Pictures from Visit to AIC CURE

The kids and I enjoyed our visit to AIC (African Inland Church) CURE yesterday. CURE is a pediatric surgery facility that brings a group of kids in each week (usually on Sunday or Monday) for scheduled surgeries. Most children return home Saturday and a new group comes in. There are many different types of surgery available, including repairs for club foot and cleft palate.

There is a wonderful little playroom with books and toys. Phoebe is the woman who currently assists with some of the children programs. She talks to them about Jesus (Yesu) as she works. She was very welcoming. We brought Madeline's balloon animal materials and it was a hit. I asked Phoebe if I was allowed to take pictures and she said yes.


There were 3 children in the room when we arrived and soon several others joined us.

  



Thanks to the wonders of digital cameras, I was able to show the children themselves. They loved it. Some kids responded with a small smile, others (as you will see) went all out!



A few of the kids like this boy made their own creations. He had a blast blowing up the balloons with the hand pump.

This is Faith; she loved having her picture taken. Abby took this picture.

Doesn't he have the best smile?

Before we left, Phoebe asked us to share with the children why we had come and to sing a song. We told them that David had come to work in the hospital and that we wanted to come too to meet them and share Jesus' love. We sang "Jesus Loves Me" (& added the sign language words we could remember). At our request, the children then sang a song for us.

Later yesterday afternoon, we went back to Kijabe Hospital to take Mercy (the chaplain) name cards we had made at her request. She puts a paper over each of the kids' hospital beds with their name and "Jesus loves you" written on it. She wanted some that were colored/decorated and we were happy to help.

When we arrived, Mercy was on one of the larger pediatric wards (think community rooms from Patch Adams) talking to the parents and children. After she spoke and they sang (they love to sing here and we love to listen to them), she introduced us and asked if we had any more silly bands to pass out . Fortunately we did (though we are getting low - we should have brought a lot more!) Mercy asked to me to pray for and over a group of mamas and their babies (who have hydrocephalus). Talk about humbling. David says every day so far he has seen cases which could be written up in journals. Very little here is a simple "cut & dry" illness. Thank you for praying for these wonderful people.