Don Divin in Burundi
When Don Divin was born, his parents, Aline and Jean Bosco, noticed right away that something was different about his feet. He had clubfoot, a condition they didn’t fully understand at first. But they weren’t facing it alone.
A relative in their extended family had already walked this road. Another child, born with the same condition, was already receiving treatment at a nearby clubfoot clinic. Because of that connection, Don Divin’s parents knew exactly where to turn.
The nurses at the health facility where he was born confirmed what the family had already begun to hope: clubfoot is treatable. With that reassurance, and the experience of their relative to guide them, they brought Don Divin in to begin care.
Don Divin’s parents are farmers, growing cassava, beans, and maize on their small plot of land. Like many families in their community, they take on extra work to make ends meet when the harvest isn’t enough. Treatment meant new demands on their time and resources, especially during the correction phase, when weekly clinic visits for cast changes became part of their routine. Balancing those trips with the responsibilities of daily life wasn’t easy.
But things got lighter. As Don Divin moved into the maintenance stage, the visits became less frequent, and the family could breathe a little easier. They also spoke with real gratitude about the transportation support they received along the way. It meant one less burden to carry, and one less reason to miss an appointment.
Throughout the process, the family’s Parent Advisor was a steady source of encouragement. Their counseling sessions often included time in God’s Word, which strengthened the family’s faith and drew them closer together in prayer. They also learned practical skills: how to care for the casts, how to fit and use the braces correctly, and why sticking with the treatment plan mattered so much. That guidance helped them stay committed. They never missed an appointment.
When asked what it means to see her child healed, Don Divin’s mother put it simply:
“Seeing my child’s feet corrected caused me great joy. I used to hear from the Word of God that there is someone who was born with limb disabilities who was healed by God’s power, so I saw the same miracle happening to my child. I learned that God has His ways of rescuing His people from the difficult situations they are facing.”
She also wanted others to know how thankful she is, both for the clinic staff who treated her family with respect and care, and for the donors whose support made this treatment possible at all. Because of that generosity, children like Don Divin get the chance to stand, walk, and run on feet that once needed correcting.
(top) Aline and Jean Bosco with Don before treatment began. (below) You can see a progression of Don’s treatment from casts, to braces, to straight feet.
