Abigail in Malawi
When Abigail was born with clubfoot in Malawi, her parents had no shortage of advice from friends and neighbors on how to best treat the child.
Neighbors encouraged parents Masina and Monica to manipulate Abigail’s feet on their own. Others told them to use warm water and massage oil into the feet to get them straight. No surprise, none of this worked leaving the parents unsure of what to do.
Giving up on their home remedies, Masina and Monica visited a nearby community health center where they were directed to the Hope Walks partner clinic at the Beit CURE Hospital. After going through the first visit education process, they were concerned that correcting Abigail’s feet would take a long time. But within a few casts, her feet were straight and she was put on braces.
“I thank Lord Jesus for his mercies and grace upon my child,” Monica said. “I thank also the staff at this clinic for the work done. May God bless you all.”
Having seen the Ponseti method of casts and braces in action, Masina and Monica’s traditional beliefs of clubfoot are fading and they are spreading the word to other parents that clubfoot is treatable.
