This story is written by Andry Mahefanirina, Community Health Team leader.
This is the story of a little girl, named Siadine.
Siadine is eight and lives with her parents in a remote village, two days’ walk from Mandritsara. There is no road. (In rural Madagascar we calculate distances by the hours or days it takes to walk there). Siadine is the ninth of her parents' ten children.
One day, shortly before last September, she was being a big sister to her little brother, and put him on her back to take him to play somewhere.
But Siadine is very thin, and she tripped and lost her balance and fell over, badly hurting her left knee. She was in a lot of pain. Her parents took her to the local massage therapists, but their treatment didn’t help.
Poor Siadine could neither sit nor stand and her knee and leg were swelling more and more. She had a fever, felt very unwell and had no appetite. There was nothing the parents could do for her, and day and night she would just lie by herself next to the kitchen fire.
She had been like that for over two months when it happened that Siadine’s village was one of the villages our Community Health team visited, as part of our regular programme by helicopter with Helimission. When we arrived there, last November, someone came to tell us the poor child's story, so we went to visit her at her home. When we spoke with her family, we realised that the parents had given up all hope of seeing her recover. Siadine was slipping away to a slow and painful death.
Our team discussed what to do. Siadine needed to go to the Good News Hospital in Mandritsara. We assured the parents that if she went there, there was hope for her recovery. Whereas here in the village there was no hope.
So the parents agreed and Siadine and her father came back to Mandritsara in the helicopter with us. Two of her sisters set off to walk to Mandritsara so that they could help in looking after her.
In Mandritsara it was found that she was suffering from severe osteomyelitis (bone infection) and malnutrition. She received intensive antibiotics, and had an operation to drain pus and remove a piece of dead bone. The hospital staff were extremely kind and caring of her, as well as telling her and her father and sisters about the Lord Jesus who came to seek and to save the lost.
She made a complete recovery and she and her father returned to their village in time for Christmas.
On Monday 4 March 2024 we returned with her to her village by helicopter. What a joy it was to see Siadine’s happiness at being back home and playing with her friends.
There is a small Bible Baptist church in Siadine’s village, and though her family are not yet Christians, we rejoiced to see her father sitting at the back in the church and listening to the Bible study that we gave each evening during our stay. We praise the Lord for His goodness. #7
Please pray for Siadine and her family, that the Lord might bring them to an understanding of the gospel, and that they would put their trust in the Lord Jesus.
Pray for Andry and his Community Health team as they go out day after day and week after week to villages like this one – by bicycle, motor-bike, 4x4 car or helicopter. Pray for safety in travelling, strength for each day, and faithfulness and zeal in proclaiming the Good News of Jesus.
Pray for the small churches in this and other similar villages, that the Lord would keep them faithful to His Word and send them regular Bible teaching.
Update from the treasurer:
We are very pleased to report that total donations received or promised for the Maternity Expansion Project are now approximately equal to total estimated costs of this project. We are very grateful to all of our supporters who have given so generously, and to God for His gracious provision.
There are some uncertainties about the precise final cost of the project because the construction work is still at a relatively early stage, and also due to possible future exchange rate variations. Any future gifts for the Maternity Expansion Project will be used for this project as needed, or for other similar projects and ministries at the Good News Hospital.
The construction work on the Maternity Expansion Project has commenced and is making good progress.
A shipping container full of medical and other equipment for the expanded maternity unit left Northern Ireland in late February to be transported to Mandritsara. The container is taking the slightly longer route around South Africa to avoid the current problems in the Middle East.
Please pray that:
The construction work will go well
The shipping container will arrive safely in Mandritsara
Many more people will hear the Good News of Jesus Christ through the work of the expanded maternity unit.
We will provide further updates from time to time about how the Project is developing.