Our boys are progressing!

We are so thankful that our four street kids are progressing. Three are ready to leave the clinic. Now comes the hard part! Alfred and the Social Work Interns have located family members for each of the guys, but some relationship building must take place! The boys have come to feel most comfortable on the streets. They don't want to go back to places where they have been abused and neglected. Alfred will be impressing on the caregivers that we will be making routine visits with the full knowledge of the authorities in the area. There will be a level of expectation and accountability. We truly hope that the kids are able to adjust to being "home." We may find them back on the streets again in a matter of days.

Tom's reflections - Part #5

On Saturday morning (1/22) we were back on the streets of Waterloo. Throughout the morning we came across two more boys in need of medical attention. After hours of informing the proper authorities we were able to transport them to Heart & Hand in the evening.

Mohamed M (age 17) was suffering from Typhoid, Malaria and Pneumonia in both lungs. Dr Patricia was quite certain that he would not have lasted long on the streets. He has been treated with antiboitic IVs, etc...and is improving. A week's stay should have him fixed up and ready to return to Waterloo.

Alhaji (age 14) had a wound on his leg that was seriously infected. He is improving and needs about one week of care as well.

Tom's reflections - Part #4

Look at these smiles after 3 days of treatment! We were able to have them admitted to Heart & Hand Clinic near our apartment in Grafton on Jan 20th just 5 days after I first met them. Dr Patricia is partnering with us to help meet the medical needs of the street kids we encounter. Wherever possible she will seek to cut costs for us, a real blessing!!!

As of Jan 22nd: Father Joe has had IV antibotics in preparation for some surgery on his foot. His fever is gone, as well as some of the swelling. The infection seems to be concentrating in a central location on the top of his foot which will be opened and drained soon. He will be at the clinic for about two weeks.

Little Mohamed is having body washings three times daily with ointments applied, injections daily since his skin is too delicate to run IVs, and will spend about a month at the clinic.

Tom's reflections - Part #3

As we went along to another location in the market the interns introduced me to a little boy named Mohamed, age 9. It was easy to see that he was laboring to walk and I could see his little arms and face were covered with oozing scabs. As I shook his hand, even his palms were open sores. He was wearing a loose fitting shirt and pants, and as they raised his pant leg, I knew that his whole body was covered. I have NEVER seen anything as horrific as this! He was in a lot of pain, but doing all he can to survive on the street. I was fighting back tears to keep from alarming the boy. After we left, I asked Alfred what would happen to the two boys I had met. He said they would likely die, as two other boys had since the beginning of their ministry. I KNEW SOMETHING HAD TO BE DONE! WE COULD NOT LOSE ANOTHER CHILD!

Tom's reflections - Part #2

One of the boys I met on my first visit to Waterloo is named Alhassan, age 13 (street name: “Father Joe”). He had injured his foot a few weeks earlier and it was plain to see that he was in big trouble if he did not get medical attention soon. Infection was spreading, constant fever, pain up his leg as far as his groin and he was past the point of being able to walk without help.

Tom's reflections on meeting the street kids at Waterloo - Part #1

from Tom...

Saturday a week ago I had the opportunity to join one of the HOPE CENTRE partners, Buckner International, on a visit to Waterloo just a few miles down the road from the center. Buckner Country Director, Alfred Kargbo, and Social Work Interns from two local Bible Colleges started a ministry there two years ago with street kids that are either orphaned or that are neglected or abused to the point that street life is better than home. I cannot get my mind to understand how bad home life must be after seeing how bad street life is for these children. Alfred and his interns took me to their different contact places to introduct me to the kids. As we walked, I asked Alfred how the kids survive and he told me they do whatever they can such as push carts for merchants, sell plastic bags, shovel trash or simply beg. Most of them will work for days before they earn enough to buy an actual meal.

...continue along as we post pictures of four of the boys that YOU are helping through your prayers and support...

Waterloo Street Kids

As previously mentioned, there are over 1000 street kids in Waterloo, a city just down the road from where we live. Here are a few of the guys. The boy in the lower right of the picture was the original connection that Alfred and the Interns made in 2008. We took Chuck and his guests from the US for a visit on Wed. Chuck (in red) was an ICU nurse before coming to SL full-time. He was able to evaluate the two boys, Mohamed and "Father Joe," who are now in the Heart & Hand clinic.