Pillowcase Dresses in the Making

This past Saturday a few girls and moms from our homeschool group, Classical Conversations, got together to make dresses for little girls in Africa.  Catherine Faulkenberry graciously opened her home, provided some jammin coffee, and set out to teach us novices how to make "pillowcase dresses."  They are called pillowcase dresses because you can start with a simple pillowcase, a few cuts, some ribbon, and minimal sewing to create an adorable dress.  Some of us purchased fabric instead of using pillowcases and it worked just fine.  We are looking forward to giving out the dresses from our Classical Conversations group to girls in Kenya next month.  We'll take lots of pictures so you can share in the blessing, too.  There is an organization dedicated to sending dresses to Africa as a full time gig.  It's called Little Dresses for Africa. Check out the link:  www.littledressesforafrica.org/blog/.   What a great way to be His hands! 

"A new command I give you: Love one another.  As I have loved you, so you must love one another.  By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."  John 14: 34-35.

Meet Jim and Kathy

When Jim White asked me in church one day if I'd be interested in going to Kenya with them, I didn't hesitate to say "yes" on the spot.  What Jim didn't know is that I had been praying about going to Kijabe, Kenya with them for some time.  I had even asked my pen-pal friend, Eunice Mawia, in Kenya to join me in this prayer.  God is good.

Many of you already know Jim and Kathy White, but for those who don't, I'm excited to introduce them to you.  Jim, or as we call him, Dr. Jim, is a retired ENT surgeon who specializes in repairing cleft palates and cleft lips.  Kathy is a nurse by trade, so they make a great pairing (for more reasons than that, too.)  Here is some information from Jim and Kathy giving us all a little history behind this trip to Kenya-

Dr. Jim and Kathy White

 "We first went to Kenya in 1998 with a surgical team led by Dr. Jim Wade of Abingdon, Va. We went for the sole purpose of repairing congenital defects of the lip and palate. (Cleft lip and/or palate.) Because of the large number of children with this remarkable defect, it was decided to establish a second team, which we have led annually, beginning in 1999. A third team was established three years ago, each of the teams going for a two week period, working in a small mission hospital in Kijabe, right on the edge of the mountain overlooking the Rift Valley. Over 1000 surgeries have been done by our surgeons, approximately 85-95 operations per trip. The hospital in which we work is a children's orthopedic rehabilitation hospital that oversees about 13 out-lying clinics throughout Kenya.  During each of our team visits the hospital is turned over to us, as most of the orthopedic patients have been discharged. Patients' families learn about the cleft team's coming by radio announcements, posters, word of mouth and the clinics. They come to the clinic where they are screened by the skilled orthopedic staff who then make appointments for the patient to be brought to the hospital for surgery. All of our post-op patients are seen in the out-lying clinics for follow-up, and scheduled for further surgery if needed, especially in the case where the cleft palate must be repaired after the previously repaired cleft lip has healed adequately.

Initially almost all of our patients (not all young children) were Kenyan, but as wars and persecution brought great migration from neighboring countries into refugee camps in Kenya, our patient population took on a new look. Muslims, Christians, and those of other faiths, having fled from their native lands of Somalia and Sudan have now given us an even greater opportunity for us to minister and openly proclaim the Gospel of Christ to the nations."

Here are some before and after pictures from past trips to Kijabe. God is a miracle worker indeed!  May he continue to bless the children of Kenya through the Whites and the World Medical Mission teams.

"You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, that my heart may sing to you and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give you thanks forever."
Psalm 30:10-12

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Cattle On A Thousand Hills

Psalms 50:10

"For every beast of the forest is mine,

 the cattle on a thousand hills." 

This verse is often quoted to remind us that God truly owns everything and money is not a big deal to him.  So why should we ever worry about money?  For those who have participated in a mission trip before, you know that raising support funds can be a true test of faith. Even though you may feel led to go, you still wonder or, I dare say, worry if enough funds will be donated.  Recently, one of the missionaries that attends our home church, Faith Presbyterian Church, shared a verse that inspired him many years ago to pursue a life of missions.  It was Act 20:24 which states "However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace."  So as Michael and I prepare to leave, we are praying our focus will remain on the tasks ahead in Kenya and not on worrying over the funds needed to go. Every time I catch myself thinking about the funds, I say to myself "He will provide. One way or the other, He will provide."

If you feel led to contribute financially to this mission, send check to:

 World Medical Missions, Attention: Chad Cole, P.O. Box 3000

Boone, NC 28607 

Write in memo line: Carole Touard - # 010683

You may also call:

 828-278-1373

to make a contribution  

A Short-Term Mission

For the last few years, our family has been involved with supporting Dr. Jim and Kathy White through World Medical Missions in their annual trips to  Kijabi, Kenya to perform surgeries on children with cleft palates and cleft lips.  Up until now, our involvement has been limited to raising money and supplies.  We created awareness of the need in our local home school group which in turn has raised financial support, clothes, and toys over the past couple of years.  This year our home school group will be working on “pillowcase” dresses for the Kenya girls and collecting soccer shirts for the boys, along with collecting money and other supplies for Kijabi school children.

The Whites have asked us to join them on their next mission trip to Kenya in February 2011.  Over the years, Jim and Kathy White have shown the love of Jesus Christ through their time and efforts performing hundreds of surgeries, touching many lives with physical healing and spreading the great news of the Gospel at every opportunity.  Michael and I will be working on outreach and  Bible study.  We have faithfully committed to this opportunity knowing that God has purposed this in our lives.  Please pray for guidance as we prepare to go.

An Unlikely Pairing

Some unlikely relationships have emerged from our involvement in Kenya.  Three years ago, the Whites brought back a beautiful wall hanging for us, a thank-you gift from a Kenya family who had received a couple of Michael’s donated toy cars. 

Stephen and James Mawia after receiving the toy cars

This began a pen-pal relationship between our family and the Mawia Family.  Michael writes back and forth with Stephen Mawia, Elizabeth and Joshua write the youngest Mawia children, and I write to the mother, Eunice.  Through these letters, Eunice’s faith in our Lord Jesus Christ is quite apparent.  Even through the political troubles Kenya experienced in 2007-2008, Eunice often reminded me of God’s protection and sovereignty  over her family.  We look forward to meeting the Mawia family face to face.

You Don't Say?

It is estimated there are “7000 children in schools for the deaf throughout Kenya, but statistics show that approximately 3000 of those children have only a severe hearing loss.  This means that they are not ‘deaf”, but could be fitted with a hearing aid.” Michael and I will be trained to test children for hearing problems to determine which children would benefit from hearing aids.  We anticipate this to be one of the highlights of our trip as we imagine the joy and amazement those children will experience as they hear properly for the first time in their lives.  We covet your prayers for proper training, for the opportunities to use it, and for the many children we will encounter.