James

Posted: March 21, 2005

Six year-old James, a beautiful young boy with an engaging smile, lies in a small bed in the pediatric ward at Nyadire United Methodist Hospital. Having recently lost both of his parents, James lives with his grandfather just outside the Nyadire United Methodist Mission Station.

One day last summer, James was playing outside with friends when he fell and severely cut his left leg on a piece of scrap metal. His grandfather rushed James to the hospital, where doctors examined and cleaned the wound, which was painful to the touch. Fearing tetanus and septicemia (potentially fatal blood poisoning), Dr. Maxwell Rupfutse medicated the cut and fashioned a blanket-tent around James' leg that allowed the wound to breathe and heal.

Luckily, Dr. Rupfutse was able to control the infection and reduce the boy's fever. The doctor is certain that James will be back playing with his friends in no time.