Christian Mission Aid

PAST REPORTS

Click HERE to Download the 2003 Report on our Vacation Bible Schools (VBS).

Click HERE to Download the 2003 Report on our Lay Leader Training.

CLICK HERE to Download the CLEAR 2004 Report in Adobe PDF Format.

Rebuilding homes, rebuilding hope

When a mid-day fire razed down shanties in Mitumba slum late September, Christian Mission Aid (CMA) responded immediately, providing blankets and foodstuff to affected families.

Over 200 families lost their belongings in the fire and were left homeless. Some of the affected were children from Mitumba nursery school which CMA supports.

“Our house burnt down and we spent the night at their home,” said six-year old Joan pointing at one of the other kids in the school. The children excitedly received the blankets and foodstuff and jumped with joy. Pastor Shadrack, who runs the school, thanked CMA profusely for their support. “We’re thankful for the help you gave when crisis broke at Mitumba. The families who received blankets and foodstuff were grateful. May God bless you.”

One month after the fire the affected poor families of Mitumba slum continue the struggle in rebuilding their shelters and their lives. Using whatever building materials they can find, they are putting together the timber and rusty tin to erect “new” homes and provide shelter for their children.    

Over 200 families lost their belongings in the fire and were left homeless. Some of the affected were children from Mitumba nursery school which CMA supports.

“It is really difficult to put up these structures since we don’t have the proper materials,” says Samuel Omondi, a resident. “The rent may go up once most of the houses are completed since they’ll be “better” than the ones that burnt down. I’m afraid, I may not be able to afford the new rent,” he says. Omondi’s fear is shared by many others in the slum. Their prayer is that they may get building materials to put up their homes and avoid any rent hikes.  

Families in Mitumba still need your support to put up their houses.

CMA would like to thank all those who stood with us and with Pastor Shadrack in prayer and to all those who supported Mitumba residents in their time of need.

In partnership with the Carter Center, CMA joined in an international effort to eradicate Guinea Worm disease.  In the global picture, Sudan is critical to the worldwide effort to eradicate this parasite, because Sudan represents more than 60% of the world’s cases. Similarly, it is also reported that given a global comparison, the area in South Sudan where CMA operates has the highest recorded occurrences of this painful and disabling infection. Read more...

Guinea Worm Eradication Program  
Pictorial Report Upper Nile, South Sudan

September 2002  
Photo: June 29"', starting the treatment: Strong tweezers for pulling, disinfectant for cleaning, and a small piece of wood (a twig from a tree) and cotton wool are all that is needed by trained staff Slowly the living worm is pulled, and secured to the twig so that it does not pull itself back into the foot. A loop of about 6 inches was taken out on the first day. No force is used as the worm will simply break and slip back into the body to grow again. Patients feel some discomfort or pain, and may be given aspirin. Nyakwich stayed in Lanken for the next few days as her son was treated for meningitis, and her worm was removed.  Read full story...

Trachoma Control Program 
Pictorial Report Upper Nile, South Sudan 
September 2002  

Trachoma: "... usually begins in early childhood; but does not cause blindness until much later in life, as repeated infections cause inflammation and scarring on the inside of the eyelid Trachoma, caused by chlamydia trachomatis, is spread easily from person to person. Through the discharge from the eyes of an infected child, trachoma is passed to others by hands, on clothing, or by flies that are attracted to faces and runny noses. Repeated infections eventually cause eyelashes to turn inwards (Trichiasis) and rub against the cornea, which causes pain and the scarring that eventually leads to corneal opacity (blindness). The tragic later stages of the disease occur in adulthood; when people are in their most productive years.”
 (The Carter Center, June 2002).  

"Read full story...

STEP Personal Impact story- Isaac Tindamei

Reaping the benefits of his labor

All over the world, a conserved environment means a secured future, where water and food are plentiful and wild animals are protected.  And, of course, there is additional benefit of a beautiful landscape.   Throughout Maasailand, however, the future once looked bleak with a degrading environment that barely supported food production, and led to a scarce supply of water.  As a result, children were kept away from school to help their parents move from place to place in search of food and water required for both families and animals.  CMA’s Students Teachers Environmental Program (STEP) has become a symbol of hope for food security, access to formal education and a better environment for children and adults alike in Maasai land. 

Isaac Tindamei and his family live in Maasailand.  He attends eighth grade at the local Naromoru Primary School where he has participated in planting trees in the school’s STEP plot.   Coming from a typically nomadic Maasai family that has little interest in the environment, Isaac had declined to participate at his school’s STEP plot.  “Our school’s soil is mainly made of rock, I never thought it would support trees, let alone vegetables”.  Isaac decided however that he would give STEP a chance and together with his schoolmates, undertook the STEP challenge, bearing hours of backbreaking work to break through the rock landscape while digging 1x1 metre size of holes for the trees.  As Isaac says, “ by the end of the week I had cuts, blisters, and broken nails as a result of tilling the land in preparation for planting trees.”  Isaac along with his schoolmates, were in charge of watering the seedlings every day.   With the advise of his teacher Esther, he planted vegetables in the hole surrounding his young tree, which he eventually harvests and takes home, increasing his family’s chance of eating a balanced diet.   He also proudly tends to his trees every evening after school.  

Isaac is now very glad that his school planted the trees.  He could see for himself already the many benefits they provide. “The mature ones are now acting as a windbreaker, avoiding sandstorms that were a common factor in the school prior to STEP’s involvement” narrates Isaac.   His passion for environmental conservation and planting food crops has been passed on to his family.  He has shown them how to plant trees and vegetables.  Learning from their son and seeing the benefits of the trees, his parents have planted many more trees and food crops that have gone a long way in supplementing the family’s daily meals and income.  Isaac states that they are now harvesting the overgrown tree leaves for their animals to feed on instead of overgrazing land in the area. Feeding the cattle at home has ensured that Isaac and his sisters’ remain in school. The families – and the animals – are happy with their new diets; and Isaac is only one of the many children who STEP has ensured attain formal education. 

"No money for a soda"   ..CLEAR PROGRAM

Every day is a struggle for Beatrice Adhiambo as she tries to look after her family single-handed. She and her husband John Otieno have been blessed with 5 children. But John is bed ridden, and he is too weak to sit up because he has AIDS. Beatrice is also weak after a recent attack of malaria. With her husband and five children to feed every day, she has no time to rest.  

Sadly there are many times when there is not much to eat, and the family has to go to sleep hungry. Beatrice has tried to do some business weaving baskets for sale, but the money she gets does not last long. It is very painful for her when her husband asks for a soda to drink, and she has no money to buy him one. She often prays to God for him to get well. Beatrice has tried in every way she knows to make him better. 

During this time of struggles Beatrice always welcomes any visitors, because they give her support and encouragement. The participants in CMA’s CLEAR (Community Leaders Educated Aids Response) project visit Beatrice’s family often. During their visits the CLEAR team counsels Beatrice and her husband, as well as assisting in making John as comfortable as possible. “I am very happy with what the CLEAR project is doing to help me,” says Beatrice. 

Photo: Beatrice sits in her house together with her 5 children.

Abraham Ariop surgery in sudan

Abraham was like any other boy in Werkok, 12 miles East of the Nile River in South Sudan. He did what most young boys do from an early age: trained by experience and hardened by the environment Abraham tended his mother’s goats in the scorched pastures around his home. At three years old Abraham pricked himself with his herding stick in the right shin, which led to infection but eventually healed. After another 30 days or so there was a formation of painful blisters all over the leg. He was rushed to Kolnyang Primary Health Care Center (PHCC) where they applied antibiotics and dressing but no improvement was found.

A visiting, missionary doctor who visited that same PHCC requested Abraham to be treated at the ICRC (International Committee of the Red Cross) hospital in Lokichogio, Northwest Kenya. He was treated and skin grafting was attempted but with little success once again. It was suggested by the hospital that the leg was too infected to heal and that amputation would be the only way to save this boys life. Abraham’s mother would hear nothing of it. After two years stay in Lokichogio he was flown back to Padak Health Clinic for observation and cleanings. MEDAIR, a Christian medical Organization, was in charge of the Padak Clinic at the time and when the wound was clean he was sent back to the Loki’ (everyday name of Lokichogio) hospital. The doctor once again suggested amputation yet the mother still refused and they came back to Padak where he stayed under care of MEDAIR till CMA took over the clinic in May 2005. Abraham was then 9 years old and suffering infection, fevers and continuous painful changing of his dressing.  

He was once again requested to fly to Loki’ in June 2005 but neither he nor his mother could be found. When the caretakers of Abraham heard of a CMA surgical team coming to Padak they finally asked for the amputation. Abraham’s leg was successfully removed above the right knee on January 19^th, 2006.

When I talked to Abraham two weeks after the amputation I could see his strength through his tears.  “ I want to go to school and be a doctor,” he winced as the nurse redresses his stump. After the painful visit to the clinic Abraham takes his place amongst his agemates in the dust and heat outside. Grace, the CMA nurse, warns not to get the stump dirty and keep the dressing clean and neat. Little Abraham, who is now 10 years old, wants nothing more then to be a normal kid. He’s got the smile of a normal kid, he’s got the energy of normal kid and a mother who loves him and cares for him yet he will never run like a normal kid. He has met Peter who is also an amputee; his right leg gone from above the knee. Peter has a prosthetic limb though, and wears it to his work and removes it in the evening. A trained physiotherapist, Peter is working together with Abraham to build his psychological and physical confidence. When I showed his picture on the digital camera the magnitude of Abraham’s smile radiated more intensely then the blinding African sun. His mother too felt the joy as she stood in the doorway of the CMA in-patient ward on this searing, dry day at the Padak Primary Health Care Clinic.

Bill Buwalda

CMA-PR