Ashir’s* mother clung to the back of the speeding motorcycle, one arm wrapped around her nearly lifeless 9-year-old son. The road beneath them was broken and rough pitching them side to side and jolting them with every mile. Her eyes scanned the bush for bandits.
In her chest, one desperate prayer pounded over and over: “Please. let him live.”
It started simply. A boy at play. A fall. A broken arm. A visit to the local bone setter. Then two long days as the infection spread, draining the life from Ashir’s body. Finally, a decision no mother should have to make: risk everything to try to save him.
Gathering the fare (close to a month’s wages) from family and neighbors, they set out for the mission hospital at Egbe.
As the staff removed the tight bindings, it was clear Ashir’s arm had been without circulation for too long and his life was in danger.
Surgeons would have to remove his arm to save his life.
The word “amputation” is devastating anywhere in the world. But here, it carries even deeper weight. In Ashir’s culture, your left arm is used only for personal hygiene. Without his right arm, Ashir faced lifelong challenges.
Why a Mission Surgery Center Matters
In their desperation, Ashir and his mother needed more than a diagnosis. They needed skilled, compassionate surgeons ready to act. They needed a hospital equipped to save lives. They needed a place that would not turn them away.
After the surgery, a mission worker visited Ashir and his family and witnessed something remarkable. Despite the pain and loss, Ashir’s mother was filled with gratitude. Through the care her son received, she experienced the love of Christ in a tangible way.
Her response was extraordinary. In the midst of heartbreak, she chose hope.
She shared that she wanted to follow Christ. Not in spite of what happened, but because through it, she had seen God’s love. Because of the mission hospital, Ashir lived and his mother found new life in Christ.
More Than Surgery
This is the power of the Egbe mission hospital. It is not only about procedures. It is about meeting people in their most desperate moments with both excellence and compassion. It is about restoring dignity and offering hope where it is often scarce.
The Work Is Underway
Your partnership helped build the surgery center. It now includes male, female, and pediatric wards, as well as private rooms for dignified care. Each month, hundreds of lives are impacted with compassionate medical care and a message of hope.
What remains is furnishing the wards, purchasing medical equipment, and expanding two operating rooms to four fully equipped surgical theaters, along with consultation and recovery areas. The total cost to complete this work is $100,000.
How Your Gift Help
Your generous gift today will help provide:
- Furnishings and medical equipment for all three surgical wards;
- Essential operating room equipment for four theaters;
- Surgical tables, lighting, and anesthesia systems;
- Consistent surgical care for a growing patient population; and
- Training of new surgeons equipped to serve in underserved areas.
With fully equipped surgical wards and operating theaters, the hospital can respond faster, serve more patients, and save more lives while also training doctors committed to compassionate, Christ-centered care.
For the next child racked by infection, father battling for his life, or mother groaning under the weight of her unborn child, your gift ensures they receive both skilled care and real hope.
When the next life hangs in the balance, your generosity helps ensure the mission hospital is ready.
*Name changed for patient confidentiality
