Monday, April 23, 2012

Phai Tola's finances for surgery have been met... Praise the Lord!

Dear Friends who gave and Friends who prayed!

We just wanted to let you know that the full commitment to pay for Phai Tola's surgery has come in.  About 15 individuals committed to help with this need and we know that a lot more prayed for this provision.  This is amazing in that the request for the funds for his heart surgery went out less than 24 hours before the full need was met!
Phai Tola

Thank you so much for your partnership with us in this way and for your ongoing prayers for Phai Tola's surgery.

For those who contributed, as the details regarding the time for the surgery are nailed down, I will send you a quick email.  You may also check this blog if you would like updates.

Thanks for giving this young man a second chance at life.

Dave and Chris
_____________________________________

Original Email Request -- NOTE:  These financial needs are now met:

Dear Friends:

In 17 years serving in Cambodia, we have never made a direct appeal for medical help for an individual.  That changes with this email.  There is a 23 year old man named Phai Tola (picture attached) from a village about two hours away from Phnom Penh.  He and his family are very poor.  He was referred to David by one of our Cambodian pastors who is planting a new church in that area.   David met with Phai Tola, prayed with him, and referred him to a Christian clinic with which we have a close relationship called Mercy Medical Center (MMC).  This is not an uncommon occurrence.  We probably refer at least 50 people/year to this clinic and have given limited financial help to hundreds of poor people over the years to get medical care.  It just comes with the territory of being a missionary in Cambodia committed to loving our neighbor. 

MMC examined Phai Tola and referred him to a Christian organization called Jeremiah's Hope who helps with severe medical cases in Cambodia.  After that assessment, MMC contacted me again with the medical report in the email below... 

Bottom line, this surgery costs a bit more than $3000 and should save his life.  He should have the surgery within two weeks.  We believe we should help but do not have these funds in hand.

If the Lord should put it on your heart to assist with this need, even with a small amount, could I ask you to take the following two steps:

1.  Make a donation to the Christian and Missionary Alliance for the "Manfred Work Fund". 

This gift can be given online at

https://www.cmalliance.org/give/online-giving?project=1-47100-%20%20-%20%20-46436&projectName=David%20and%20Christine%20Manfred&projectDesc=Work

or it could also be given by check made out to "The Christian and Missionary Alliance" and designated with "Cambodia, Manfred Work Fund" sent to:
The Christian and Missionary Alliance
PO Box 35000
Colorado Springs, CO 80935
Please be aware that, as per C&MA policy, 15% of your gift will go to the Great Commission Fund which provides necessary ministry support for C&MA workers.  

2.  Inform me via email that you have sent in a gift and the amount of the gift so I know when we have received sufficient funds for the surgery. 
I will not receive these funds in Cambodia for at least a month so I need to know via email that we have sufficient funds committed before I can authorize this surgery.  You can inform me by responding to this email address.

Of course we are thankful for your faithful giving to the Great Commission Fund which is our foundational support for ministry in Cambodia.   We would not want this gift to in any way diminish your regular church or missions giving but if the Lord puts it on your heart to help with this emergency medical need, please take the two steps listed above.

If you can not help with a financial gift at this time, we certainly understand and would appreciate your prayers for God's provision for Phai Tola's surgery instead.  I will be sure to send a follow-up email to report on what has transpired.

Thank you,  Dave and Chris Manfred


-------- Original Message --------
Subject: patient
Date: Sat, 21 Apr 2012 14:55:13 +0700
From: mary kluck
To:


Dear David,
You may remember referring this young man to MMC for assessment of his heart problem. He has severe congenital heart disease which is making him feel very unwell and is threatening his life. He has been seen by the cardiac surgeon at Jeremiah’s Hope and he advises as follows:
1.      The heart defect (mainly a hole in the atrial septum) can be surgically corrected here.
2.      The cost of surgery is around $3000 (I expect additional costs will push this number up a bit – e.g. blood, post-op care, medicines….)
3.      After surgery, Tola can expect fairly normal function and life expectancy.
4.      If surgery is delayed, there will soon come a time when he cannot be helped by surgery. (This happens when the abnormally high flow of blood through the lungs does irreversible damage.)
With all this information now sorted, it is clear that he should have surgery as soon as possible. He consents to have the surgery but of course cannot fund it.
I am writing today to people I know who might be able to help with funds and would ask you to do the same. Please make this an urgent request. If the money can be found, I am hopeful that his surgery can be done in the next 2 weeks or so.
Thank you very much.
Yours sincerely,
Mary Kluck