Update and Seva

DSCN8587Dear Yoga buddies,

In January of this year, 2017, Harry Dyer of Kenya,  Africa was scouting for game and poaching activity near the Mara river.  His plane’s wing clipped the trees and sent the plane crashing to the ground.  It burst into flames upon impact and in the few seconds before Harry could release himself from the cockpit he suffered burns on 40% of his body.  He managed to walk to help, fording the Mara river and found his way home.  Harry was admitted to a hospital in Nairobi, Kenya but it had inadequate burn treatment facilities. Once he was somewhat stable he was airlifted to Johannesburg to the one and only Class 1 burn center in all of Africa.

After several weeks in South Africa, Harry’s friends here in Indy had him flown here for treatment at the Eskenazi Burn Center.  Here he attended daily therapy sessions for months.  Richard was tasked with feeding Harry to help him regain the 40 pounds he had lost while immobilized in hospital.

Harry has survived his wounds and will be working for his whole life to maintain full range of motion in his arms and legs and keep his lungs healthy.  Burns are one of the primary injuries suffered by Africans who cook , sterilize their water, and heat their homes with open flame.  Especially for children, the scars left by untreated burns can lead to life-long disfigurement, and a lack of social inclusion and employment.

Our newest studio Seva (service) is to raise funds towards the $2,000,000 needed to build a state-of-the-art Burn Center in El Doret, Kenya which is the home of Dr. Joe Mamlin’s IU-affiliated teaching hospital, orphanage and the Umoja project.   We will hold a fund-raiser in late August.  Meanwhile, if you like you can pay a bit more for class the amount will be earmarked for Harry’s Burn Center.  You can also make a donation by cash check or charge anytime. The size is not important.  Every penny counts when lives are at stake.  Together we can work to help build the Harry Dyer Burn Center in El Doret, Kenya.                                                                                                   

Namaste, jean