Alice Waako Radiation Treatment

Thank you for your past contributions to assist Alice in her medical treatment. We are aware that some of the giving has been sacrificial in nature. We have always attempted to ensure that your contributions are used for their intended purposes. This has included brain surgery, extensive radiation therapy, and follow-up which has almost certainly saved Alice’s life.

We regret to inform you that Wittenberg Door Campus Ministry will no longer be coordinating the fundraiser related to Alice’s medical treatment. We have reached this conclusion based on inconsistencies noted in some of the receipts provided to document how your contributions were used on the ground in Uganda and Kenya. At present we do not have confidence that the funding is being used for its designated purposes. We have been in communication with Simon Peter concerning the reasons for our decision. Rather than allaying our concerns, his responses have increased our level of concern.

For those of you who have made recent contributions which have not yet been forwarded to Simon Peter, please direct us. We can return your contribution to you or, if you wish, we can apply it to some other area of the Wittenberg Door Campus Ministry budget.

If you wish to contiue in support of Alice’s medical care and treatment, please stay in contact with Simon Peter directly to arrange whatever appropriate means you desire for fund transfer and for accountability.


Update March 28, 2020:
Thanks to everyone for remembering Alice's needs even during a time of constant disruption in your own society! I had previously mentioned that we were having some difficulties with receipts. I recently received receipts documenting March's physician fees and pharmacy fees. Simon Peter didn't submit any travel expenses, just the doctor and pharmacy. He also said that they have worked out an arrangement by which Alice's medications for April will be sent to a pharmacy in Jinja which often receives and distributes medications from the hospital in Nairobi. Because the borders are closed, she will not be seeing the doctor in early April.
As you know, with the radiation therapy being finished, fees and expenses were changing. The documentation Simon Peter sent showed expenses lower than I had expected. Of course, it is possible that he will document more of the travel in future months. But at present, we'll be transferring $783.70 for the estimated April expenses. That is the total of the doctor and pharmacy for March, but we are assuming that the pharmacy in Jinja may have an upcharge for their service and that some of the needs for Alice's care in the upcoming month will be increased due to the Coronavirus upheavals in Uganda.
Our cost estimate may be changing, but this month it is good news. We are $366.30 ahead of the game in the fundraising at the moment. I will hold the remainder to apply to next month.

Update 1/2/20:
Everything's looking good! As you have seen through the regular update pages, Alice is doing well and is continuing with her medication.
Just a reminder, this fundraiser is administered by Wittenberg Door Campus Ministry, which is a 501(c)(3) tax exempt non-profit organization. Your contributions for Alice's care may be tax deductible. 
On that note, while we'll keep this fundraiser active at GoFundMe, the Wittenberg Door Board of Directors has formalized a budget category for benevolences. We will be tracking contributions starting in 2020 through the WDCM budget. Your identity will still be protected at least as well as it is through GoFundMe. But the extra bonus is that early in 2021 you will receive a receipt statement for tax purposes. 
You can learn more about Wittenberg Door at www.wittenbergcomo.com - we do a lot of things that you may be interested in!
Alice is looking forward to her trip to Nairobi in a few days. I'm looking forward to meeting her, Simon Peter, Joseph, Doreen, Christina, and Lazarus in person on the 12th of January! I have the opportunity to visit, help with a couple of humanitarian projects, preach several times, and teach a compressed seminary level course for some of the local residents between the 12th and 24th of January. 

Update 11/29/19:
I haven't put many updates into the "story" page for a while. Here's the summary. Alice received an MRI early in November of 2019. The doctors are very pleased with her progress, but they didn't release her from care, since a sudden change in medication at this point could cause seizures. She'll be having less radiotherapy, probably just one more treatment in December of 2019. She will remain on her other medicines and have monthly checkups for two more years. It looks like the monthly cost will be more like $1,600.00 rather than the $2,200.00 it has been in recent history, though December 2019 will still be $2,200.00.  Alice and her family are so very grateful for the care we have been able to show for her. Let us not grow weary in doing good.

Update 6/21/19: This seems much like previous updates. What news do we have? The same good news as usual. Alice had her doctor review. The money was there to pay for treatment and medication. The doctor was pleased. They are still looking at an MRI on November. The next appointment is July 13. Alice and her family are very thankful for your help. I pray that we will keep having such updates. Thanks to all who are helping! Update 5/30/19: We even have a new photo! Bus stations around the world are, as a rule, depressing places, but at least this one says you can find a "bus" there! I'm encouraged, and I hope you are, by how well Alice is looking, as well as how Lazarus is growing! Your help with Alice's surgery and follow-up treatment has been essential in this. She is gaining in health month by month. The next scheduled doctor visit is June 13, so I will be trying to start the transfer on June 6 so as to be sure it is there on time. Contributions for this June visit have started to come in. Please keep them coming. Your help is essential for continued progress. Alice is scheduled for an MRI exam on November 11, at which time they will be able to decide whether she's ready for release. We have no way of knowing what the decision will be, but we are still hoping and praying.

Update 5/23/19: Good news! As you have read in the recent updates, we had a problem with the fund transfer to get Alice to the doctor and pay for her medications. Last week's effort also had some delays which we can't quite explain, but at last, Simon Peter received the money for May treatment. I think Alice has a new appointment in the next several days. We look forward to a report about her progress. Meanwhile, as of yesterday evening, the original funds we tried to transfer did make it back to the bank, so everything is squared away. Essentially, we're right where we were at about May 1st. A big thanks to everyone who helped, and especially to Ashley at my bank, who spent several hours on the phone and sending various requests to get the funds restored. Well, we all know what time of the month it is. What time of the month is it? It's the 23rd. That means we are thinking about June's medical expenses. Again, I don't know what the doctor will do with her treatment schedule. However, please, those who have been helping regularly, keep on schedule and we will be prepared for anything. To those who contribute occasionally or have thought about it and not done so yet, please consider how together we can help Alice as she receives her treatment and gradually resumes a more normal life. We still hope that she might be released from treatment by the end of 2019!

4/22/19 Update: A blessed season of Easter to all! Alice's story is, in a way, one of resurrection. Though she had the hope of eternal life, in the past two years her earthly life was severely threatened. Without the help of many friends and family members, she would not be living with us today. Instead, she seems to be on her way to recovery. The remaining part of her brain tumor is continuing to shrink. She is gaining in health and strength. Her hope in eternity remains, while her hope of a fairly normal earthly life has been rekindled. The next doctor's review and prescription refill comes shortly. I'll be starting a fund transfer in just a week so the funds will be available in time for an appointment on May 6. I know our contributors like to send their donations as close to the appointment day as they can, maybe to make me nervous. I'll just remind you that we still have about $1,800.00 to collect in order to pay for this upcoming visit. Alice and Simon Peter are always thankful for your assistance. They think of you as family. Please remember to share the need and help out as you are able. Thanks!

April 11, 2019 It doesn't seem productive to send out a fundraising update right before taxes are due, does it? Perhaps not. Let's make this a thanksgiving update. I received a brief note from Simon Peter saying that he and Alice think of all the contributors to Alice's care as if we are family. We have entered into their lives in a time of need and have helped them immensely. Without the help we have given them, Alice would almost certainly not be alive today, due to the progression of her tumor without treatment. Instead, though she is not quite as solid as she would like to be, she is able to live a fairly normal life in her family and community. Among other things, I've been told she is working with some of the other women in the village to make jewelry which is available in some marketplaces. The doctor continues to give good reports, but Alice and Simon Peter remind us that her medication and treatment cost is remaining the same. So once again, we're looking for about $2,200.00 to come in before she can attend her next follow-up scheduled for May 6. I will need to start the transfer on Monday, April 29. Please continue to share this need. A few more regular contributors would really help. I hope and pray we will see this come to an end by the end of 2019. That still seems to be within the realm of possibility. Remember, if you would like to save the GoFundMe charges, a check can be mailed to me directly and I'll be sure it is accounted for. Thanks again for all your help!

March 24, 2019 Thanks to everyone who has helped with Alice's care. Your concern for her is amazing. I haven't sent out an update for a while, but it's time for me to start sending the reminders as we approach the next deadline. Alice's next appointment in Nairobi is still set for April 5. That means that within eight days, on April 1, I need to get a transfer started. Just now we need about $1,900 .00 more to keep it going for another month. May the Lord help us not grow weary in doing good. This appointment is several days earlier in the month than the last few have been. I hope it will work out all right. It's always a close race against the calendar. Please continue to share, to pray, and to contribute as you are able. Thanks!

March 14, 2019 Another month, another round of treatment, and Alice has another positive report from her doctor.  She's gaining strength, thanks to her many friends who have made treatment of her brain tumor possible. I think they are still looking at the possibility of releasing her from treatment by the end of 2019. In the meantime, it costs about $2,200.00 per month for her treatment, evaluation, and medication. The family is not able to provide this care. Please continue to help and to share Alice's need with family and friends. Below is Simon Peter's latest report in his own words. "Brothers and sisters in Christ, thank you very much all for your prayers. We reached Nairobi safely yesterday. Alice had her treatment and review yesterday and the doctors' report continues to give us hope. Alice continues to improve every time. We started off our journey back to Uganda immediately yesterday and we have just arrived now. Her next appointment will be on April 5, 2019. We thank you very much for your prayers and support always. Please continue being with us in this journey. Alice still needs support and prayers. May God bless you all through the night."

End of February, 2019 In Simon Peter's word, "Dear beloved friends,your dearest friend Alice is remaining with eleven days to go.back for her review and treatment in Nairobi again.The greatest challenge still remains the fund for paying the bill.Within these eleven days ,we have to ensure that we get the remaining balance of the funds.Its my humbke appeal again that we need your donations.You support will help Alice's healthy to continue improving.May God bless you all as you think of donating" We are still $1,400.00 short of keeping Alice's bill up to date. The last I checked, Alice's next appointment was scheduled for March 10. That means I really need to start the fund transfer on this coming Monday, March 4. Please, if you are able to help, let's get Alice to the doctor on time. Thank you for your support.

February 14, 2019 A blessed St. Valentine's Day to all! There is good reason to believe, based on the historical record, that the St. Valentine we recognize today was a physician and a bishop, who was subject to the negative attention of the Roman government because he knew marriage and family was a healthy thing, a gift of God, and because he was found to be encouraging and enabling marriage of Roman soldiers. Marriage and family are a great thing. Our friends, Simon Peter and Alice are an example of this. Not only do they bring joy and encouragement to one another and their community, they have also been used by the Lord to adopt and care for people who had no family to care for them. Their lives are dedicated to the good of those around them. In the past year and a half many have stepped forward to help Alice with her medical expenses.  It looks like she may have about ten more appointments before her treatment is done, if all continues to go well. Yet this still represents much more than their family could ever pay for. We've walked through several small goals with the family. Now, in the next two and a half weeks, we still have $2,200.00 to come up with so as to get her account caught up and continue treatment for another month. This is a way we can stand with Simon Peter and Alice as they show the importance of biblical marriage commitments and family solidarity to their community, which is racked by poverty, mortality, abandonment, and infidelity. Your contribution helps with more than a medical bill. It helps people see the love and mercy of God. Please remember Alice's need as you care for your expenses. St. Valentine probably would.

February 6, 2019 Here's an update from Simon Peter. Please read it to the end. There are some important dates and figures in there. "Brothers and sisters in Christ greetings to you all and hope you are all having nice evening. We have just reached in Uganda now from Nairobi. This is to update you that we reached safely in Nairobi and Alice had her review yesterday. Everything went well and the doctors report continues to be very okay. Alice continues to get well every day through the support you give her. Please continue being with us and continue supporting us with Alice medical fund. Alice continues to be strong every day with the medication. We thank God for everything He does to our family through your generous support and thank you for being part of Alice's long treatment journey. You are so special to our family. Alice's next appointment and review is on 10-03-2019. May God bless you all." In addition, Simon Peter sent me a text that said, among other things, "The doctor has said that they hope by the time Alice will finish her treatment in December,they hope she will.be completely well and had gained enough energy to continue with her normal duties.This is really good news." They are looking at potentially a full recovery and end to treatment in the next ten months. There's a light at the end of the tunnel. However, at the moment the tunnel looks a little dark. As of right now, because we were a little short last month, we need about $2,600 to come in before starting the next transfer, which I'll probably do on March 4.  May we not grow weary in doing good.

January 28, 2019 Once again, thank you so very much for your help in our efforts to restore Alice to health. She's been able to do some of the activities which are part of a normal routine, but which she hadn't been able to do for quite a while, things like caring for herself and her family. Here comes the difficult part of this update. Please remember that Alice remains under the care of her oncologist who is continuing evaluations and treatment with medication. It still costs about $2,200 per month for her to receive this care. The next appointment is scheduled for February 5, which means I need to start the fund transfer in two or three days. Yet at present it's $1,700 short of covering the treatment. Please share this need with friends and family and see if you can help. Alice has come so far, let's try not to have a setback now. Thank you for your support.

1/21/19 Update: Thanks again for all your help. I talked with Simon Peter recently and he said that Alice is very happy to be able again to do many of the normal daily activities which she has always had as part of her routine. She likes to be able to care for her family and encourage others within the church and community. At the last doctor's appointment the specialist said that there are signs of ongoing progress toward a cure. This is all thanks to the help Alice has had from generous contributors. At present, with her next appointment scheduled for February 5, she still needs about $1,900 more in contributions to stay current on the medical costs. Please, let us not grow weary in doing good. I look forward to reporting a big change in the balance very shortly. Thank you again for all your help as we bring Alice closer to long term health!

12/22/18 Update: A blessed Advent and a very merry Christmas to all. We can't begin to express how much it has meant to Alice and her family that so many have stood with them during her medical crises since last year in September, when she was looking at surgery she couldn't afford, leading to a very uncertain outcome. With everyone pitching in she's been able to receive life-giving care. We're still over $1,400 short of the expenses for her check-up and treatment at the start of January. In about a week I'll be starting a transfer. Please continue to share and care. We are now looking for a relatively complete recovery celebration sometime during 2019.

12/11/18 Update: From Simon Peter. "Our dear friends, greetings to you all this advent season. Thank you very much for all your prayers and even more so for your financial contribution always. We traveled safely to Nairobi on Sunday and reached there Monday. Alice's review and appointment with the doctor went well. She is showing greater improvement as usual. Thank you very much once again for your love, care and financial support. You make a real sacrifice for us. Thank you for standing with us from the beginning of this journey of Alice's treatment up to now. Please continue being with us both in prayers and financial support. We have arrived back home in Uganda this morning. Alice's next appointment with the doctor is 05-01-2019. As a family, we wish you all nice advent season and may God bless you all." Contributions have already been coming in toward the January expenses. We have about $1,850 still to raise. It's also fine to come out ahead :). Just a reminder that Wittenberg Door Campus Ministry, a 501(c)(3) tax exempt organization is conducting this fundraiser as part of our work to bring relief to people in difficulties. Your contributions may be tax deductible. You can find a record of your contributions in the history on this site. Wittenberg Door does not provide contributors with any tangible goods or services in exchange for their gifts.

12/6/18 Update: In Simon Peter's Words . . . "Back here in Uganda, we are doing fine and the family is doing good. Alice is doing well. Alice has sent you greetings. You can imagine how we as a family appreciate you for what you have done to us. Alice is so appreciative for the great work of fundraising for her medical needs. If it was not for God working in you, then Alice would not be having medical support. I thank God for the friendship we have. Alice's life is improving and this gives us happiness as a family. We thank all our supporters for the great love they have been showing us. They have loved us with their whole heart and we shall also remember them in our prayers. Alice's next review is on December 10, 2018 and so we shall be travelling by Sunday. So pray for our journey. We wish all our friends a happy advent season and May God bless you all." We did end the last month's fundraising about three hundred dollars short, so our goal in December is $2,500.00. Thank you for remembering this family in your gift giving this Christmas and throughout the year.

11/21/18 Update: We have watched, waited, and prayed. Now, at last, we have some more news, at least news of a sort. Copied and pasted below in Pastor Simon Peter's words . . . "Yesterday I had the goodness from the doctor about Alice's MRI report,it was a goodnews .Alice is responding well to the medication .However the doctor said Alice will have to continue with the medication because their is still some fragment of tumor that didn't respond well to radiotherapy,and so they have to continue giving her the medication and monitoring her every month,until we shall have the final MRI scan showing that all the tumour has been wiped out.However he said that he expect her to be completely well within the course of next year.So Alice has to continue with her medication until such a time when the report will show her tumour free completely. We shall be going back for her review on.08-12-2018" If you recall, a year ago Alice was having the radiotherapy treatments on a daily basis and we were hoping and praying to get her out of the hospital and home for Christmas. She was weak and in danger. Now they are talking about having the tumor gone entirely at some point in the future. What a difference in just a few months! I'm going to adjust the total campaign amount to reflect another 12 months of treatment at the current levels. Thank you so much for your commitment to walk with Alice! Several people are treating her very much as one of their family members in need of medical treatment, putting up some of her expenses on a monthly basis. Others have been one-time or occasional contributors. Everything makes a difference. Please keep sharing and caring. Just a reminder, this is a great time of year to tell that person who is hard to shop for, "I'm going to make a contribution to provide health care to someone on your behalf." That kind of gift can be very meaningful to some of us, including to Alice.

11/15/18 Update: Good morning to everyone! It's really past time to get this update out. I've been waiting for more news but simply haven't had much information to pass on. Apparently the medical profession in Kenya can move slowly, as it can here. Alice's MRI was completed. It was delayed by about a week due to doctor scheduling issues. The doctor said they are going to continue with the same medicine regimen as before, and that there would be more news once the MRI has been read and interpreted. That additional news is not out yet, as far as I know. Where does Alice stand? Compared to a year ago, she's much, much better. Last year she was undergoing daily radiation treatments and had to stay in Nairobi to be near the hospital. It was a very difficult time period. She's made a lot of progress. But there's still more to be done. How are the finances? Right now they are looking fairly good. Alice's bill is paid up. We still have some distance to go to get to the December appointment, but there's some progress. At present, treatment still looks like it will be right at $2,200.00 per month. We still need about $1,500 to make it to the appointment in December. Thank you for all your support. Alice is doing a very hard thing, but she couldn't do it at all without your help. Please remember her also as you consider gift giving this year. I know I appreciate it when family members and friends contribute to something I care about. Let's make this happen for Alice!

11/4/2018 All Saints' Day Celebrated Tonight Alice, Simon Peter, and Lazarus ride through the night on a bus, going from their home to a foreign country, in order to see the doctor tomorrow. It's a 14 hour trip. They are hoping the doctor will send Alice for an MRI to check the progress on the brain tumor which they were able to remove partially last year. Then, back for another overnight bus trip to get home. Two nights in a row on the bus, as well as the frustration and uncertainty of waiting for medical attention and then clear information about the status. We look forward to an update later this week. Thanks to everyone who has been helping Alice get the treatment she needs. Your many gifts have preserved her life. Her bills have been paid in full so far. At present we are working on funding her next follow-up appointment, which we are assuming will be in early December. Even as we look forward to an update, please keep remembering Alice's needs. We know there will be ongoing expenses. Maybe we'll have a clearer idea of the duration of the treatment soon. In any case, as we chip in, Alice knows she is not alone in her battle. Thanks again!

10/15/18 Hello, everyone! Thank you so much for all the help you have given our friends Alice and Simon Peter, as well as their children. To the children who have seen their mother's illness tear her life and theirs part, the treatment Alice has received in the past year has brought them gifts they will probably never be able to express. Alice is no longer having the seizures which she had for several months before starting treatment. She is regaining the health and strength that lets her love and care for her family. The original plan was that she would have an MRI at her September visit so as to see just how things have progressed. However, they wanted her to go through another month of medication and postponed the MRI to the early October visit. So we don't have a report on that test just yet. However, the great news is that the postponement was purely a medical decision, not a financial one. Your contributions toward her care have allowed Alice and her medical team to make treatment decisions which are in her best interests, not caused by financial emergency. Please keep contributing and remembering Alice. Hopefully in another month we'll have some projections for the remainder of her treatment. For the time being, her care is still costing about $2,200.00 per month. I'll be setting a transfer into motion in about two weeks. Thanks again for all your help!

10/8/18 Update: Here's the latest from Pastor Simon Peter. "Waako Simon Peter 8 hrs · Thankyou very much dear friends for your prayers .We reached safely at Aghakan university hospital in Nairobi and as I talk now,Alice's review is done unfortunately,we are unable to give you the report from the MRI because it has not been done today.The doctors are saying that it has to be done next month on 05-11-2018,when Alice has finished the medication dose she is currently on right now.Otherwise a part from that the doctors said she is doing fine.Please continue praying for us.We shall start off our journey back to Uganda in seven hours to come.Thankyou for being good friends to us and May God bless you all." As you can see, they have delayed the MRI until next month, November 5. They wanted to have another month of medication behind Alice and then take a look. Here's a picture of Alice and Lazarus - Alice is looking really healthy compared to a year ago. Lazarus is looking really big! Please keep sharing and giving. It looks like we are in good shape for Alice's treatment at the moment, but the next month always comes up sooner than I think it will.

10/2/18 Update: Wow. That's all I can say. Wow. In the past week contributions to help with Alice's care have poured in. Although a few days ago it looked like Simon Peter would have to try to push Alice's appointment back by a week or more, after a few appeals we ended up not only catching up the balance they had left last month, but moving part of the way through to the $2,200.00 she will need at the start of November! Thank you all so much for your generous care. You are an important part of restoring Alice's ability to live out her many Christian vocations as wife, mother, daughter, sister, and member of the community where she lives. Alice has an MRI scheduled for October 8. As she has for many months now, she, Simon Peter, and their youngest son Lazarus will get on a bus in the evening of October 7. The trip to Nairobi, where her medical team is located, will take overnight, about 14 hours. They will go to the appointments, get an update, get her expensive medications from the hospital pharmacy, and then, at the end of the day, they will get on a bus for the overnight trip back across the border to their home country. We will hope and pray for a good report and for some idea of how long they think her ongoing treatment might last. So far, we have just been guessing at the overall cost and time of treatment. But, once again, your faithfulness in pitching in has made it all possible. Please continue sharing and contributing. We do know that the monthly cost will remain about $2,200.00. We've gone this far. We'll go the duration.

9/27/18 Thanks to everyone who has pitched in and helped with Alice's treatment! She's now just eight days from her next scheduled appointment, at which she is due to have an MRI and find out what kind of progress has been made on her tumor. External signs are looking good. There's one problem, and right now it looks like a serious enough problem that it will lead to a delay. Last month, Simon Peter was short of the money due for treatment. He needs to catch it up at this upcoming visit. We're still about $1,300.00 short. Please consider whether you can help Alice get this important diagnostic test. We need to start transferring funds on Monday if the schedule is to be maintained. It's going to be tight. Please share with your friends, family, and others. Everyone has been so generous, but I do need to ask you to consider whether you can help more at present. Let's help Alice with the peace of mind that comes from continued lifesaving treatment!

9/14/18 Update: Thanks again for all your loyal help and support. Alice seems to be improving month by month. As you may have noticed, contributions for her care fell short again last month. To be ready for Alice's early October doctor visit we need $3,300.00 to catch up a past due balance. This upcoming visit, scheduled for October 5, is very important. Alice is scheduled to have another MRI which will give a clear picture of what's happening on the inside, not simply an evaluation based on external signs. Please consider sharing this again and again with your local friends, church congregations, and other people who might be able to help. Your support has restored hope for a normal life to someone who, not long ago, was facing a death sentence. Your support has kept a family whole. Your support has shown countless people what can be accomplished when concerned people join together for good.

8/31/18 Update A blessed morning to everyone! I have received confirmation from Pastor Simon Peter about the next scheduled appointment for Alice. You may remember that her August appointment was delayed. This made us wonder if she was going to be seen in September or would wait until October. They are still trying to see her early in the month. However, rather than an appointment Monday, September 3 (too soon!) they have pushed it back to the 10th. It takes most of a week to get funds from the United States to Simon Peter's secure account. I need to start the process on Tuesday the 4th to be sure everything is ready for them. At present, we don't have enough in hand to care for Alice's medical expenses at this next appointment. I know many people make contributions shortly after the first of the month. If it can be on the first or even today this month, that would go a long way toward meeting this need. We are currently about $1,700.00 short of the $2,200.00 expenses. Please continue sharing this opportunity to help with others. It is as we work together that we build community and make our world a better place.

8/21/18 Update: Hello, everyone! I spoke with Pastor Simon Peter today. He said he and the family are well. Christina, the daughter with a heart condition is in generally good health and going back to the children's hospital for a checkup in the near future. He and Alice returned from Alice's recent checkup in Nairobi very tired, but pleased with her progress. The physician is noting ongoing healing with the medicines Alice has been using. She will continue for several months but they have hope that eventually she will be considered fully recovered. Please keep praying for Alice, sharing her need, and giving yourselves. This brings me to an important note. A hacker has been gaining access to some of Simon Peter's communication methods, has been posing as him or as relative, and asking people to send money for urgent means through fast, less secure methods. Simon Peter asks that people not respond to such requests. He's working on securing communications and financial channels more than they have been in the past. This fundraiser, whether through contributions online or via check through the mail, remains secure.

7/31/18 Update: Here we are, one week before Alice is scheduled to have a follow-up in Nairobi. I asked Simon Peter to tell us candidly how she is doing and what the treatments are doing for her. Here's what he said. "Pastor Dave,greetings to you in the Lords name and hope you are doing good.Back here Alice is doing good.Her health is improving every time.The more she will continue with her treatment the more she will get healed very fast BUT if she misses out any treatment,then she is likely to have problem with her recovery.Apart from having trouble when she passes under very hot sunshine and in dust,she is improving every day.So if Alice's treatment is interrupted she will be under great danger since the brain has not yet healed. May God bless you all as you continue supporting Alice." It's been a joy to see pictures of Alice doing some gardening and entering into more of the activities of a healthy life. But now it's time for my serious words. Last month, the hospital allowed for treatment even though the entire required balance wasn't paid. To catch up next week, we need a total of $3,300.00 ready to go. To make that happen on time, I need to start a wire transfer no later than this Thursday morning. As of right now, we have $2,094.01 ready to transfer. That leaves, in round numbers, $1,200.00 to go. Please share and help. Thanks! It gives us much joy when we see that Alice has started doing some domestic work,and she can also care for her small vegetable garden.Despite of the fact that she has some challenges with passing through hot sunshine and also moving in open wind,we shall God first of all and all of you friends who have been very active in making fundraising and donations for Alice's medication.We have the hope that one day she will get completely healed.As per the last update from Pastor Dave,We have the medication bill balance for last month carried forward to this month.Therefore,this month ,we need $3400 to pay for last months balance and also to pay for this months medication bill.The time is going so fast and we are now remaining with two weeks only for Alice to go back to Nairobi for her medication again.The greatest challenge still is that the funds so far donated is not enough.Its our special request once again for your donations towards Alice's medication gofundme.We thankyou very much for the heart to care.God bless you all.

7/12/18 Update: This just in from Pastor Simon Peter. "Brothers and sisters in Christ,we reached safely in Nairobi.This morning by 6:30AM,we had already reached Nairobi.As I speak now,Alice has just finished her check up by the doctors and the situation seems not to be bad.There is always improvement whenever we go for her check up.Thankyou very much for your prayers and support always .Right now we are at the pharmacy ,waiting to pick her medicines that can keep her to 09-08-2018 ,when the next check up will take place.In five hours time,we shall be boarding the bus back to Uganda.God bless you all." Just a reminder, the trip and the doctor/pharmacy bill each month costs about $2,200.00. The family earns barely enough money to support themselves without their medical expenses. Last month only half of the medical cost came in. I pray that we will be able to send $3,300.00 before the next visit to catch up the payment. Please share and help.

7/6/18 Update: Thanks to everyone for your faithful help. We made a transfer for Simon Peter to pay for Alice's treatment next week. It isn't enough to pay the balance, but he has negotiated with the hospital that they will treat her this time with the promise that he can complete the balance by the next treatment. This has happened before. We're about $1,100 short right now. That means by the end of July, to put the accounts in order and continue treatment in August we need a total of $3,300.00 to come in. Can we do it? Please share Alice's need with your family, friends, and acquaintances. Alice, Simon Peter, and all their family are very grateful for the help they have received. 7/3/18 Update: Hello to everyone who has helped with Alice's treatment. Last I updated you there were some very good reports from the doctors. Alice is gaining in strength, though she has trouble with intense sunlight and with temperature changes. She is still clearly in need of the treatment she's been receiving as she recovers from her brain surgery. In just a few days Simon Peter and Alice will go for another follow-up treatment. At least we hope so. Since the last trip we've only gathered about $700 of the $2,200 she needs to continue. The bills are caught up for now, but she really needs people to step forward with $1,500 to bring to the hospital in Kenya next week. Please help our friend in her battle. Thanks!

6/20/18 Update: Let's get the latest on Alice's condition! She made the long bus trek from Jinja, Uganda to Nairobi, Kenya and back last week. Simon Peter said, "even the doctors were pleased with her progress." It looks now as if her follow-ups may go on beyond the early estimate of March 2019, but there's a lot of optimism for success in the treatment. As we recall, Alice had surgery for a brain tumor late in 2017. They were not able to remove the entirety of the tumor, so followed up with daily radiation therapy for several weeks. She initially returned for two week follow-up, and is now on monthly checkups. The treatment costs about $2,200.00 monthly. Several people have committed to sending a monthly amount to help throughout Alice's treatment. That's a great encouragement, as pastors in Uganda typically make very little money. Please continue to share this need with friends, family, and church groups as we try to assist this family in their time of trouble. On a family note, Simon Peter and Alice's youngest son, Lazarus, is now about a year old and going strong!

5/26/18 Update: We're moving close to the next fund transfer to Uganda to help with Alice's treatment. She's due to be at the doctor in Nairobi again on June 4. That means we'll start moving the money over on Tuesday, May 29. Alice seems to be improving steadily!Thanks to all who have been praying, encouraging, and contributing to the expense of her care. Remember that her cost is about $2,200.00 per month. This will continue into 2019. Please keep sharing her need with your friends, family, and associates. Several people are contributing monthly. A few more would guarantee that Alice's care and treatment can continue without any interruption. Thanks again for all your help and support!

5/21/18 Update: Thanks again for all your help as we try to bring Alice to full recovery! As of my last update to everyone, we were behind schedule in paying her bills. Simon Peter got permission for her to be seen even though they were behind. A little over two weeks ago I sent a transfer through with enough money for them to make the bus trip to Nairobi and back. The good news? Alice seems to be improving, and possibly even doing better than the doctors were expecting. The bad news? The financial need is becoming critical. Her treatment may be interrupted. Please help her avoid that setback! Share her need with friends and family. Consider joining the several friends who have committed to giving on a monthly basis until her treatment is completed. At present they think that will be fairly early in 2019. Together we can do this!

4/16/18 Update: Thanks again for your support for Alice during her surgery, recovery, and ongoing treatment. The news is looking good, but it seems she will continue to receive medication and monthly reviews for approximately another year. Money remains the big issue in her treatment. The medications to shrink tumors are not cheap! But for $2,200 per month she's able to receive the care she needs. Several people have stepped forward and said they plan to send monthly support. Yet we are still a little short. Right now we have just under $1,200 ready to send for April. Please share this need with your family, friends, and whatever groups you are involved in. I would love to report in another week that we have full support for Alice's care! Thanks again for your faithfulness.

4/10/18 Update: Thanks be to God! At Alice's last evaluation the medical team was pleased with her progress. They have revised her treatment plan to include medications and monthly review. It looks like it will be just once a month rather than twice. However, the cost will remain the same. It's the medication that is very expensive. At present they are saying the next MRI will be at the end of March 2019, at which time they will consider whether treatment is finished or not. Thanks to all who are a part of this! We'll keep working to gather $2,200 per month. Please keep sharing Alice's need and contributing as you are able. Here's a recent picture. You may recall that the tumor caused Alice to be unable to open her left eye. She is gaining!

4/2/18 Update: Alice is continuing her radiation treatment as a follow up to last fall’s surgery on a brain tumor. Until very recently, there were no facilities in Uganda for radiation therapy, so her care has been centered in Kenya. Alice, along with Simon Peter and their youngest son, Lazarus, made the overnight bus trip to Nairobi for an MRI on March 31. Here’s a picture showing that bus stations around the world are much the same in the middle of the night. So are toddlers and their moms. Alice is now able to open her left eye, which she could not do for some time. Most of us are painfully aware of the annoyance caused by having to wait for medical care or being asked to come back at a different time. After the scheduled MRI on Saturday the 31st, Alice’s follow up with the medical staff who could interpret the results was rescheduled for Friday, April 6. Back on the overnight bus to get home, then Thursday they will do it again, about 14 hours each way. We continue welcoming donations to care for her treatment, which costs about $2,200 per month. This is far beyond what her family could ever afford.

3/31/18 Update: Hello on this day of waiting, between Good Friday and Easter Sunday. As many of us are preparing for special church services and for a variety of family events, our friends, Simon Peter, Alice, and Lazarus, are in Nairobi, Kenya, away from the rest of their family. Thankful for your help, prayers, and contributions, they are preparing for a follow-up visit, radiation treatment, and evaluation by the primary doctor. Everyone is hopeful. We pray that the data gathered in the medical visit will be positive. Meanwhile, gifts have continued to come in. Several people have now said they plan to contribute monthly until the end of Alice's treatment. Others have not committed openly but have been giving repeatedly. As you celebrate the Day of Resurrection, please consider whether you are able to be an instrument of restoring hope and vitality to Alice. She's come a long way, but has a long journey ahead of her still. Please share her need with your family and friends. Please contribute generously to help her family pay for the treatment she would otherwise be unable to receive. Thanks again for your faithfulness!

3/20/18 Update: Good morning to you! Last Thursday I was able to initiate a transfer of almost $1,800.00 for Alice's care. This completed the deficit from February and took care of the balance due for March's treatment. I could not have done it without the many people who have been pitching in. There are a few people who are mailing checks to me for this project. That effectively avoids the fees that GoFundMe charges for handling the money. We're now starting to work on the medical expenses for the month of April. Contributions are coming in. Let's keep them flowing by sharing and remembering this need when you take time to pay bills. Alice goes back to Nairobi near the end of next week for a check-up and therapy treatment. We are looking forward to yet another good report from the doctor!

3/1/18 Update: Greetings to everyone! We received a check in the mail recently from an anonymous donor. The note with it said, "Please accept this anonymous donation towards the care of Alice. We will try to commit to $100 each month for 2018." Here's an example of someone reaching out to care for a less fortunate family. This kind of generosity means more than most of us can imagine. It gives day to day caretakers a glimpse of what can be done when we all pull together. As we move toward making a fund transfer in the first part of March, we're still significantly short. We have just over $1,000 ready to go. That's excellent! But the bills to be paid in Alice's March visit total about $3,000. I've challenged 50 people to commit to giving $50 per month. Will you join the crew? When many hands pull together it's amazing what we can accomplish. Please, if you can, give today. Share Alice's need with your friends, family, co-workers, and church groups.

2/8/18 Update: Thanks for your continued support. We're in this for the long haul, which probably here means through about August of 2018. Alice was able to go to Nairobi for evaluation and treatment early this week. They were very pleased with her progress. The medications and rest/recovery have been working wonders. The next follow up is near the end of March. There's an ongoing financial concern. The medications cost quite a bit, and Simon Peter was not able to pay as much as he intended at this recent visit. We were about $800 short. Within the next five weeks, it really will be necessary to raise about $3,000. This is the normal monthly $2,200 plus the $800 that he was short at this recent visit. Please consider whether you are able to contribute a set amount on a regular basis through the remainder of Alice's treatment. Please also share this fundraiser with your family and friends, co-workers, church groups, and anyone else who might be able to help. Together we are giving a family hope to live a healthy and normal life. Thanks for playing your part!

1/16/18 Update: Here's the latest on Alice's treatment and recovery. Thanks again to everyone who has helped out in the last several months. The medical team in Nairobi is optimistic about Alice's recovery. They think she may well recover the use of her left eye with proper treatment. A key to this is PROPER TREATMENT. From now through August, Alice will need to continue with regular visits to her doctors.  All together we've been able to help her thus far. Are we willing to bring this to its conclusion?  Please continue to share her need with family and friends and to make contributions so our friend Alice can gain strength and return to the many vocations she has in her family, her community, and her church.

1/8/18 Update: Here's an update from Simon Peter. "Brothers and sisters in Christ, greetings to you in the Lord's name. I hope your morning is good. Back here in Nairobi we are doing fine. I am really very happy to tell you that the MRI report for today has shown that Alice is showing greater improvement with her health. She will have the next MRI in March even though she has to continue with these other treatments for the wound. They have also started working on her eye to ensure that it can start seeing once again. So she has to continue with the monthly treatments for the eye and for the wound. Thankyou very much for your support. Continue supporting us, please. We still need your support. May God bless you all." I called Simon Peter this morning, evening in Kenya. He was very cheerful and encouraged. There seems to be real hope that Alice can have a full recovery.  I asked about the finances. It looks like the goal of $2,200 per month is what it will take to keep the treatment progressing. Please continue to share this need with your family and friends network. We are really looking for a number of people who will commit to contributing monthly as part of their budget. You have made a tremendous difference in the life of this dear family. Thank you!

12/21/17 Update: When I last updated you, we were eagerly awaiting Alices return home. The radiation therapy she has been through is exhausting. But we trust it has been effective. I'll post a picture of her, tired but happy, with her family. I've also got a neat picture of Simon Peter with his congregation. Since the last fund transfer we've had about $1,400 come in to push toward the bills which will be due in January.  The transportation and care for Alice will cost approximately $2,200.00 per month. Please continue to tell friends and family about this need. Special thanks to those who have considered making a monthly contribution for the duration of the treatment! I lately received a letter dictated by Alice but written by her sister. The picture is a little blurry, but I've transcribed it below. "21 December 2017 Brothers and Sisters in Christ, Greetings to you all in the precious name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ who is to be born. As a family of Rev. Simon Peter and Alice Waako, we would like to first of all thank you very much for the true love you have shown us since I got sick. You have stood with us in all these difficult time and you have given us all the support we need. We thank God for giving you all the heart of generosity and may you continue being with us in the next phase of the treatment which is beginning January 06 2018. We continue praying for you all and your families as you prepare to celebrate the birth of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. May you all have a blessed Christmas and prosperous new year. Your sister in Christ, Alice Nambi"

12/7/17 Update: What's the latest update on Alice? She's wrapped up her daily radiation treatments. Simon Peter will wrap up some ministry obligations at home then take the long bus ride to pick her up. The whole crew will be reunited at home in Jinja about Wednesday, December 13. Thank you all for your support during this very challenging period. The period of greatest danger and expense is past. We're now looking at about $2,200 per month while Alice receives a check-up and treatment twice a month, starting in January. Please consider whether you can commit to helping on a monthly basis. In all likelihood the treatment will not take over a year. In the meantime, we wish everyone a blessed Advent as we look forward to Christmas and the celebration of Christ, who came to bear all our trouble!

11/11/17 Update: On Veteran's Day we especially remember those who have worked to defend their country. These people wrote a blank check to their nation and risked everything for the good of others. In a way, it's also what our friends Alice and Simon have done. They did it for their family, for the people they could care for in Christian ministry, and, as well, for many people who were homeless and helpless.  In the past three months Alice has undergone brain surgery and has begun radiation therapy. The medical team and family are hopeful. We think she will be able to return to a life of good health. Right now she's in daily radiation treatments, and is staying in Nairobi with her sister and with the baby, Lazarus. Simon Peter is mostly at home in Jinja, Uganda, caring for family and church responsibilities. The daily treatments should be ended before Christmas so the family can be reunited. All this has happened because of caring and faithful supporters. The family has been surrounded by prayers, by acts of kindness, and by financial contributions which have made it all possible. I recently received a number of pictures of receipts for expenses. Simon Peter is serious about this. If people are helping him pay for the care his family needs, he's going to be sure it goes for that and nothing else. This kind of responsibility and accountability should say a lot. At present, I think we're about $8,000.00 from raising enough money for Alice to complete her treatment. I'm going to challenge you. Is this a Christmas present that we can, working together, provide for the family?

10/26/17 Update: Thank you all so much for your continued support. Since my last update people have given almost $900 more to help Alice. Here's a letter she sent. I'm posting a picture of her writing as well. Alice writes: "To all our family friends, Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, greetings to you all in the precious name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Hope you are all doing fine with your families? Back here in Nairobi, we are doing good and I would like to thank you all very much for your kindness and the brotherly love you have shown me and my family. Thank you very much for your contribution and donation towards my medical bill. My life is improving and even though there is still need for paying my medical bills, I thank God that he is enabling us to meet it through your support always and please continue supporting us because w still need your support. Right now I have started the radiotherapy treatment and it will run for six weeks, before I start visiting two time every month until I will be finally well. May God bless you allfor what you are doing. Alice Namba"

10/21/17Update In the past week, $1,245.00 has come in to help with Alice's ongoing treatment. I pray that people will have opportunity to share, especially among church communities who believe in the kind of selfless work Simon Peter does, bring Christ's hope and help to people in poverty-stricken communities. In the next 24 hours he expects to take Alice back to Nairobi. Last I knew they were still working on a place for her to stay during the next six weeks of daily treatments. Can we make it easier by delivering the rest of the funding she needs? Thank you all for your support in the last few months. Please continue to pray, talk, share, and give.

10/18/17 Anyone who's new to this fundraiser, I sure hope you'll read the whole story below. It's been updated several times. The long and short of it is that our friend Alice has had surgery on a partially removable brain tumor. She's doing well, but is going to need ongoing radiation therapy for about a year. Since we started this fundraiser in mid August, people around the world have contributed almost $30,000 to preserve Alice's life and restore her to health and care of her young family. There's no way in the world that her husband, Simon Peter, a Lutheran pastor, would ever be able to pay for this expense. Based on the latest information, I've raised our giving goal to a total of $40,000. This should get Alice through her radiation therapy, which will be in Nairobi, Kenya (She lives in Jinja, Uganda, but there's no facility in Uganda for treatment.). We think she'll be living there, probably separated from her family, until nearly Christmas, so as to get the daily treatments needed at the beginning of the course of treatment. We're so very close to meeting the financial needs. It is a life-changer for the family. It's actually a life-preserver. Please help out and share this with others who will be able to participate.  Let's get this bill paid!

9/18/17 Update What's the latest news on our friend Alice? Here she is outside the hospital in Nairobi. We're just waiting for a wire transfer which was sent on Wednesday to become available so they can finish paying off the hospital bill and take Alice home! Thanks to everyone who has helped so far. The follow up treatment plan currently includes radiation therapy every two weeks. This is much better than the weekly treatment we had been suspecting. Alice will still have to travel, and it's a long bus trip, but every two weeks will allow her time to rest and recover between appointments. Please continue praying, lending support, and sharing with your friends, as well as asking them to consider support. It looks like we're within $6,000 of getting her through to the end of her treatment. And now for an update as of

9/18/17. Alice is ready for discharge and follow-up radiation therapy. However, there was a little delay in some of the fund transfers. The hospital won't discharge her until her bill is paid in full. We think that money will all be available to the family within just a few days. In the meantime, Alice needs to rest and regain her strength.  Somehow the update that I put in here this morning disappeared. Let's try it again. I'm updating the overall story of our friend Alice but leaving my original write-up from about a month ago below. In the past month, since we found out about Alice's malignant brain tumor, people have contributed over $18,000 to help her. She lives in Uganda, where there is no medical insurance. She has travelled to Kenya, where there are facilities to do brain surgery. The surgeon reported that only some of the tumor could be removed, so there is now a plan for ongoing radiation therapy treatments on a weekly basis. The hospital is estimating the cost at about $10,000 in American money. I've updated a picture so we can see a close-up of Alice with her friend, a deaconess from Nairobi, who has been visiting with her just about every day. It's great help and support. Alice's swelling is starting to go down a little bit. She's regaining strength. With care and the ongoing treatment it looks like she may be able to return to a much more normal life. We've asked people to open their hearts and their wallets already. You have responded in ways which Alice and Simon Peter can't imagine. Here's another hurdle. Will you help? Please, continue holding this family in prayer. Encourage them with notes, especially on Simon Peter's Facebook . And please consider an additional contribution, an offering from your church congregation, or help from any other charitable source available. Let's walk with them through the rest of this journey! Below is the original post I made when starting the fundraiser. Americans often complain about medical care. Costs are skyrocketing, choice of insurance plans is becoming more limited, and many people have coverage with high deductibles, sometimes several months' worth of income. Yet most of us have some sort of safety net. Government programs, employers, family, friends, and even strangers will help out in an emergency. The picture is different in some other parts of the world. Simon Peter  is the pastor of a church in Uganda. He oversees multiple additional preaching stations. He also works tirelessly to care for the spiritual and physical needs of those around him, especially orphans . In these past several years of famine, he has made contact with people and organizations in Uganda and abroad, trying to provide food relief for villages which are at the point of starvation. He has brought medical and hygiene supplies to many who would be without some of the items we would consider essential in this country. In a country where people have little money and few resources, his work has been a beacon of hope and comfort. Simon Peter and his wife, Alice, have five children. Rebecca, 13 was adopted from the streets. Joseph, 10, Doreen, 9, Christina, 4, and Lazarus, one month, are their natural children. Above is a picture of Simon Peter, Alice, and Lazarus in front of the house they rent. Christina has a heart condition which has sometimes gone untreated because of the expense of medications. Simon Peter suffers from diabetes. Sometimes he has the medicines he needs to control his condition. The family has a positive outlook even though they face many difficulties. In early August of 2017, Simon Peter told me that Alice was having trouble with her vision, maybe due to an insect sting. They visited a doctor who saw something disturbing. On August 14, Alice was diagnosed with a brain tumor. It has caused blindness in her left eye, reduced hearing in her left ear, and convulsions. They have been referred to a hospital in Nairobi, Kenya, which is about a ten hour international trip. The overall cost will be over $15,000. They do not have the resources to pay for this. Those of us who know Simon Peter know that he is, above all else, trustworthy. He is the kind of person who, when people send him money to buy food for the needy, uses it all and then some more to feed the hungry. Now, with this special need, I'm going to ask that we pitch in and help Alice. They say she needs the surgery by mid-September of 2017. Can we find about 80 people who can and will each give $200 to meet this need, including some transportation, housing, and care for the rest of the family? Will you also commit to prayer for Alice and her family? Please pass this along. Let's see what we can do. Just a quick additional note. I set the fundraising goal for $16,000 rather than $15,000 in hopes of also covering the fees involved by GoFundMe, a wire transfer, and the expense the Waako family will have with transportation and lodging during medical treatment.