Liberia-Day 5

Today we held a workshop to train our caretakers, future caretakers, workers from the MOHSW, and a few others about the care of special needs children and therapies. Christina did an awesome job explaining and demonstrating with Hawa. She was soooo patient!

We had a wonderful turn out and are already planning our next workshops. They were so receptive to learning what needs to be done and we reiterated what a marvelous job they were doing already with kids here without even knowing it.

Some of the people who attended the workshop.

This was so a God thing- we stopped to see some kids at the Cheshire home and there was this couple there who wanted to give their son up because she could not carry him anymore. She said she was getting ulcers. Cheshire is not accepting any more cases and they were beside themselves in not knowing what to do. We just so happen to have been there at the same time. We offered the family some supplies we brought over and a much needed stroller to give her some relief. They were beside themselves with gratitude. We were just happy to be able to help and encourage them to keep their son as they were doing such a good job already. And that is what some of our project is all about. Empowering and encouraging families to keep their children and not give them up to orphanages or institutions. They are what is best when possible for these kids. And then taking in the children that were abandoned for foster care.

Liberia-Day 4

It was a very interesting day today. We met with a Professor Flomo of Cuttington University who is himself handicapped. He has overcome many obstacles as a handicap adult in Liberia and is really an inspiration to so many. He is writing a book to share his experiences. Even his wife Angeline is a testiment to their life story. We were able to discuss the many issues facing handicap people in Liberia and what is being done so far by what organizations here. We value his input as the children we work with today will be the handicap adults of tomorrow in Liberia. Working together to see them obtain their rights, keeping their dignity, and having the same privledges any other Liberian has here. We truly enjoyed our time of sharing. And he knows so many and so many hold him in high regard. He does not see himself as handicapped-just learning disabled and needing to do things different. He has shown communities how handicap people have much to contribute to Liberia.

We also had a very good meeting in the ministry of health today as we work towards our goals of working with handicap children in foster homes. We intend to be an option for abandoned handicap children instead of them lanquishing in hospitals waiting for someone to care enough to take them in. Tomorrow is a big day for us. Will share then.

Liberia-Day 3

Today we went to several hospitals visiting the special needs children that were abandoned there. We also visited the only physiotherapy unit in all of Liberia that is funded by Helping Hands International and JFK. It was very interesting to see that much of the same therapies that we do for our children in the states is also being done for children in Liberia. We also saw them assembling wheel chairs and making prosthesis for those who need them.

Here are some of the wonderful children we met.

This is Joseph. Some of you may remember when we were selling paintings by Emmanuel Alonso to help raise funds for Joseph's heart. His heart has fluid on it. We are finding out that it is a real possibility for him to receive his heart surgery right in Liberia instead of traveling abroad. This will be wonderful news for him and his family. ( we will keep you posted as all that information come together) Currently his medicine costs 100.00 a month!!! Joseph is in the 9th grade and is excelling in school. He desires to be a geologist one day. He has a wonderful spirit about him. Anyone who is interested in helping with his medicine or future surgery should contact us. His family would much appreciate your support for their son.

We also spent much time in other meetings and following up with birth families of some of our friends adopted children. They were very appreciative of the pictures their adoptive families sent for them.So if you are an adoptive family- get your pictures/reports into whom ever it goes to so that these families can see how the children are doing.

Liberia-Day 2

Today was a very busy day. We visited two of our kids in foster care. Here is Hawa and Christina.

And this is Dominic

Christina is working with the foster family on therapies that can be done with the kids. It is our goal to give and teach better quality of care for these kids thus giving them better quality of life. These kids are precious and God has a beautiful purpose for them.

We had a quick visit with Andrew Tyler who is headed to the states tomorrow. We were able to pick up some mosquito nets for the kids beds.

This is Matthew's family. They are a wonderful family who of course are still grieving the loss of their child. We were able to bless this family with the funds to go back to Nimba cty to start a small business there to go along with the farming they are currently doing.

We also had a wonderful visit with Lydia from the ministry tonight as we spent time discussing the forget me not project and the needs of Liberia in general. What a wonderful lady and what heart for her people.

Day 1-Liberia

We are in Liberia for the week. This is Christina (used to be a nurse) examining a 3 day old baby who was having seizures. She sent the family to the hospital with the baby after watching the seizures. Doctors discovered that the child had a blood infection. Hopefully the baby will be feeling better soon.

We had very good meetings today in regards to our forget-me-not children s homes. We are planning a training seminar for caregivers and the nurse on Friday. More tomorrow.

In the Arms of an Angel

It is with great sadness that I share with you that Matthew; the little boy we were working so diligently on helping out of Liberia with a medical visa has peacefully passed away in his sleep early this morning. His birth family, his foster families, his future adoptive family, and all others who cared so much about Matthew to become involved whether it be with prayers or donations to help him will dearly miss how much he has touched so many lives. Matthew had purpose.

All funds that were raised in behave of Matthew's care by Global's paypal buttons will be used to assist Matthew's family through the next year in our H.E.L.P. project- Help Empower Liberian People. This project is a way for families here in the states to sponsor a family in Liberia for a year to help them get back on their feet and be self-supporting. This can be done in many different ways. We will be updating our website and this blog when I get back from Liberia.

I, myself experienced loosing a child that we were going to adopt at one point in Liberia a few years back. While it is tragic, God used him in a mighty way to inspire us to launch Global Orphan Outreach. I am re posting this song as a reminder of how much these children- all children are loved and wanted by someone.

We All want to make our place in this world

We All want our voices to be heard

Everyone wants a chance to be someone

We all have dreams we need to dream

But sweeter than any star you can reach

Is when you reach and find youve found someone

You'll hold this world's most priceless thing

The greatest gift this life can bring

If you can look back and know

You were Loved.

You were loved by someone

Touched by someone

Held by someone

Meant something to someone

Loved somebody

Touched somebody's heart along the way

You can look back and say... You were loved!

You can have Diamonds in your hand

Have all the riches in the land

Without love do you really have anything

When someone cares that youre alive

When someone finds their world in your eyes

Then you'll know youve find all you need

Youll hold this world's most priceless prize

The sweetest treasure in this world

If you can look back and say... You were loved!

You were loved by someone

Touched by someone

Held by someone

Meant something to someone

Loved somebody

Touched somebodys heart along the way

You can look back and say...

You were Loved!

Hello From Liberia!

Hello From Liberia!

I am headed back to Liberia really soon. We have more children coming into our forget-me-not children s homes. These are foster homes for special needs kids. We like that we are able to give moms a job there too! We have a list of much needed donations that we need to take with so if you are able to get some of these items to us; we much appreciate it. Here is the address:
W6126 Hraban Rd Tony, Wi. 54563
Items needed yet:
Cloth Diapers
porta crib sheets
lrg receiving blankets
children's chewable vitamins
baby powder
lrg hand sanitizers
crib toys
$ to buy items there...
Thank-you!!

Matthew

Matthew is looking and feeling much better. Matthew had a long stay at the hospital and had a minor infection from the surgery but now is doing well. I am told he is eating like no one's business-ha! Hopefully he will regain his strength well enough to travel in a few weeks. We continue to work towards a medical visa for him to come to the U.S. to treat his spinal issues. Thank-you for his continued prayers and consider helping financially towards his travel here. It is very costly. The lady in this picture is Annie and she is an AWESOME care taker. She was Nye's care taker before he came to the U.S. I was at her house back in October and visited with her and the children she was caring for. She has above her door- The house of Hope! She believes that God wants her to help her people in this way by caring for foster children. What a great lady.

Click here to see this email at our family web site - http://uteach2.com/matthew

Bring Hope to Matthew

Dear Family and Friends,

We are the Mazur family and we would like to share with you about a little boy named Matthew who is 3 yrs old and is in desperate need of help. Matthew is severely malnourished, had a large umbilical hernia, as well as having some undiagnosed health issues in his back. Matthew lives in Liberia-West Africa.

Global Orphan Outreach (www.globalorphanoutreach.org) was asked by the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare to work on obtaining a medical visa for him as well as a host family and that is where we come in. We have agreed to be Matthew’s host family in the USA while he receives his medical care. The Liberian government is willing to expedite Matthew’s case due to his dire needs.

We are excited to be able to serve in this way and can provide for Matthew’s care once he gets here but lack some of the immediate necessary funds for travel expenses. Won't you please help?

How can you help?

Please consider giving to Matthew’s fund today and help us bring Matthew here. Invest $10-$20!! This will go a long way in giving this special little boy the help and family he so needs right now. Your giving will truly change his life forever!

All money received will go to his travel expenses or medical care.

We are real people and if you have questions, you may contact us at the phone # or email below.

Donations are tax deductible and can be sent to:

Matthew’s Fund

C/O Global Orphan Outreach

P.O. Box 97

Ladysmith, Wi 54848

Or you can send funds by PayPal at this link: http://www.globalorphanoutreach.com/contact.htm

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us -

Steve and Deb Mazur at (208) 647-0234 or Global Orphan Outreach at (715)-415-4401

Thank you!!

Steve and Deb Mazur

forget me not children's homes

Global Orphan Outreach is sponsoring special needs foster homes in Liberia. These homes will be for children of special needs with specific therapies and care. It also allows us to slowly take in children instead of being flooded with families who dont want to care for their kids. Another great advantage to this is that we can give women jobs that wouldn't otherwise have jobs by being a care giver specialist for children who are handicapped. This is not an easy project to take on and one that continues to evolve as we work with the ministry of health and social welfare. However these children are in desperate need of help and a home too.

Here are two of the children in our care presently. Hawa who is 2 and has cp and Dominic who is 15mos and has mild cp.