Pepe, A Very Special Little Boy!

Arthrogryposis: Simply text, or a big word, a term, a mystery, a condition. To anyone daring to love a child with Arthrogryposis ... finds a heartbreak nearby. Yep, Pepe's special.

He is eight and he didn't ask to enter this world like he has. He's bright, articulate and bouncing with energy. Unfortunately he lives in Tijuana Mexico: another country, another world. Unfortunately Pepe's small family is poor, dirt poor. Two strikes against a little boy who entered the world with eight strikes against him to begin with.

The status quo isn't going anywhere. We plan to enter the equation.

He's basically a smiling little boy of thirty-five pounds living in a small torso, with arms and legs that don't work, twisted hands and feet that can slowly draw and write. Physical therapy would have helped so much, but ...


The poor world of Tijuana doesn't lend itself to the conventional suggestions and solutions I've heard. And I've heard many.

There must be a solution somewhere, but until I find it we've committed ourselves to helping him get more independent. Mom has to be with him at all times.

Pepe needs a simple and light scooter, specially built to accommodate him. Since I know him and his condition and have studied him, I've decided to make a "prototype scooter." I'm not bad at this type of thing but I've plenty on my plate already, however Pepe's worth the stretch.

We're grateful for the hospital and staff in the United States that are trying little by little to surgically rotate his hands to a somewhat normal position. This requires periodic trips to the U.S.

He needs to be as ambulatory as possible. He needs desperately to have physical therapy.

Last week I brought down the simple wooden proto type cart and had him try it out. Boy was he excited! Sitting there on a little platform that moved him around. He wanted to go out on the sidewalk. Fact, he didn't want to get off it. Well, it's back being modified. It means money and time but the kids worth it.

We would appreciate your prayers as we go ahead a step at a time with this project. A cart like this will enable him to scoot around his small rooms as well as school, and small enough to be transported by taxi to school. Taxies can be quite an expense for a family like theirs. I've found lots of twists on this road.

Indeed Pepe needs legs even if they end up being three round ones.

Pastor von