Sit Down and Let me Tell You a Story

A big "welcome and thank you" to my newest followers, Rosie Gan, Lynette Killam,  Eki Ahkwan, Susan and Brenda Green.  You may check out their lovely blogs on gardening,  travel, photography, personal reflections and testimonies, by clicking on their names.  I also want to thank everyone for their heartwarming responses to my last post A Little Boy goes Home.  If you missed it, please click on the title.
Happy reading.

Hello friends,

I'm inviting you to sit down with me. Put a cup of tea or coffee in hand and pull up a comfortable chair.  If you are experiencing a heat wave right now which some of you definitely are, then I offer you a cool and refreshing lemonade instead. Now are you comfortable? Good.

Today I wanted to share with you the story of an American named Ray. Ray served in the Vietnam war and now lives in Australia with his lovely wife Crystal Mary.  Crystal had to go in for knee replacement surgery this week so I pray she is recovering well.  She is a wonderful and loving support to her husband Ray and he needs her to get well soon.

Anyway, I wanted to tell you about Ray because he has suffered so much for the love of his country and the desire to protect freedom. Like many young men who went to war, whether it was Vietnam or somewhere else, Ray has seen the horrors of war. On his first day in combat, his good friend Jim was shot in the chest. There was the horror of having to carry his friend to the helicopter and having to see  and smell the blood. No time for mourning or remembering his friend though as this was war! On the second day, Ray was shot in the wrist and witnessed someone else in front of him get badly wounded. Ray developed a a serious staph infection as a result of the wrist wound. You can read more of his ordeal here.

 As a result of the horror of war, Ray now suffers from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

What is Post Traumatic Stress Disorder you ask?

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a disorder that can develop following a traumatic event that threatens your safety or makes you feel helpless.
Most people associate PTSD with battle–scarred soldiers–and military combat is the most common cause in men–but any overwhelming life experience can trigger PTSD, especially if the event feels unpredictable and uncontrollable.
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can affect those who personally experience the catastrophe, those who witness it, and those who pick up the pieces afterwards, including emergency workers and law enforcement officers. It can even occur in the friends or family members of those who went through the actual trauma.
PTSD develops differently from person to person. While the symptoms of PTSD most commonly develop in the hours or days following the traumatic event, it can sometimes take weeks, months, or even years before they appear. (Source:  www.HelpGuide.org)

Sadly, many of the men and women who went to war have an extremely difficult time getting recognized as having this disorder and getting the help they need. Ray has been diagnosed with severe depression and PSTD yet his government does not accept the evidence. Read more about that here.

In the words of his wife, Crystal Mary, "A country may be quick to send their men to fight, BUT, they are very slow in rewarding them."  This is very sad but true.

I'm writing this post to ask if you can read Ray's story and leave him some words of encouragement. Help him and his wife to know that they are not alone. Let Ray know that he is not forgotten. You can visit him and leave a comment by clicking here http://vaforgottenvet.blogspot.com/

Photo Credit: Ray and his beautiful wife, Crystal Mary.

A Little Boy Goes Home

A big "welcome and thank you" to my newest followers, Roan, Lydia, Dimple, Urmi and Mildred. You may check out their blogs by clicking on their names.

I can hardly believe it but the time has finally come for little Kigen from Pokot country to return home. He has been in Moi Teaching & Referral Hospital now for 5 months. I first introduced this little boy to my readers in early March 2011. If you are new to my blog or missed the post, you can read all about it here. A few days later, I reported here that my friend Jonah was able to organize a medical mercy mission and bring the little boy to Eldoret, Kenya for medical attention.

Little did Jonah or I know just how long it would be before the medical mission was completed,  Neither did we know of the twists and turns and the length of time it would actually take to get full medical treatment for the little boy.  You can read all the updates at this blog by searching for "Kigen".

After months of waiting and wondering, little Kigen at last had surgery on June 11, 2011.  He received an operation on one eye as the doctors diagnosed that he could see out of at least one eye if they opened it.  Since then we have been waiting for Kigen's healing and recovery. After that we were waiting to be able to meet the medical bill before he and his family could be released from the hospital.  That has been particularly difficult because the bill was much higher than we anticipated.  We have been stretched in our faith and in our finances to meet it.  Particularly my friend, Jonah in Kenya and the pastor and missionary to the Pokot peoples (pictured in the photo below). Sometimes, in fact oftentimes, when God calls you to do something, it will not be easy.  The help you may have experienced initially may fade away.  The personal cost may seem high and the cost of your obedience can also cost those around you.  That is when it is important to stand on your faith and trust in God to help you complete the task set before you no matter what comes.

I'm delighted to be able to report at last, that the mission given to Jonah has been accomplished. Paulina, the mother and her two children are now being escorted home by the pastor from their area.  They all have a very long journey ahead of them.

Here is the pastor along with the children. The mother is carrying 
Kigen on her back and her helper is carrying TikiTik.

This is Paulina, the mother in the blue shirt. She is in a pensive mood. No doubt she is thinking about how long she has been away and how things will be at home after being away for so long. She looks much healthier herself from the first time we saw her in these photos. The children as you can see are paying no attention to having their picture taken. Instead they are engrossed in enjoying their sodas.  Kigen is the one with the blanket on his head.

I like this photo. The mother Paulina is trying hard to get her children to pose for a final photo but the children are having none of it. They want to run and play after having been confined to a hospital for so long. The pastor sitting beside them has been a huge help to Jonah in overseeing this family's care and well-being.

I want to thank everyone who has been a part of this medical mercy mission to help Kigen. Please know you have given a little boy a chance at life and helped his little sibling too. Kigen now has vision out of one eye and thus he has been given a good start in having a productive life. Please continue to pray for this family as they will have difficulties looking after their hygiene needs where they live.  This will make their health issues a continuing concern. Pray also for the pastor and missionary who minister to the needs of Pokot at a time of famine and great difficulty.

God bless.

Photo credits: All photos the property of Jonah

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