Aissa

The story of one of the girls I helped care for...

Aissa lives in the north of Cameroon, West Africa.

Abandoned by both her mother and father, she was living with her grandma when she got sick.
Her family brought her to the Meskine hospital, run by the Medical Centers of West Africa.

She was found sitting outside the hospital pharmacy, skeletal, her face covered with a dirty rag, surrounded by a swarm of flies.

She was diagnosed with NOMA , which is fatal in 90% of cases.

At 6 years old, she weighed 10 kilos. She was dangerously anemic, and could no longer walk or eat.

She was hospitalized, but the family wasn’t able to pay for her care. They planned to take her home after just four days. Had they returned home, she would have surely died, but Medical Centers of West Africa chose to cover the cost of her care.

This picture is two weeks after her arrival.

Slowly she came around. One day she smiled. Then she began to walk and play. Below she is pictured on her first trip back to her village.

Her photos were sent to Mercy Ships, who invited Aissa to come for a life changing surgery. A surgery that would bring her healing, restore her spirit and give glory to God. The organization Willing and Abel paid for Aissa’s travel. So this baby girl, who almost died in obscurity just one year previous, got on a plane and flew to Togo.

And our God, who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, placed her in the care of a team of specialists who gave her back her face.
Hallelujah.

Pictured with Sarah Root, PA shortly after her plastic surgery

“And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love may have power together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge… Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine…to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever! Amen.” -Eph 3:17-20

Thanks to Sarah for allowing this presentation to be shared.