“I have lived with this pain for a long time, finding support to help me get a surgery is a miracle,” shares 70-year-old George. “I will go back and tell my community about the miracle that God has done for me. May God bless abundantly the people supporting the Watsi program.”
George is a 70-year-old hard-working farmer who lives with two out of his nine children. Both George and his wife are subsistence farmers who grow millet, beans, tea and recently planted coffee. Getting a good harvest is what brings him joy and, during his free time, he listens to the radio. He feels comfortable when he is at peace with his neighbors. On Sundays, he goes to church and is among the elders (opinion leaders) in his community.
George has suffered from a hernia for three years and the pain has prevented him from working. He first used herbs, hoping that they would help him, but the hernia kept growing. He has also gone to clinics and used pain relief drugs but they have also not helped. He now cannot work on his garden and misses going to church.
$208 covers the cost of George’s treatment and surgery. George was able to contribute $4 to the cost of his medical care.
After surgery, George is looking forward to working and supporting his wife - without doing as much heavy-lifting as before. He worries about aging due to not working, and would like to keep active.