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View a gallery of photos from Mukuru.


Victor is two years old and has severe burn scars around his elbow and armpit. It was an accident, of course. But accidents are common in the Mukuru slums of Nairobi, Kenya.


Father John Lange, M.M. is a missioner there and he was able to get little Victor to the hospital. But skin grafts are painful—especially for a baby. But growing up without them would be much worse for little Victor.


So many people, like Victor, are desperately poor and need emergency care. But that doesn't mean their lives are lost—not if you help.


Here's what you can do right now… pray for Father John and all our Fathers and Brothers. Then in honor of the Gospel we both love, give a gift to Maryknoll. Give as much as you can for the sake of the children and their families.


Maybe you won't ever travel to Nairobi. But maybe these pictures of photos from Mukuru or this description will suffice.


Leave the city and its tall, shiny buildings, and you find the filthiest slums in all of Africa. That's where 350,000 people live—or try to. Picture row after row of shacks—small rooms with almost no electricity or running water—and the stream in front of your house is an open sewer.


At mealtime, you cook on the floor, usually over an open flame, or outdoors. Sometimes children like Victor get their hands caught in the fire or fall into it. If your shack goes up in flames, 100 homes can burn down.


Then there's healthcare. So many people are sick with HIV/AIDS and other diseases that the system is overwhelmed.
But Father John makes his rounds every day. He takes care of the sick, gets kids into school, and finds jobs for those who can work.


While you're visiting, let's meet some of Victor's neighbors…


Paul, a day laborer, fell on broken glass while carrying a load of cement. His surgeries were so bad that his wife went into shock and died, leaving five children. Father John helps out with food and back rent.


Angeline lost her leg to cancer. Father John helped pay for the surgery, and then put her on his "flour and beans list" to make sure she gets her nutrition.


You'll love Lukas, a beautiful baby boy, full of energy. Lukas needs surgery—for a severely swollen testicle. Father John told his Mom to find $80 and he would give her a voucher to cover the rest.


In the Mukuru, one misery is laced together with the next like tangled up yarn.


Even a small gift can provide hope to someone in need. Can you find room in your heart for the people of the Mukuru? Your support will help children and families begin again. Please help us continue our work. Please donate to this appeal.