Martha is one of those rare children who seem unimpressed by small kids games like peek-a-boo. Maybe I was the one who was out of line trying to impress a four year old like that, but later, her mother Beatrice reassured me that there was nothing wrong with me. Her daughter just rarely smiles. I wished that I could get into her thoughts and understand why or why not, but of course that was beyond me. Our doctors had listed her condition as “Syndromic CTEV & Arthrogryposis,” basically meaning she has contracted joints, weak muscles, and bilateral clubfeet. Having all that to deal with, I don’t think I would be too much of a smiley face either.

Beatrice gave birth to her daughter from home, and immediately after Martha, her third born child, was placed in her arms, she knew there was a problem. She began to take her to the hospital, where she was advised that she needed to get her daughter casted. So for a period of about two years, Martha constantly had casts on all her four limbs. I can only imagine how uncomfortable that must have been, coupled with all the added weight she had to bear from the casts. When Beatrice came to the conclusion that all the casting wasn’t making a bit of difference, she threatened the doctors who had been casting her daughter that she wouldn’t return if things weren’t going to improve. They instead directed her to us.

When she finally heard that CURE had a mobile clinic, she was hopeful that this was the break she had been praying for, because she didn’t have the money to travel so far for a consultation. So for her, coming to our mobile clinic and being scheduled for surgery was nothing short of a miracle, and I pray that it will only be one of many. Next is getting to Kijabe. Then it’s getting a life-changing surgery. After that, it’s seeing Martha walk. All this can only happen through prayer and support, so I hope you’ll join us in leveraging the opportunity God has given us to journey through this with Beatrice and little Martha. Four year olds should be smiling, so let’s give her a reason to.