P'Untcha & Fofa

A few months ago we had an interesting visitor.  A lady named P'Untcha and her niece (but she is now raising her as Fofa's parents have both passed away) came to our house because they knew there was a clinic with ex-patriots working there.  Two years ago, Fofa's tibia bone came out of her leg and eventually dried up and broke off.  She never fell or broke the bone, it just happened.  They came up to our clinic then, but there was nothing we could do, so we helped in the way we could and then they went on to a hospital in Bissau where Fofa stayed for three months.  She came back now to see if there was anything more we could do for her.

We are not medical people, but God has put medical people in our life, so we decided to start sending some emails.  We sent many, many emails and heard nothing, until our co-worker, Beryl Forrester, thought it would be good to email a British doctor living in Ziguinchor.  That was our lead, she knew a doctor in Dakar that knew someone and so we made a connection.  A few weeks later, Beryl, Djibi (a pastor in our village went to help with translating), P'Untcha and Fofa were on their way to Dakar for a doctor to look at her leg. 

They returned a week later with little news. The doctor in Dakar said her case would be a difficult one and wanted to wait for a team of doctors to come in December. We now wait to hear if they can do the procedure that would basically build her a new tibia bone and connect it to the bone that remains. He said this would be a very complicated procedure. 

Would you be willing to pray for Fofa? Pray for the doctors to have wisdom and for her to have the opportunity for help. Fofa is 12 years old and filled with love for others. She is sweet and loves the Lord. She believes he has a plan for her life and is patiently waiting for that plan. She has faith God will heal her. 

Karen with P'Untcha, Fofa's aunt

While Fofa was at our house our kids enjoyed playing with her. Micah and Lydia really hit it off with her and played non-stop. They were sad when it was time to say goodbye. In this picture they are waiting at the road for a car so Fofa and her aunt can return home. 

We never know who God will put in our lives but we must live every day knowing each encounter we have is from our Father.