Life-Changing Operations

A letter from John and Gwenda Fletcher serving in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

June 2015

When the Congolese Presbyterian Church began, with the support of a grant from Presbyterian Women, a program to reintegrate 23 street children into their families of origin it stepped out in faith, not quite sure of the impact this fledgling program would make on the lives of these marginalized, ostracized children.  Not only has the Ditekemena (“Hope”) program provided the kids a safe environment to live in, three meals a day, clothing, schooling and a chance to learn about God’s love, but also they are receiving, most for the first time in their lives, needed medical care.  Five of the children at Ditekemena have disabilities—one boy has cerebral palsy, one girl has a hearing impairment, and three boys have mobility challenges. Those three boys, Kabuika, Bulela and Mukendi have recently been on the receiving end of life-changing surgery by a world-class orthopedic specialist.

Bulela happy to return to Ditekamena

Mukendi came into the program using a crutch because his right knee was fused at an awkward angle and this affected his walking ability.  Bulela has what was later determined to be fibrous dysplasia, resulting in severely arced thighbones.  And Kabuika was bent nearly in two because of a spinal deformity caused by neurofibromatosis. When the boys’ severe orthopedic problems were identified it became clear they would require the skills of a specially trained orthopedic surgeon.  After a considerable amount of prayer and searching and emailing, Mr. Jack Muthui, the Africa representative of the Medical Benevolence Foundation (MBF), suggested we contact Dr. Joseph Theuri, an orthopedic specialist at the Cure hospital in Kijabe, Kenya, where Mr. Muthui was earlier the Executive Director.  Dr. Theuri was happy to come to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) to provide services for the three Ditekemena boys and any other patients needing specialized orthopedic care.  What an answer to prayer!  It took some work to find a time in Dr. Theuri’s busy schedule when he might be able to get away, but in the end it all worked out and in addition he was able to come with a perfectly delightful and exceedingly gifted physical therapist, Ms. Miriam Mueni.  Another answer to prayer!  Not only did Mr. Muthui and MBF put us in touch with Dr. Theuri, but MBF also was willing to cover the cost of the operations performed by Dr. Theuri for the three boys and seven other patients.  Once the trip was certain it became necessary to find funds for their travel.  Once again, God provided donors who were eager to help with the travel costs, and the trip was a reality!

The end result was that we had a very busy week with Ms. Mueni and Dr. Theuri.  During that time Dr. Theuri was able to consult on more than 50 difficult orthopedic cases and do more than 12 operations that we are usually not able to do.  In addition, Dr. Theuri, who is a specialist in the care of clubfoot, was able to give a course on the Ponseti technique of management of clubfoot to the doctors, residents, medical students and nursing staff at Good Shepherd Hospital.  An important part of the course was the hands-on session in which the students had the chance to practice what Dr. Theuri had taught them about how to do manipulations and apply casts using the Ponseti technique.  While Dr. Theuri was busy with surgery and consultations, Ms. Mueni was busy doing physical therapy for inpatients and outpatients at Good Shepherd Hospital as well as teaching basic physical therapy (PT) to families and caregivers of some local children with disabilities.  She also worked with staff to help them understand the importance of PT and learn some basic techniques.

Dr. Theuri, Miriam and Dr. Fletcher reviewing an x-ray

What a difference it makes in the life of a person to correct a significant disability that has prevented them from being able to walk!  For instance, one non-Ditekemena patient named Kabasele, who had a severe deformity at his hip that prevented him from standing upright and walking without support, was able to undergo surgery that allowed him to stand upright again.  Maman Ngalula, an elderly widow, was unable to straighten her knee after a fall and was therefore unable to walk to, or work in, the fields.  The fields that she had worked all her life with her friends were the source of her livelihood.  Not only did she have to give up the work that was her life, but also she had to depend on others to give her food.  She was ecstatic that an operation performed by Dr. Theuri will restore her ability to walk and to return to her work in the fields!  More important than the healing of their physical handicaps is the fact that they have been treated with love and respect, have been told of God’s love for them, and have experienced that love during their hospitalization.  Praise the Lord.

And what of Mukendi, Kabuika and Bulela?  All three had excellent surgical results.  Kabuika, whose spine was so bent he had to walk holding himself up by pushing on his thighs, has a little homemade walker that is helping him to walk in an upright posture. The first day he used the walker he walked from his room to the hospital’s central covered walkway where a lot of people always congregate because there usually are nice breezes. When he walked out there pushing his little walker, the crowd started clapping for him.  He is a child who has been mocked and ridiculed his whole life because of his deformity, so to be the center of positive attention was a pretty special moment for him.  Bulela is not yet allowed to start walking. but he cheerfully tolerates his full leg cast and wheelchair while he counts the days until he will be out of the cast and working on the PT exercises Ms. Miriam prescribed for him.  Mukendi has new forearm crutches that he thinks are “way cool” and has started gentle weight-bearing on his now much straighter leg.  Our great hope and expectation for him is that he will soon be able to get around without crutches.

Thank you for your generous support through gifts and prayers without which we would be unable to serve as Presbyterian World Mission co-workers in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.  We invite you to continue your support of our work so that we are able to continue our healing ministry, reaching out to provide loving care in Christ’s name to the people of the DRC.

Blessings in Christ,
John and Gwenda Fletcher

The 2015 Presbyterian Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, p. 147