((((º> BBlessed
Robert Kalatschan
Giving It Back To Kids
