Last June John (Director of Liberty School/Orphanage in Bikeke Village, Kenya) suffered a horrific motorbike accident. The motor of the bike actually fell right on his leg and crushed it. Listening to his recount of the past months it was nothing less than heart-wrenching. The day of the accident itself, he lay crying out in severe pain on the red clay dirt, rough and rocky road not far from his home. There is no ambulance to call; there is not even a car to load him into. He said he just lay there screaming. Eventually his two unhurt friends who were on the cycle with him were able to load him onto a piki-piki (motorcycle taxi) to take him to town. Between the bumps, rocks and potholes, the 15 minute trip took one hour because each pebble caused such excruciating pain. He said, "Without shame I was screaming and crying." Because of finances, the first stop was the public hospital.

The first diagnosis was one fracture and even as quickly as his leg was tripling in size, the prognosis was to wait til the swelling left and put a plaster (cast) on it. Food is not available so family members must bring it in for patients to eat. Medicines are limited so pain must be endured. After days, there was no change. The leg was situated in an upward position with the hope that there would be eventual reduction of the swelling. Finally, another doctor came to evaluate. More x-rays. The conclusion was that, "No, there are two fractures." More waiting. Then, the third doctor came for a consult some days later. "No, there are three fractures." Days later, the fourth doctor came. "No, there are four fractures and there is no hope, we must cut the leg off." Screaming in agony at the prospect and the now two weeks of pain and agonizing frustration, Appleseed was able to step in and help him transfer to a private hospital. This took two hours of moving him from the bed to the car, to inside the car, in order to travel the short distance.

In the meantime, in addition to the physical challenges, finances are an unknown. Each x-ray, each moment in the hospital equals financial challenges that he has no idea how they will be met. As is customary, John called on his family members, but also, as is typical, they had nothing. Their solution was to come in the night time and sneak him out without paying the bill. They would then take him to their home village to be treated by the "traditionalists" (i.e, witch doctor). John’s response, "I know in whom I serve and will not seek other spirits for help. I cannot and will not go with you."

My heart just broke as I listened as John, who rarely complains of anything, told me specifics of traumas he had endured: the accident itself, even the passing by of a person would cause his leg to seize in piercing pain, trying to maneuver to the toilet the slightest touch of anything or anyone of the leg caused him to crumble beneath the pain, constant dependency on everyone, and the isolation of thoughts and the throbbing pain which was his constant companion.

John and Roger had been in contact through texting throughout this ordeal. Each day it seemed there might be a solution, but all hopes continued to be dashed as no progress seemed to be happening.

The saga has continued for FIVE months now, and we can thank God that the leg is still intact. John has been released from the hospital. However, he is still in severe pain. Doctors have prescribed physical therapy twice a week. That in itself costs him not only the physical pain of enduring a car ride, but also the therapy itself. He wonders where the funds will come from to even get to Kitale town for each treatment and then the cost of the therapy. He hopes the doctor has prescribed the correct solution to this nightmare.

Spending the day with him last week, I was shocked when we arrived at the school/orphanage where John lives to see that just for him to get out of the car took about 30 minutes. Using crutches to get into the house, then with much help to have others set him up on his bed, leaning, propped against the wall with his leg outstretched in front of him held up high with cushions, it was agonizing to see him suffering so. He has spent the past five months in such a position wondering if and when his life will ever get back to normal. He recounts the months, shows me x-rays, and says the worst is that, "You know, Mama Brooks, the big problem is that I am alone. I must be with people and now I sit." Please remember, there is no tv, few, if any books to read, no magazines. The doctors tell him he must eat well to get better. His typical diet of maize, beans and ugali is not enough. Now he is told he must eat parts of the head of the cow and even the legs and also fruits. He explains to me that just for him alone (not his family members), the fruit will cost 200Ksh per week and how can he eat fruit like that. Hope is low, discouragement high.

However, in spite of it all, John's wife Naomi tells me repeatedly, "Mama, please tell those people how much we appreciate everything they have done for us. They have done a wonderful, wonderful thing. Without them, the leg would be cut off and even my husband may have died." It makes me want to cry. This man who makes us laugh with every word. Joy oozes out of him as he shares his vision for the children and people of his village. Today, he fights for that joy. He waivers and it's hard. He clings to Anaweza. Today he is walking through the shadow of death for reals. Roger and I are so grateful to be here at this time, in this place to show him that he is not alone and that there is hope and that our Jesus is indeed able.

Current Update as of this week:

We are so grateful today because in our confusion of how or what to do to help, God has shown us that there is an orthopedic clinic only two hours away at a reputable hospital. This clinic was just opened last spring. Not knowing how we could ever financially help John to pursue another, hopefully more accurate and conclusive evaluation and treatment, a young couple has already come forward offering funds to get started. Even today he is on his way to the clinic and we now await word from his visit. We are overwhelmed and so grateful to be able to offer John hope today. Please continue to pray with us for his complete recovery. Undoubtedly, where there is hope, there is joy. Today we are so very happy to see the pain-filled eyes and tortured face replaced with that joy.

John is a father to many orphans. The school now has 300 students enrolled. Many of these children have NO father whatsoever. Two of these children WALKED 20 miles to the hospital just to be with their Baba (father) John. The teenagers were plotting how to walk as a group to the hospital to be with him only days before he was released. His firstborn daughter had tears in her eyes telling me of one day when John trying to maneuver to the toilet had fallen and screamed out in pain, unable to get up. She said, "My auntie, my mum, my family members were here. We could not help it. We were crying because we have watched him go through such suffering."

Thank you all, so very, very much for standing in prayer and finances for John. Many in this place would have surely lost the leg and/or died from malnutrition, gangrene, or worse in trying to overcome this trial. We sincerely appreciate that you are doing for him what would be impossible without your help.

(John is pictured below as is his wife, Naomi. The grin is because he just now got back from Eldoret where he received what we believe is an excellent course of action for the next month, and news that his leg is indeed healing, in spite of the fact that treatment he has received thus far is marginal. PTL)