by Sr. Cordelia Nwaokike, MMM, Benin City, Nigeria

Ikechukwu Onyenuma, 29 years old, is a naturally talented and vibrant young man. He comes from the eastern part of our country, Nigeria. You can sense, from the first conversation with him, that he is somebody who loves life and the people around him. He has a lot of energy for many kinds of physical work. We met him the day we went for a burial in the eastern part of Nigeria. He came to the burial ground begging for alms from people. We were with a Sister of another congregation when we saw him. He looked emaciated, anaemic and a bit sad.

We stopped to greet him. Further conversation revealed that he had had a motorcycle accident and had suffered bruises and wounds. The bruises dried up, but the wound on the leg escalated to a huge leg ulcer. He had been three and a half years in this condition. He went to several hospitals for treatment, but all in vain. He said his father died long ago, and his mother has been struggling to help him but she ran out of money to continue. Many people promised to help, but all disappeared at the sight of the wound. It frightened them. I asked his permission to photograph him and to use his name and he agreed. When we returned to our community, we told the Sisters about the young man and, after some investigations, the community decided to help.

With a grant from our donors, he has been in the hospital for the last two months. Some investigations were carried out, but the doctors were not able to save his leg and an amputation was done. He is

receiving treatment and daily dressings are being carried out, waiting for the wound to heal. Presently he is using crutches for mobility, and he is happy with himself, and the help given to him. MMMs have indeed given him hope to live again.

When the wound is healed, we are hoping to find him an artificial limb.

Now Ikechukwu is so happy that his problem is almost fully solved, and this has given him the opportunity to see and think clearly. He is thinking of his future which has been compromised by his former condition. He is working towards independence and living life to the full. This was only possible through the support of the charitable people of God. His mother will be helped to establish a small business to enable her to put food on the table.

We are grateful to our donors, to the Medical Missionaries of Mary Congregation and to all who have contributed to ending the long and painful suffering of our young man, Ikechukwu. May God bless all our donors and reward you all, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.