WARNING - Graphic medical pictures below-
This is a little boy named Alvin who is in critical condition. Alvin is 13 years old and previously had Tuberculosis of the spine. Alvin was successfully treated at the TB Annex in Congo Town but due to complications of his illness, remained there much longer than his treatment required. While Alvin was so sick, lying in bed for so long, he developed bedsores. These bedsores grew and grew until the flesh was eaten away and now bone is visible! Alvin has bedsores on both hips, his lower back and between his knees. His bed sore on his right hip is so bad that all the muscle has wasted away, his hip has been dislocated, and his femur bone actually slips out of his body about once a day and has to be pushed back in by a doctor! I don't know how Alvin is even still alive.
Alvin is available for adoption and is in need of an adoptive home. He needs help ASAP, which means the family needs to be homestudy ready and have a hospital and insurance lined up for his care. Patty has been working very hard to save this little boy's life and has put together a plea for him here in Liberia. Thankfully, the government is ready to push his case through if we can find an adoptive home.
If Alvin can't leave Liberia soon, an American surgeon feels he should remove Alvin's right leg at the hip, since the ball and joint are no longer together. He also said he would use the skin from the leg he removes to cover some of the other bad areas that need skin grafting.
Alvin is a very sweet boy. He is smart, can read, and loves school and learning. He is described as a peacemaker and knows the Lord as his personal Savior. Based on what we know of Alvin it is clear he is a very special boy and would be a huge blessing to an adoptive family.
Right now he is grieving because he was told that his leg would probably have to come off. Please pray for this young man that God would give him the strength necessary to face the challenges of loosing his leg, if it comes to that. Also pray that if it is God's will, He would provide another way to save Alvin's life, and that he would one day have complete healing. If you can help Alvin or know anyone who might be able to help, please send an email to aoh.savinglives@gmail.com as quickly as possible. A fund has been send up to support Alvin's medical needs. Click here to donate towards that through paypal, or email the address above for more details or another form of payment.
Below are some pictures of Alvin and his condition. We did not know if we should share these pictures since they are so awful, yet - this is Alvin's reality. Why should you sit comfortably on your computer by not having to look at something so nasty, while Alvin has to face every moment of his day suffering like this?
The watermark I put on the blog pictures says "Acres of Hope...where new life begins..." Please pray with me that Alvin would have a chance for new life...
-Melodie (AOH Volunteer)
