A gas tank and one wrong move caused Faiscale’s disability and killed the driver of the other vehicle. The teenager was driving his motorcycle home from work one day when another bike carrying a gas tank tried to pass, but the man miscalculated and slammed into the back of Faiscale’s motorcycle. The tank exploded, and the two men were engulfed in flames. “The last thing I remember is trying to put out the fire on me,” Faiscale says. Both he and the other driver were rushed to the hospital, but only Faiscale survived. “I didn’t know the other man,” he recalls, “But I still felt so sad.”
After a few weeks, Faiscale’s burns had healed enough to leave the hospital. But within a short time, his skin began to contract, locking his left elbow and wrist in place. Before he had been a security guard, but with his new disability, his company no longer wanted him. In Niger, a jobless, handicapped teenager would normally turn to his family for help, and they would get him surgery and provide for him while he recovered, but Faiscale had lost his family at a young age, and he had no one and nothing.
Nothing but the name of a pastor in a nearby town whom Faiscale was told could help, but he didn’t have enough money even for a short trip. “I went door to door trying to find work,” he recalls, “And it finally paid off!” When he explained his situation to one man, the man paid him to hand-wash his clothes. That day, Faiscale left with half the money he needed, and when he managed to find the rest, he set out for the pastor’s town.
“When I finally arrived, I told him I needed healing more than anything,” recounts Faiscale, “And I’d heard he knew a hospital that could help.” The pastor is a member of CURE Niger’s pastors’ network. Pastors in the network visit many small villages in their vicinity, talking about CURE and sharing the gospel. “Before (joining CURE’s network), no one would even give me water,” recalls one pastor working in a Muslim community. “But since I’ve started bringing people to CURE Niger, I am welcome in everyone’s homes.”
But the pastor Faiscale visited didn’t share the gospel immediately. He quickly made arrangements for Faiscale to come to CURE Niger. However, money was an issue. The pastor lives about 300 miles from CURE, and he didn’t have enough funds for such a long trip. So, he quickly called Emanuel from our spiritual team to arrange transport.
And just like that, Faiscale went from having no connections and no family to being a part of the CURE family about to undergo restorative surgery for his burns. When it came time for surgery, our team released the burned tissue from around Faiscale’s elbow to extend his arm. Then, with his arm healing in an extended position, new healthy tissue began to grow to support it. It’s been several months since the operation, and this new tissue-growing-process is almost complete.
During his recovery Faiscale had to stay close to the hospital for frequent visits. Even though the pastor lives far away, he was able to visit Faiscale at CURE.” He talked to me about Jesus and Christianity,” Faiscale recalls. “I’m happy now, and I’ve seen even in my community how kind the Christians are,” says Faiscale.
Even though Faiscale has yet to know Jesus, he leaves here changed by the love of God. “When I get back home I will go to the pastor and thank him,” says Faiscale, showing off his elbow, “Someday I want to help people just like he does.”
About CURE International
CURE International is a Christian nonprofit organization that operates a global network of pediatric surgical hospitals, which serve one of the world’s most marginalized and vulnerable populations – children with disabilities. Patients at CURE hospitals suffer from orthopedic, neurosurgical, and maxillofacial conditions that limit their mobility/functionality and opportunities for education and employment. In addition to world-class clinical service, CURE intentionally ministers to the emotional and spiritual needs of patients in its care and invests in training programs that aim to equip the next generation of health workers and strengthen national health care systems. Since inception, CURE has conducted more than 5.3 million patient visits and 330,000 surgical procedures around the world. For more information, visit https://cure.org/.
