This is a picture from a recent article we submitted. While we were in Ethiopia, the Humanitarian couple shared with us several projects they have completed. One was to help with treatment of Podoconoisis-- a curable elephantitis. It comes as a result of them never wearing shoes or socks and walking barefoot in the fertile volcanic soil of the highlands of Eastern Africa. It is estimated that over 1 million people in Ethiopia alone have the disease. The clinic educates them on how to prevent it and then treats it by soaking the feet in bleach, then applying medicated ointments and bandaging. After a couple of weeks the patient can return to his village with equipment to continue the soaks and medication. After treatment for about 3 months the disease is often gone. The church had special shoes made for the patients and donated 1100 basins, 1100 pairs of shoes, 1100 pairs of socks, 3300 bottles of bleach and 3300 bars of soap. Some people associate the disease with witchcraft and hide their inflicted family members because of the unsightly swelling of the legs and feet. Little do they realize it is a result of "dust in the feet" which causes the lymphatics to fibrosis, obstruct and the femoral nodes enlarge. The skin can actually ooze lymph and infections may result.
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