We have been helping a boy that was born without elbows; anyway, that is the way the doctor described it. We sent him to several hospitals for evaluation to see if they could do surgery or braces or anything to help the child. The doctors said that they were afraid to do anything because they are worried that it would make his situation worse. He can move his arms up and down; he can pick up things but he cannot bend his arms unless he presses his hand on the table or the wall. He has figured out how to eat; he has fine motor skills so he can fill his spoon with his arm fully extended; then he walks to the wall and uses the wall and the weight of his body to force his hand to his mouth. He can hold a pencil and he can color but his table has to be big enough to accommodate his outstretched arm. A few years after he was born his sister was born and she had terribly deformed legs; she has had several surgeries to correct her legs; she can now walk with the aid of braces. We have no idea if the children’s problems are related to genetics or just a fluke. The mother asked if the Child Center could pay to send the children to school. We do not want to get tied up with school fees. The mother complained that her husband said he did not have money for school fees. Zorash had a good idea; there is a severely handicapped man that lives in Yendi named “Major”. He has started his own school. Zorash told the mother to go and see him and see if he would allow them to attend his school for free or at least a reduced price. When Major saw the children, he immediately enrolled them in his school program. This afternoon we went to the market and bought 220 pounds of rice. We are going to take the rice to the school tomorrow as a gift. The school feeds the children lunch each day so the rice will help the children.
Zorash went with us to town to buy the rice; we stopped by the District Assembly office to see if we could pay our house taxes but no one was around to take our money. Zorash told them to give a message to the officer and have him come to the mission house to collect the money. We will see how well that works out!
When we were at the chief’s house yesterday after worship he told us a very interesting story. The village is very close to the river. He said that from time to time the fish in the river begin to die; they all start dying at the same time. He said that it happens when the first rain of the season is a very heavy rain. The ground is black with ashes and soot from where the farmers have slashed and burned the farms to clear them faster. The heavy rain washed the ashes and soot into the river and the fish start to die. Most likely they are dying from suffocation! He said that they come to the top of the water and the people are able to scoop them up by the head pans full! He said that they had more than they could eat so they smoked them and sold them in the market.
Take care and keep us in your prayers.
In HIS Service,
Steve, Kandie and Skeeter
The Monkeyshines
Dad blames me for everything! If something goes missing, he thinks I took it! Now, I have taken plenty of things but mostly I just grab them out in the open; I don’t hide them! I have been falsely accused of losing the remote, the keys, his cell phone and lots of other things. Today took the cake! We were helping Mom cooks supper and Dad was making a salad; I was assisting by sampling everything that went into the salad. Dad said, “What do I smell?” Mom said she did not smell anything and I did not smell anything either. A few minutes later he said, “What is that awful smell?” Mom asked what it smelled like; to which he replied, “It smells like monkey!” I was shocked! Then he said, “Yes, it smells like monkey poop! Has the monkey pooped?” Mom stopped what she was doing and came to check to see if I had pooped; how insulting! I had not pooped; there was no poop anywhere near me! Mom told Dad that I had not pooped! Then Dad said, “I still smell it!” Upon further investigation Dad discovered that he was the one that was stinking! He had been outside hauling bags of corn and rice inside the building and he was a sweaty mess! It is so humid today that his shirt did not dry; it soured! See this time it was not my fault!
I am still waiting on my apology!
Love, Skeeter
