I wrote in my last update of a young lady named Leah who had corrective surgery on her crippled leg. What a treat I had when I visited her this week for not only was her leg now in a more normal position, though it was in plaster, but it was as if a different child had returned that the one I had seen before the operation. Gone was the expression of a dejected child, replaced by the smiles of a life suddenly seeing hope for a brighter future.

Leah after surgery

I also paid a visit to St Vincent’s home for crippled children this week to see a bunch of kids there who I became acquainted with last year. Perhaps you’ll remember I wrote of Naomi, a blind child who was at the time attending the home during the daytime but could not stay at night because technically she was not crippled according to government rules. The rules seemed to bend once Lisa offered to sponsor her tuition and now Naomi who was severely malnourished at the time is looking healthy and well. I made a fuss of her when I arrived and told her how beautiful she looked, she grinned shyly but then disappeared into her dorm. She reappeared a few minutes later in a beautiful frilly dress, probably a handed down bridesmaid dress, looking more beautiful that ever I told her.

Naomi has a companion at the home named Carolyn who is actually 19 years old. Carolyn sits in her chair as if she had no lower legs yet her knees are permanently fused beneath her. Doctor Mead who performed the operation on Leah, examined her last November and told her she could walk one day if he fit prostheses but her lower legs would have to be amputated. A terrifying thought for anyone let alone a 19 year old young lady and Carolyn declined. When I met her this week however Carolyn asked if she could speak to the doctor again about the procedure. It just so happens that Doctor Meads team of surgeons will be visiting Kitale next week and staying at my house overnight. I’ve made arrangements for Carolyn to be brought over to see them, pray for courage for Carolyn to make the difficult decision so one day she might walk.

The structural steel for two buildings in Runo, west Pokot, was erected this past week during blistering heat. The equatorial sun can be ruthless, and made the steel so hot it would burn marks across unprotected skin if allowed to make contact. I have a couple of Pokot brands on my forearms now. The hot sun continues to bake the parched land, the drought continues but so does the work and soon, God willing, the three small houses under construction will be occupied by teachers who have been recently assigned to the school. A new 4000 sq. ft. roof structure is also under construction which will give shelter to nursery school kids and the swelling congregation of the church on Sunday’s. There were 91 in attendance last Sunday so pastor John informed me.

Within less than a year you folks who have supported me have brought in a water supply, built a block of 4 classrooms with office and storeroom, a kitchen building, a pastors house, three staff houses and the 4000 sq. ft. roof canopy. A mango orchard with 100 saplings has been planted and hundreds of lives have been changed, including mine. Some of you will be visiting Kenya soon and I’m excited at the prospect of other making the trip in the near future.

I remain in His grasp. Your friend Paul.