Help Damas Gisimba cover the costs of dialysis

Damas was 34 years young when I first laid eyes on him during the first month of the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda. He and his wife Beatrice had a handsome baby boy, Patrick, who was not even a year old. I’m sure Patrick's safety was a top priority for his parents, while at the same time so was the safety of more than 80 other children they were watching over in Gisimba Memorial Center Orphanage. And those original 80 orphans were rapidly becoming outnumbered by new arrivals everyday as parents were frantically searching for a safe haven for their children.

 

Before the genocide was over, Damas, Beatrice, and their small, courageous Rwandan team would have safely shepherded more than 400 children and young women recently widowed through the worst 100 days of the 20th century. More than 1 million members of our human family were slaughtered by other members of our human family. At multiple points throughout the genocide, I was privileged to work alongside Damas and his team. You can learn more of Damas’s story of “defying Genocide” at this link.

 

Today, Damas is going in for dialysis 3 times per week while searching for a kidney. While we are so grateful that dialysis is available, it’s also quite expensive – $240/week, $960/month. While talking with their son Patrick, it became apparent that one of the ways we could help and at the same time say "thanks" to Damas and Beatrice would be to raise funds to pay for Damas’s dialysis.

 

We have set a goal of $12,500 and would be so grateful if you not only contributed what you could but also shared this opportunity with your network. We believe we can reach the goal before the end of the year. Please help us make that happen!

 

All the best of the holidays to you and yours,

Carl Wilkens

 

P.S. You may be interested to know what Patrick is up to these days. He earned a Master of Science degree in Developmental Trauma at Texas Christian University and is currently running a robust after-school program on the campus of the former orphanage in Rwanda. He and his team (many of whom survived the genocide in the orphanage) are lavishing loving care on the most vulnerable young people in the neighborhood. Check out “Gisimba Afterschool Program” on instagram.