Benjamin in Burkina Faso
When Benjamin was born with clubfoot in a rural farming community in Burkina Faso, his parents, Benjamin and Therese, faced more than a medical challenge. They faced rejection. Neighbors whispered that clubfoot was a curse. One childhood friend even called their baby boy a demon. “Everyone around us was afraid,” his father recalled, “even our own family members.”
For months, Benjamin’s parents carried both the weight of caring for their son and the sting of misunderstanding, unaware that treatment existed at all. That changed when they heard from an acquaintance whose own son had been successfully treated. Seeing that boy walking freely gave them something they hadn’t felt in a long time: hope.
The road to healing wasn’t easy. Living far from the clinic, the family traveled roughly 76 kilometers every week so Benjamin could have his cast renewed. But they didn’t walk that road alone. A parent advisor called often to encourage them and even visited their home. “We were really happy and touched by his visit,” Benjamin’s mother shared. That steady presence, she said, was “an asset and an advantage” during moments of worry and discouragement.
Today, Benjamin speaks with quiet conviction about what his son’s healing means. In his own words: “The healing of our child is a direct response to those who considered my son a demon.”
What started as a family’s private struggle against isolation and fear has become a testimony of resilience, faith, and the kind of support that walks alongside families, one cast, one phone call, one home visit at a time.
(Left) Benjamin before treatment started. Neighbors said he was a “demon.” (Right) Benjamin through casting and wearing braces to maintain the correction.