Friday, February 18, 2011

Smile train returns to BHM hospital

A few weeks ago we were blessed to have a team of medical personal, volunteering with Smile Train, come and serve at the hospital.  This group specializes in cleft lip and pallet surgeries.  During the week that they were here they did over 60 surgeries.  The people who received these surgeries were so thankful.  Before the surgeries, these people were not comfortable walking out in public or living a normal life.  Now, thanks to the smile train surgeons they are able to look normal and live a much more normal life.  We are so thankful for the ways that God used this medical team to bring new hope to the people.

One of the people who came was young 10 month old Vadely.  He was born with a cleft lip and he has had a very difficult start to his life.  He was unable to drink from a bottle and therefore his mother didn't know what to feed him.  She was doing the best she could and giving him water and some crushed up food mixed into the water.  When he was brought to the hospital for surgery he was very weak and malnurished.  Sadly we were not able to do the surgery for him, but we gave Vadely's mother some formula and baby cereal.
One week later Vadely's mother brought him back to the hospital and it is amazing how much he has improved.  He can now hold his head up and has regained some of his strength.  Every 2 weeks his mother is going to bring him back for a check up and to receive more formula and cereal.  It is our pray that he will gain enough weight by June, when the Smile train surgeons return, so that Vadely can have surgery.
Thank you for joining us in praying for Vadely.  Pray that he continues to gain weight and strength.  Also pray for his family, that they will see God's love through all of this and draw closer to God.

Vadely and his mother

Vadely, his mother and Madame Carfa (a very dedicated nurse at our hospital)