Smiling Ear To (H)Ear

Dear Friends of Moses,

At 4am yesterday morning, we received a call from Ghana while Moses was being fitted for his new hearing aid. He is grateful and asked us to share his deep gratitude for what was made possible for him.

He has been tested, fitted, and stocked with batteries. He and Frances, a Hope International teacher who volunteered to accompany Moses, will stay a few more days in Ghana to ensure that all is in good working order and no other hearing aid adjustments are needed.

The journey to get Moses this hearing aid was literally (cross-country and over a 1 ½ years) and figuratively (Covid shutdowns, birth certificates, passports, and travel) so very long. It all began when we asked if anyone had a connection to an audiologist. A Hope Project partner put us in contact with the person who then connected us with the Starkey Hearing Foundation. What followed was additional Hope Project partners joining together with Moses’s Liberian community of support to help him receive the gift of hearing. Though the process was long, all of that seems to fade now when you see the joy that hearing again brings.

Thank you to all that made this possible. It’s a beautiful thing.

Naomi, Safety Nets, and Hope.

Dear Friends, 

Thank you for the emails and messages we have received asking about Naomi and her health. She has sent her love and gratitude for your care and concern. 

As you may remember, a couple weeks ago we asked, and you answered. Our school vice principal and friend, Naomi Nyankoon, was faced with a health crisis and needed to travel out-of-country for immediate treatment. Through the collective generosity of numerous Hope partners, the needed funds were raised to transport Naomi by ambulance to Sierra Leone to begin emergency dialysis treatment. The original plan was for her to go to Ghana, but as her health declined it would have necessitated a medical air transport team and that was not feasible.

We have been in frequent conversations with Naomi’s brother, Thomas, who is facilitating her care. With his permission we are sharing these photos of Naomi as she journeys through this medical crisis. 

What we know so far is that Naomi’s kidneys are failing. She has undergone further testing to determine the cause. Since her arrival in Sierra Leone, she has been receiving dialysis 3 times a week and is responding well. Each of her treatments cost $100.00. This is a hugely significant amount for her family to cover alone. We have extended our pledge to the family that The Hope Project will provide the funds for her next three months of dialysis. This allows time for Naomi to stabilize, and for her family (including us) to make a long-term plan, as well as explore options and possible partnerships.

Through this process a beautiful, serendipitous relationship is emerging. Celia Brown, who is a Hope Project board member and also a social services manager at the Northwest Kidney Centers, has become an important member of Naomi’s care team. She and Thomas have been talking across the miles to ensure the best care available to Naomi. Celia has over 20 years of experience working with outpatient dialysis and medical social work management and is using that knowledge to research possibilities for Naomi to receive at-home peritoneal dialysis in Liberia. There are so many things that will need to come together for this to work, but this team is the A-team, and we continue to hope.

The safety net that we have created together here is something that stands in stark contrast to our ingrained rugged individualism. It has wrapped around friends and buoyed people and communities facing deep challenges and suffering. If you would like to weave yourself into this safety net, we and Naomi would be so grateful.

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