I need your help to make my job unnecessary. Yes, you read that right. I’m praying that someday, my job as president of Hope Walks will be as obsolete as an elevator operator or a store clerk at Blockbuster. You see, the organization I helped found and now lead as president is working to make clubfoot a thing of the past, and we need your help.
Hope Walks is part of an international coalition of clubfoot organizations that have jointly created RunFree2030, a global movement to treat clubfoot worldwide. The goal is for all children born with clubfoot to have access to timely, high-quality and effective care.
Around 200,000 children are born every year with clubfoot globally. If the world would focus more on ensuring that our health care systems can identify and treat these children so that their condition does not develop into a life-long disability, the results would be astounding. It would transform lives, mend relationships, unlock earning potential, and end shame and stigma for these families
Although eliminating disability is hugely important to us, at Hope Walks, we are also passionate about sharing our eternal hope in Christ with those families. This issue of Hope Notes shares stories of children and families whose lives you have helped change. Together, we can help thousands more run free by 2030.
Scott Reichenbach President and Co-Founder
When Mara in Mozambique learned her son Naquijan had clubfoot, she was angry. Her first child died within hours of its birth, and now God gave her a child with clubfoot. She felt abandoned by God. Little did she know how He was working in her life.
She visited two clinics without resolution, which further frustrated her. Eventually, she found the Hope Walks partner clinic and could more clearly see God’s plan unfolding. At the clinic, she saw other children like her son and knew she was not alone. Today, Naquijan can run and play soccer. “There are no words to express our happiness!” Mara said.
Not abandoned by god Naquijan in Mozambique
Information for the future
Khalifa in Niger
Months before little Khalifa was born, his parents visited the Regional Hospital because of a separate medical condition unrelated to the pregnancy. During their visit, they participated in a ceremony for World Clubfoot Day, June 3, which Hope Walks organized. At this ceremony, they learned about the treatment of clubfoot using casts and braces. At the time, the information they learned there did not seem important, but when Khalifa was born with clubfoot, they recognized the signs and, instead of panicking, could move forward with confidence. They knew there was a way to help their son, and the information they learned at World Clubfoot Day motivated them to seek treatment.
Khalifa is now in the bracing phase of his treatment and is learning to walk (and climb) with his corrected feet. His parents are grateful that the grace of God has
saved him from a life where he would have to cope with the stigma around clubfoot. For Khalifa’s parents, their son’s future is secure.
provide ho-ho-hope with stocking stuffers hopewalks.org/stocking
‘Tis the season - Santa’s elves at Hope Walks are gearing up again for Christmas, and we need your help! For a $20 donation, you can give the gift of creativity to your family, friends and colleagues by ordering a Stocking Stuffer kit, including one pair of brace leathers and three paint markers.
It’s the perfect gift that will provide your loved ones an opportunity to give back to a child in need. They can creatively decorate the leathers, send them back to us, and we’ll send them to Africa where they will be made into a life-transforming brace for a child born with clubfoot. We’ll even send a photo of their finished masterpiece via email after it is handmade. For more information, please visit hopewalks.org/stocking. Thank you for giving the gift of creativity to your loved ones and the gift of walking to a child this Christmas!
COUNTRY SPOTLIGHT
Mozambique
MOZAMBIQUE BOASTS THE WORLD’S LARGEST RUBY MINE, and it is suspected that around 40% of the world’s unmined rubies are in Mozambique. Located in Southeast Africa, Mozambique has a beautiful coastline with turquoise waters and well-preserved corals. Currently, the northern part of the country is under pressure from Isalmic State-affiliated groups and attacks have left many dozens of children missing and forced thousands of people to flee their homes.
An estimated 1,500 kids are born with clubfoot in Mozambique each year. Over the program’s life, clinicians have treated more than 5,000 children. Our team leading the program includes:
Program Manager | Olga Chambal
Clinical Supervisor | Tunelgas Afonso
Scan the QR code to watch a Tuesday 2 featuring Mozambique
34M
Population Portuguese
Official language 5K+
Children treated since program start
Why we give Sonya and Bill Roberts
When Sonya and Bill Roberts decided to attend a large Christian music festival in Central Pennsylvania with their family several years ago, they had no plans of getting involved with a ministry that treats children born with clubfoot in Latin America and Africa. But that’s just what happened.
That year, the Roberts stopped at the Hope Walks booth to paint some leathers for braces for kids born with clubfoot. Moved by the mission, they eventually became monthly donors and have even traveled to Kenya and the Dominican Republic to see the Hope Walks ministry in action.
“This cause touches our hearts because you can really see the love of Christ being shown in a tangible way,” Sonya and Bill said. “The Hope Walks staff build a bond with the families throughout their journey, which builds trust and relationship, and in turn, the staff can share the love of Jesus with them. Hope Walks changes both their physical and spiritual lives, leaving an eternal impact.”
“Hope Walks is the real deal,” Sonya said. “We have traveled to two different countries to their clinics
to see how they are making a lasting impact. If you want to see your money well spent, donate here.”
To join the Roberts and become a monthly donor, scan the QR code or go to hopewalks.org/ClubfootCrew
Bill (far left) and Sonya (holding child) visited Kenya recently and made home visits to several families.
Strengthening the community
When Arsene’s parents, Edissa and Jackson, learned their child was born with clubfoot, they were worried. They trusted God but lacked the information they needed to find treatment. By the grace of God, a member of their community told them about the clubfoot treatment Hope Walks offered at Rema Hospital. The same community member was able to give them the contact information of a parent advisor who was coming to visit a support group in their area.
Running out of options, the parents went to the support group where the parent advisor and other families educated them about clubfoot. At that moment, they decided to go to Rema Hospital for their son, no matter what it took.
The couple scraped together what money they could, even selling some of their belongings, to afford a trip to the hospital. When they arrived, the same parent advisor who visited the clubfoot support group welcomed them.
The parent advisor went so far as to visit Edissa’s local church to provide information on clubfoot and begin to break down the stigma surrounding the condition. With the new information about the condition, church members began to open up to Edissa and her family. Even the pastor took an interest in Arsene and wanted to ensure he got the treatment he needed.
Hope Walks provided financial support for transportation. The parent advisor who helped Edissa before
and Jackson still calls occasionally, and through the love of Christ, a community was brought together to free a child from clubfoot.
Edissa’s trust in God is stronger than ever, and she is eternally grateful for what Hope Walks has done for her family. “We cannot find enough words to express our gratitude for our child being able to walk on his own feet free of clubfoot. Even people from our community are very thankful.”
Tuesday 2 is our brief video sharing two things each month happening at Hope Walks. In this episode, Scott interviews a parent advisor serving in a war zone in Ethiopia. Scan the QR code to watch this episode or watch all past episodes on our YouTube channel at hopewalks.org/Tuesday2
