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Help Provide Essential Healthcare to the Women and Children of Nigeria

2018_05 Appeal (Small)

Again, I want to thank you for all that you continue to do for our missionaries and the people we serve throughout the African continent. Without your ongoing financial support as well as your prayers, we would not be able to reach out to the hundreds of thousands of men and women who yearn for a better life — not only for themselves but especially for their children as well. And it is for the children in particular that I am writing to you today!

"A child is a beam of sunlight from the Infinite and Eternal, with possibilities of virtue and vice, but as yet unstained"

Lyman Abbott, Minister & Writer (1835-1922)

Again, I want to thank you for all that you continue to do for our missionaries and the people we serve throughout the African continent. Without your ongoing financial support as well as your prayers, we would not be able to reach out to the hundreds of thousands of men and women who yearn for a better life — not only for themselves but especially for their children as well. And it is for the children in particular that I am writing to you today!

Young mothers being instructed how to care for their newborns

Young mothers being instructed how to care for their newborns

You and I both know how important children are in our lives. It is true that we value them because they are the future, but they are also incredibly precious to us because of their innocence and the purity they bring to a world often hardened by hatred and hostility. In so many ways, children bring us closer to what is sacred in our lives!

But in many parts of the world — especially in some of the more remote areas of Africa — children still struggle to survive the first five years of life. Not only do a lack of proper nutrition and clean water take their toll on young boys and girls, but also a lack of access to adequate healthcare impacts the lives of these little ones.

Recently, I received a letter from Sr, Esther Kolawole — a missionary working in Osogbo, Nigeria, in West Africa. Sr. Esther is in charge of a community-based clinic that provides healthcare for those living in the area — mostly poor farmers and the elderly as well as women and children. Right now, the clinic is in desperate need of medical equipment that would be vital in helping to diagnose diseases in young children.

Children attend a clinic outreach program

Children attend a clinic outreach program

A recent study by UNICEF (United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund) reports that nearly ten percent of the death of newborn children in the world last year occurred in Nigeria. It is estimated that every single day, Nigeria loses about 2,300 children under five years old and 145 women of childbearing age — making the country the second largest contributor to under-five and maternal mortality rate in the world.

“The greatest area of need we have is in providing medical outreach for the women and children in the most remote villages,” Sr. Esther explains in her letter. “Throughout the world — but especially in many remote villages — pregnancy and childbirth are still life-threatening conditions for women. As many as 7,000 newborn babies die each day. If we can provide greater services, we can certainly work to reduce that number!”

My friend, will you help make sure that poor children get the healthcare they need?

Many of us can start in our own community by doing something as simple as donating infant formula to local food banks. Many people forget that needy families in our neighborhoods who are hungry often have babies at home — babies who need extra nutrition. You can also help by supporting local organizations that provide free car seats to low-income families. The health of our children isn’t just in what we feed them. They need to be safe as well!

The clinic laboratory urgently needs more equipmentThe clinic laboratory urgently needs more equipment!

The clinic laboratory urgently needs more equipment!

I am also hoping that you will send a donation to support Sr. Esther’s clinic in Osogbo, Nigeria. Our goal is to raise at least $28,000 to provide for the health needs of those in Nigeria as well as support the needs of our other missions in both East and West Africa. Whatever amount you can send — whether it is a large donation such as $100 or more, or a lesser amount — please know that you are the lifeline that makes our work possible. God bless you for your continued kindness and generosity.

 

 

Your Missionary Friend,

Denis P. Pringle
Director of Development