Meeting Kigen in Eldoret

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It is so far from Canada to northern Kenya in Pokot country where little Kigen lives. Some of you may remember him. He is the little boy that my friend Jonah and I have been assisting on medical mercy mission. He and his siblings have some kind of hereditary condition which has been affecting their skin, causing open lesions on the head and face, and affecting their eyesight. Kigen himself has been unable to see anything as both of his eyes have been closed tightly and are unable to open on their own.

Signage on the last leg of our trip into Eldoret from Nakuru.

After learning of Kigen's condition after Jonah's food relief effort to the Pokot people, I helped organize costs for transporting the mother, Paulina,  and two of her three children to seek medical treatment at the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in El Doret, Kenya. They have now been there for over three months and while the children have been looked after there, we did not feel that the hospital was doing much to get  Kigen the surgery we felt he needed or to discharge him.

After over two months of waiting and no significant improvement with little Kigen we decided we must transport him and his family members home. We made  two unsuccessful attempts to get the children released from hospital and return this family to Pokot country.  On our second attempt we were told the hospital wanted a few more days to consider the boy's treatment.

Ultimately the doctors decided to go ahead with surgery for little Kigen. We were very happy and the mother was extremely excited.  We all had hope that little Kigen would at last get some real help after months of waiting and wondering.  Little Kigen did indeed have his surgery in one eye approximately one and a half weeks ago and he is now healing. We haven't seen him since the day after surgery to see how he is recovering but hope to do so soon and see what we can learn.

I did have the thrill of meeting this small family the day after surgery. Little Kigen was a bit fearful of me initially as he couldn't see who this stranger was that was talking to him, let alone understand her. Before I left however, he was casually leaning over the bed where I was sitting and inclining his head toward me which indicated to me that he was very comfortable.  The mother was very happy for my visit and smiling the entire time. She and I did try to communicate with each other in our respective languages even though neither of us understood one another.  Fortunately, a woman named Judy who was visiting her daughter Stella (see in the photo below) was able to do a bit of translation for us.

Here we are approaching the Moi Hospital in Eldoret.

This is mother Paulina and the two children who are with her at hospital. Kigen is on the far right. The bandaged eye is the one that was operated on. Paulina is holding a Granny Smith apple I brought and her little one is holding a mandarin orange I brought. I thought these two fruits are likely things they do not get a chance to see much of where they are living.

Mama Judy and her daughter Stella who is battling cancer. Please pray for Stella's healing and strength for her mother.

Hotel Comfy where I lodged. The room is great but the food is not so good.

Street scene outside my hotel room in Eldoret.

We do not know when the doctor's might release little Kigen from the hospital. We just pray that he will continue to grow in strength and that his eye will completely heal. Just imagine what a wonderful future he will have if he can see out of a least one eye.  Imagine too the hope that a healed eye and new sight, will bring to his entire family. They endure such hardship where they live and any positive thing can greatly enhance their state of well being.

We thank you for standing with us in prayer for little Kigen's medical needs and for his family in general. We continue to rely on God for the financial assistance to cover the medical costs, the on going travel needs of the over seers here in Kenya, and for transportation costs for the return trip home for this little family. If you can assist in prayer please do.  If you can give financial support for the needs still before us you may do so at the donate button located at the top right of the screen. God bless you!

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