Uncle Jay Praying with the Parents.
As part of our Special Needs Programme here at Kasana,any family affected by disability in the surrounding community is invited to come once a month to receive education, physiotherapy, advice, prayer and support both from our team as well as other parents / families who share the same challenges.
Over the past few months our community parents have heard the testimonies of three parents who have/had children with disabilities. Both Vicki and Jay Dangers (the founders of New Hope Uganda) have been to tell their story on separate occasions; Their daughter Julia has Downs Syndrome and joins our class regularly for sessions. It was interesting for the parents to see that even in the West there are families affected by disability. Vicki & Jay reminded the parents that God didn`t make a mistake when he gave each of them their children. The Dangers encouraged our community parents to value and love their children and to be thankful for the way that the children help them/teach them to become more like Christ.
Five of our Community Children Receiving Wheelchairs.
The other story shared was that of Ssetubba who is a mechanic and driver from Kiwoko. His son Francis had Polio as a child and is a wheelchair user who now runs his own Ministry providing mobility to people with disabilities in Uganda. In fact just last week, five of our community children and their parents went to Gulu to receive wheelchairs from his ministry who had teamed up with ‘Joni and Friends’ (a ministry based in America.)
In August our parents were taught by Uncle Mulu about how to farm more effectively. This teaching was received very well and will hopefully help the parents to grow more food (and a greater variety) for their children.
Other news from our community work includes the story of a 8 year old boy called Kizza Enoch who has had a successful operation on his foot and is making a great recovery. He is very proud that for the first time he has been able to wear proper shoes and he will shortly be able to walk normally with no support!
Kizza and his Mother following his Club Foot Surgery.
We ask for your prayers for one of our Special Needs babies who is going to be two this month. Fatiya has Apert`s syndrome and needs many different surgeries to correct deformities but most importantly to reduce building pressure in her skull. However, before she can have any of these done, she needs to have a hole in her heart repaired.
Please pray for the provision of funds and also that the surgery will be a success. We praise God that she has a Mother and siblings that adore her. However, none of them yet know Christ as their saviour but we pray that in all of what lies ahead for them they may turn to him and find the comfort and strength that they need!
By Kate Tolhurst, Special Needs Programme Coordinator