Worldwide, clubfoot is a big problem. In Ethiopia alone, there are an estimated 40,000 children with clubfoot and more being born every year. Clubfoot is a condition where the feet appear to be internally rotated at the ankle.
There’s an old Christian saying attributed to St. Ignatius of Loyola, “Ad majorem Dei gloriam.” It means “For the greater glory of God,” but it stands for the idea that every single thing we do, no matter how small or seemingly inconsequential, matters as it can be done in order to give glory to God. It’s a noble reminder to attack every task in front of us, whatever it may be, to the best of our ability.
CURE Ethiopia Medical Director Dr. Rick Gardner recently received recognition from the Minister of Health Dr. Lia Tadesse for his contributions to the growth of orthopedic treatment in Ethiopia.
With an estimated 2.5 million Ethiopian children suffering from treatable disabilities and the ambitious dream to see every one of these freed from their disabling condition, CURE Ethiopia has a big task ahead of them. Frankly, it’s a dream that’s not achievable alone. CURE relies heavily on continued investment and support by not only individual donors but also through grants and generous government giving.
You know that story in the Bible where the boss is going on a long business trip, and he gives three of his employees some cash to see what they can do with it while he’s gone. The first one freaks out and stuffs the cash under his mattress just to keep it safe until his boss gets back.
You might know the story. A shepherd is out with his sheep and one goes missing. The rest of the sheep are happily munching on grass, but the shepherd is distraught and goes off searching for the one lost sheep. He looks high. He looks low. He looks all night, and eventually finds the lost sheep. He lifts it onto his shoulders and goes home to celebrate the successful rescue.
There’s an old school hit song out there comically titled “Video Killed the Radio Star” (The Buggles, 1979), and it’s a reminiscent take on the changing ways people consumed information at the time. While it’s a tad tongue-in-cheek, it hits the nail on the head about how videos engage consumers at a higher level than just hearing something. Videos stimulate more of the senses and capture people’s attention.
Three years ago, Sofonias, an eight-year-old boy, fell and broke his leg while playing outside with friends. His mom, Endawek, rushed him to a local hospital, where the doctors performed a routine surgery to fix the broken bones in his leg. After the surgery, everything seemed fine, and Sofonias was recovering.
“I went to many hospitals, and they told me that it was impossible to treat her.” Rehema is the mother of Hadija, a little girl from Tanzania who suffers from a congenital condition called popliteal pterygium, which affects the development of the skin. Hadija was born with thick webs of skin on the back of her knee joints, which made making walking impossible.
CURE Ethiopia provides physical, emotional, and spiritual care to children living with treatable disabilities. Please contact us if you have questions about becoming a patient or a partner with CURE.
