Treasure in Rwanda
Francine is the mother of six children, ages 18 to 1. She married at 15 and had three children with her husband, but after the third child, her husband left her, and she remained alone for 14 years.
Then she remarried, and things seemed to be going well. She had three more children with her new husband, but when their last child was born with clubfoot, some believed Daniel, her second husband, was cursed.
Ashamed and embarrassed, Francine hid her child to avoid the ridicule of neighbors when they saw her little boy. The midwife who helped deliver the baby told Francine that medical professionals could successfully treat the child. She doubted but eventually took her advice and visited the Gisenyi Clinic in Rwanda, where Hope Walks has a partner clinic.
Their child’s name, Happy Treasure, seemed to foreshadow the positive turn of events that were to take place. On Francine’s first visit to the clinic, the parent advisor showed her photos of other children who were successfully healed. After a week, she felt hopeful when she removed the first cast and saw Treasure’s feet starting to straighten.
“Now the happiness is extended in our family,” Francine said. “My child can stand on both straight feet! Many thanks to Hope Walks because they saved my marriage, my child from clubfoot disability and myself from my community’s stigma.”
