For Jonathan Sake Outreach Day 20- George

George’s mother started bringing him to outreach 4 years ago. They have come off & on since then. When George first started coming he LOVED to play with toys especially cars. You could tell he was very bright & aware of what was going on around him. He had tetraplegic Cerebral Palsy that caused increased muscle tone in his right hand and both legs.  He was able to “W” sit to play with toys with his left hand. We also worked on weight-bearing through his feet while standing next to a therapy ball. His mother was trained on massage and stretching to help keep his muscles loose. When George’s mother first started bringing him she was pretty “hands off” and had a very strong personality. She always looked angry & talked in a voice that made it sound like she was angry. On multiple occasions she asked us to take George asked for things. She would bring George most every week at first. When she got there she would set him down and go to the other side of the room to talk with the other mothers who were there but was watching & observant when I worked with/played with George. 

Over the years she has become much more “hands on” with George but as George got bigger she started coming less frequently. She said it was too hard for her to carry him. A few years ago George started having pretty severe seizures. We began to see a decline in George’s alertness and functioning. He went from being able to sit & play, stand with support, and interact with his mother to an almost vegetation state with a glazed glare.

 At that time we did not have a seizure team to provide the best medicine but we did have a Haitian doctor that understood seizures & provided a seizure medication. George’s mom almost completely stopped coming…she was losing hope…she was discouraged…their was nothing she felt she could do. She did not consistently come to get George’s seizure medication (which is not good to go on & off and requires daily consistency to be affective). The rule with outreach was that you had to come 3 out of 4 weeks in a month to be in the program.  After multiple warnings the hard decision was made that she was no longer allowed to be in the program. This past fall when the seizure team was returning we called her and told her we would give her a second chance to bring George, get the needed medicine, give it to him consistently, AND come to outreach on a consistent basis. George’s mother has been doing this the past few months. The medicine is helping George and he is starting to play with toys again and “W” sit as well as stand with support.  

I had the privilege of visiting George’s house this fall. They live a good ways up the mountain on a piece of land that has multiple small building made out of sticks, leaves, etc. with dirt floors. When we arrived I noticed objects hanging from a tree & felt like something was off. Not wanting to ask & make the situation awkward I decided I would wait till the end to ask my translator. When we arrived mom got George out of a small hut and handed him over to me. I played with George while with the help of my translator we talked to the family. I found out that they live on this land home extended family. George is 1 of 6 children. Found out that his mother was a Christian & faithfully went to church until her husband became a witchdocotor (hence the stuff hanging from the trees & my uneasy feeling walking on the land). She has not been to church since. We were able to bless George’s mother with a solar power Christian radio and pray with the family. 

She then walked us to the next outreach homevisit. She is such a vibrant women & full of life. Along the way to the next outreach home we ran into a young man with Down Syndrome. I loved the way Georges mom interact with him. I am excited that we were able to find his family & invite him to come be apart of the special education school at the mission. 

Please Keep George & his family in your prayers

·         Pray for George’s health- protection from illness, that his seizure meds would continue to work, etc.

·         Pray that George would continue to gain skills, increase awareness & energy to participate in his world, have increased control over his body, and gain increased strength every week through therapy

·         Pray for George’s  family to come to know Christ personally and see that Vodoo has no power. Pray that their family would leave such lifestyle. Pray that they will find a personal relationship in the one true God…a God that LOVES unconditionally & can provide their family with  peace, hope, and encouragement.

·         Pray that God would provide for the needs of this family (food, shelter, work/income, etc.)