Medical Aid Helps Cure More Than Parasites for Mute Boy
Not long ago, little Angel lived near Pisco, Peru, in an area littered with trash and teeming with stagnant pools of water and mosquitoes.
Yet in this desolate environment, Angel laughed and played near the steps of his home. His mother always hovered nearby, cooking a meal or hanging clothes to dry. And his father had his own business. It wasn’t ideal—but it was home. And happy for all…until August 8, 2007.
A Devastating Chain of Events
It was early evening on that hot day in August when an 8.0 earthquake struck Angel’s hometown of Pisco, Peru. The quake was one of the strongest in the country’s history, leveling entire cities and devastating the country.
The intensity of the earthquake created a tidal wave that rushed over the land, washing away Angel’s home and all his family’s belongings.
The catastrophe was so sudden and devastating to Angel that he stopped talking. Left with nothing, Angel and his family marched north to Molino Alto where there was a refuge camp of 3,800 families.
In Molino Alto, Angel’s dad built a two-room shanty from boards, twine and plastic tarps. The family settled in, but Angel remained silent. And things were only getting worse for Angel.
The village had no sewers, toilets or running water. Most children catch waterborne parasites in places like the Molino Alto refuge camp. In fact, within a few months of living there, Angel was sick from these parasites.
Lifesaving Help
In August 2008, Hand of Hope operated a mobile medical clinic near the refuge camp where Angel lived. Angel’s father brought him there. Angel met with the volunteer doctors and received the medication he needed to kill the parasites in his body.
Volunteers nearby couldn’t help but hear Angel’s father tell the doctor the story of how his son stopped talking. After hearing this story, these volunteers prayed with Angel and his father.
Afterward, everyone was quiet. Then…“Where’s Mom?” Angel said in his native Spanish.
It was one of those moments you’ll never forget. Tears flowed. His father thanked God. And a happy, talkative son went home to see his mother.
The Worldwide Water Crisis
According to the World Health Organization, poor water sanitation and a lack of safe drinking water take a greater toll on human life than war and terrorism.
The United Nations says 4,000 children die each day as a result of diseases caused by drinking filthy water. In Africa and Asia especially, 4 out of 10 people do not have clean water to drink.
That’s why, thanks to friends like you, Hand of Hope is building water wells and distributing parasite-killing medicine in countries around the world.
But we want to do more. And we need your help.
Your donation of any amount can help sick children like Angel. It can help build more water wells. It can also help us provide desperately needed medical attention to the dying. Your donation can also build homes for abandoned babies, rescue children who are kidnapped and forced to become brutal killers, and so much more.
Please consider doing everything you can. It’s because of friends like you that we can continue to meet the urgent needs of hopeless children and families. Thank you…and God bless you for your support.
Want to read more stories? See the article on former child soldier David Ochola.
